Don’t Take Off Yet: Your UIC Pre-Flight Check for the New Semester
Student Editorial
There is a routine every pilot follows before a wheel ever leaves the runway. It happens quietly, before boarding, before the engines even start. A walk around the aircraft. A review of instruments. Confirmation that every system responds as it should. It is not exciting. No one applauds a pilot for checking a fuel gauge. But that fifteen-minute routine is the reason the rest of the flight goes smoothly.
Starting a new semester at UIC works the same way. Before the first lecture, before the first assignment, there is a short list of systems every student needs to check. Think of it as your own pre-flight routine before the semester takes off. As students, we often think about these things only after something goes wrong. A forgotten password, a missing notification, or an unfamiliar course page can turn a small problem into unnecessary stress. The goal of a pre-flight check is to catch those small issues while there is still plenty of time to fix them. Below, that routine is broken down the way a flight crew might run it.
Tune Your Frequency: Check Your UIC Email
Every pilot stays on frequency before departure, because that is how instructions reach the cockpit. Your UIC email works the same way. It is the frequency the university uses to reach you, and missing a transmission here means missing something important later.
- Log in to your UIC email and confirm it is working properly.
- Set it up on your phone so you receive updates the moment they arrive, not hours later.
- Check it daily during the first two weeks, when most of the important messages come through.
Confirm Your Navigation Systems: Canvas and Blackboard
Before takeoff, pilots ensure they can access and use the navigation systems required for their flight. For students, Canvas and Blackboard are part of that navigation system, helping you access and manage your coursework throughout the semester.
- Ensure you can access both systems and know how they work. Do not wait until your first assignment is due to discover that you cannot log in or are unsure where to find your coursework.
- Bookmark both websites on your computer so they are easy to access whenever you need them.
- Download the apps on your smartphone for convenient access when you are away from your computer.
- New to Canvas? Read UIC’s Student Guide to Using Canvas to get familiar with the platform before classes get underway.
Review Your Flight Plan: Your Published Courses
No flight departs without a filed flight plan, a confirmed route from takeoff to landing. Your course list is that route. Reviewing it early tells you exactly what to expect before you are already in the air.
- Check which of your courses are published and visible. A course that has not been published yet is not a problem, but it is worth knowing in advance.
- Look over the syllabus for each course as soon as it becomes available.
- Note key dates early, the same way a pilot notes checkpoints along a route before ever leaving the gate.
Activate Your Alert Systems: Turn on Notifications
Cockpits are full of alerts for a reason. Pilots do not want to discover a problem by accident; they want the system to flag it immediately. Your notification settings in Canvas and Blackboard do the same job for your coursework.
- Turn on notifications for both platforms, not just one.
- Choose settings that alert you to grades, announcements, and due dates, since these are the ones most likely to affect you directly.
- Test the settings once by checking that a sample notification actually reaches your email or phone.
Know Your Control Tower: Where to Get Help
Every pilot knows when to ask for help. When something does not look right during a flight, pilots communicate with air traffic control for information, instructions, or assistance. Students have support systems, too. You are never expected to solve every technical issue alone, and knowing who to contact in advance can save valuable time later.
- Save the contact information for Learning Technology Solutions before you need it, not while you are already stuck.
- Reach out to your instructor first for support with course-related tech issues, such as missing content in Canvas or errors in the gradebook. If Canvas or Blackboard is not behaving the way it should, contact Learning Technology Solutions at lts@uic.edu. More information about support can be found on the LMS Support page of the UIC website.
Final Approach: Are You Ready to Take Off?
Turbulence during a semester is normal. Logins fail. Notifications get missed. A course page takes longer to load than it should. None of that means your semester is off course. It means you are in the air, and every flight has some turbulence. The difference between a rough patch and a real problem usually comes down to preparation done before departure.
Run through each of these steps now, while there is still time before the semester takes off. Confirm your email, your platforms, your courses, your notifications, and your point of contact for help. Once those are set, you are cleared for takeoff, and the rest of the semester is yours to fly.