Here are my two cents about course schedules for first semester (caution: this is just advice to consider…feel free to take what you want):
1. Whatever you do, don’t take more than 4.5 credits first semester.
If you do decide to take more than 4.5, keep your mind open towards dropping courses (Never make this an ego issue. Competition will really take a new meaning for you once you are at Yale.)
2. Science labs are godawful.
They consume a lot of time. Here are some guidelines:
a) Try and keep labs in the later part of the week (but not Friday)– Everyone has a tendency of pushing lab work to the weekend. If you have a Monday or Tuesday lab, its large workload builds a lot of pressure on the weekend. But if you have a Wednesday or Thursday lab, you still have Monday and Tuesday to finish off any tidbits of lab work that may be remaining.
b) Avoid taking two labs in the same semester. I did this first semester and it was not pleasant. The work load becomes overwhelming. If you do take two labs, space them by at least a day. And say good bye to your week-ends!
3. Choose classes of varying sizes
Different class sizes provide different learning environments, and this adds to your learning experience. So take lecture courses but also take small humanities classes and labs.
4. Pack classes as closely as possible.
An ideal Monday schedule would be:
Morning class from 9:25-10:15
Second class from 10:30-11:15
Lunch
Class from 11:35-12:50
You do end up wasting a lot of the time in between classes in just walking around campus, and packing classes helps you prevent this.
Do remember though that walking takes time. And so, you should be aware of the building locations for your classes before you draw out such a schedule.
Packing gives you another advantage:
5. Make free days
Especially Fridays because everybody is in a party mood this day. I have done this with my course schedule every time, and it helps. Its almost like having half a weekend in the middle of the week.
What this boils down to is signing heavily either for Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes or for Tuesday, Thursday classes. This gives you a lot of time off on your lighter days. Just a morning class at 9:00 for the entire day is also a good feeling.
By the way, for LOR fans: the Tuesday-Thursday heavy schedule is referred to as the Twin Tower course schedule. A lot of humanities’ students have such a schedule. And believe me, its awesome!
6. Choose diverse subject areas
This makes you feel much more enriched at the end of the semester. It also helps you in finishing work because it becomes easy to switch to the work of another course when you are bored with the work of one course.
7. Make a list of subjects you’d like to explore.
Go to OCI and start reading the ‘Program/subject’ section. Create a word document with a list of areas you may be interested in.
8. Take at least one or two advanced courses in the subjects you are familiar with.
Take the other courses after shopping classes from the subjects listed in (1), and talking to professors who teach these classes.
9. Have a look at your finals’ schedule!
Try and get no more than three final exams. Also try and keep finals in the beginning of finals’ week. Believe me: you don’t need more than a day to study for a final. And it is annoying to see all of your friends leave campus after their finals when you haven’t even started finals; and its snowing outside!
I’m Nimit by the way. I am extremely fond of advising (especially academic advising). Ever want to talk about anything related to course schedules…or want help with calculus, organic chemistry, or with directions in a humanities paper at 12 at night. Always remember the front door of SY E44 (more on this lovely suite to follow soon), and I will be there to help 
Alright, I am going to stop now! But there is a lot more to this, and if you need more help, always remember the front door of SY E44, or the ice-cream at Ashley’s, or the manwich at the Squiche!
Say What!