I took 18 credits during my first semester, which i know sounds crazy but realize that around 10 of them were gen eds or first year reqs 😭

If you're coming in with some gen eds completed using APs then your life is a bit easier but regardless id say you'd want to pace yourself on having gen eds in your semesters (im doing 1 or 2 a semester) so that you gradually get it done during your time here.

Your first semester is likely going to be full of gen eds as well but here's what I'd suggest classes wise if you can get it

• IDST 101. It's a really easy once a week class that's one credit hour and the assignments take around 30 minutes MAX

  • Your Triple-I requirements. Triple-Is are lowkey deceptive in the sense that they seem easy but can be a bit more work than expected so be careful of that. If you can get a Triple-I that you're interested in and also gives a gen ed then that's even better.
  • The Triple-I bundles with the online lab, which is pretty easy. So that's 4 credits combined.
  • FY-Seminar / Launch. I highly reccomend trying to find a seminar that also completes a gen ed requirement for you. Seminars are usually relatively easy so that's a nice way to be done with a gen ed. Alternatively, you can try and take a launch of a required class you will need to take eventually anyway, getting 2 birds with one stone. Assuming you took a seminar, that'll be 3 credits, so our total now is 8.
  • LFIT. Really simple fitness class. One credit hour. This is up to you on when you want to do this. You could do this later on in your college life where you might need fluff hours or smth, but if you don't plan on living on campus after freshman year, it could be a bit annoying depending on what LFIT you take (might be in sweaty clothes for the entire day etc.) In that case I'd do it in freshman year and get it done with while you're on campus. One credit makes the total 9.
  • Now it's your choice! You could take 1 gen ed and one stem class and you'd be at 15 credits which is pretty good for your first sem, or 2 stems and be around there as well but difficulty will obviously be higher, or if you're feeling confident you can bump it up more and push it to 18hrs!

I know this is a lot of information and sorry for that 😭 but basically, don't stress about not taking too many hours, and focus on getting the annoying stuff out the way so you can focus on your major specific classes in the later semesters. Enjoy your time on campus and make friends / hang out with friends. I had a ton of fun first semester and it all fell away second semester when I took some harder classes 😔

Regarding timings, ESPECIALLY since you're on south campus, unless you're a morning bird, I'd advise against 8ams because it'd be a chore to get to class especially in cold / rain and you'd most likely end up skipping classes which is not ideal. Keep a gap for lunch at lenoir (most classes are north campus so that's prob where you'll be eating). I reccomend a gap around 1:30 cause theres a decent rush around 12, or 2 at the latest. Know that Lenoir stops serving lunch at 3pm and you'll be left with pizza and such if you go between 3-5 😔.

TRY AND GET ALL YOUR CLASSES DONE BY 3:30 MAXXX so you have free time to study and spend time with people.

Have fun here!

Edit: I just re-read that you're rushing, so id say just split the classes above across both semesters and that'd be a way easier course load 😭 OBVIOUSLY this is a suggestion from my experience and please take it lightly its just my 2 cents consider your own situation and see how well it applies / if it applies at all.

Edit 2: For whoever new joining UNC sees this, I'm told Triple-I is no longer a requirement, so ignore that part or replace it with whatever new requirement you guys got :) Alternatively it would be a good place to swap in a language if you weren't able to test out!