The Five Days of Finals

On the first day of finals my professor gave to me, the hopes of a really high B.

On the second day of finals my professor gave to me, two sharpened pencils and the hopes of a really high B.

On the third day of finals my professor gave to me, three problem sets, two sharpened pencils, and the hopes of a really high B.

On the fourth day of finals my professor gave to me, four power points, three problem sets, two sharpened pencils, and the hopes of a really high B.

On the fifth day of finals my professor gave to me 5 BONUS POINTS! Four power points, three problem sets, two sharpened pencils, and the hopes of a really high B. 

(http://shift.ms/category/research/)

© 2012 Kelsey Jordan and Susie Anderson

The end is near -- Week 14 and counting

Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.

Samuel Johnson

                 Amazing, isn’t it? It seems like only a few weeks ago that the semester began.  Remember, it seemed like 16 weeks seemed to be such a LONG time, yet it goes by so quickly.

                 Now, we BLINKED and it’s Week 14. Three. THREE weeks until the end of the semester and finals. Less than a month.

                Well, now. Less than a month doesn’t seem so bad. A month is plenty of time to finish my projects and papers. I don’t even have to start studying for another 2 weeks. Right? WRONG! The last month of Fall semester flies by faster than the first three months combined. I call it the slippery slide to the end.
Part of that is due to the Thanksgiving holiday. Parked towards the end of November, most students make the mistake of thinking that Thanksgiving Break will be their saving grace. Time to catch up on everything they have let go until now. Yeah. That doesn’t usually work very well. Why is that? In one word: distractions. Platefuls of them! Visiting family. Football. Sales. You name it, and it is probably a distracting factor during the Thanksgiving Break.

               So. What should a new college student know about the race to the end of the semester? Start planning now.  

Go ahead. Get the grumbling out of the way.

                I know it isn’t what most students WANT to hear, but it is true. Look at your long-term projects. Look at your courses. Where do you need to devote your time? What is the best plan of attack. Make a to-do list Then follow it. Adjust it when necessary. If you haven’t done it already, the last four weeks are when you really have to apply yourself and grind it out. You may have to sacrifice time you spend on other activities (friends, work, significant others) and buckle down with your books. To keep yourself motivated, at the very end of the to-do list, put down a reward for yourself once your last final was done. When I was an undergraduate, immediately after my last final was completed, I went home to watch my favorite movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pCv7k_Hzvg

I had seen this movie a dozen times before, but that didn’t matter. The point was so much of my time was freed up that I COULD watch a movie I had seen a hundred times before. It doesn’t matter what you choose as a reward, as long as it is something that allows you to relax and mark the fact that you have completed your first semester as a college student.

© 2012 Jane E. Brooks

It's almost October which means...

October is one of my favorite months. My birthday, Halloween, and fall weather. One thing I don’t particularly look forward to…midterms. Midterms are something that will be fairly new to students who have never taken a college course before. Perhaps you have a friend or family member who is in college and has mentioned midterms before. Most students actually dread them. What exactly are midterms? Midterms come at the middle of the semester and it is typically an exam covering everything that you have learned in the course up to that point. Now, there will be times when you come across a professor that will take a more laid back approach to midterms. I have had it both ways. Some midterms will be nothing more than just the second exam of the semester. Usually students start to panic because all the classes will start to have exams at the same time. There is no need to panic at all! Just study like you normally would. This is when it becomes beneficial to have friends in the same class. Perhaps you can form a study group. Whatever works best for you as the student. As a tutor for the university, I also strongly urge students to come see us sooner rather than later. If you know you are kind of struggling in a course and the midterm is coming up, come see us as soon as possible. This will ultimately help you in the long run. You can also come see us even if you know what you are doing, but want an idea reinforced. I have had numerous students come up with a study guide and say quiz me. We can help do that as well. All in all midterms are nothing to stress over. They are just one of many exams you will take in your college career.

©Kelsey Jordan  

Stressed?? Who Me?

Stress and the College Student 

          

         They seem to go hand in hand. Oh, the beginning of the semester you are filled with excitement.  New Classes.  New Instructors.  New Friends.  New Dating Options!   

         But then, after Week Four, the realization sets in.   

You have a lot of work to do. 

  

And, you only have 12 more weeks to get it all done.  Less than that, once you factor in Thanksgiving and October breaks.  So, what does all this have to do with stress?  You as a student and as a son or daughter, worker or parent have a lot of juggling to do.  So many demands on your time and so little time to address those demands.  For many students, Week Six in the semester is one of the most likely times that a student will feel stressed out.  Why?  MIDTERM EXAMS!  

    

        Suddenly, you don’t have reading and homework, you also have four to five exams all scheduled in the same small window.  You have to get everything else done PLUS study for exams. 

        How do you avoid letting the stress get the best of you?  Create a study plan.  Manage your time.  I know, you are like…whatever, Dr. Brooks.  That’s what you always say.  This is TRUE; however, if you create a schedule for studying you will feel more control of your life.  Better yet, you will BE in control of your life.  How does all this relate to stress?  The more you can structure the chaos, the more relaxed you will feel.  More relaxed = less stress.

      OK. OK.  We know that tests can raise your stress level, but what else contributes to your stress level as a new college student.  Loneliness.  Many of you have lost the every day contact that you had with your high school friends.  If you have someone you know from high school here on campus, they are most likely not one of your best friends.  By week Four or Five, it really becomes noticeable that you don't have friends.  And, maybe at this point you haven't made any friends.  What do you do now?!  

 

                                

Well, remember Up there???

     Use Midterms Exams as an excuse to talk to somebody in class.  Ask them if they want to get together to study.  Talk about the exam.  Use the exam as a way to reach out and connect with someone in your class.  

                                                                 OR

      Come to the Student Success Center!  We have lots of friendly tutors AND students who visit them.  The best thing about the Success Center isn't the tutoring (although, they are pretty darn awesome if I do say so).  It's the connections you make.  People who want to do well in their classes just like you.

      If stress is still getting to you, then look at the checklist below.  How many apply to you?  What can you do to help reduce some of your stress?  What resources should you access to help you?

     Stress Management Plans?   

What the heck?  How do I go about creating one of those?

     Look below for resources on campus that can help you manage your stress:

• Check out the PNC Student Activities page for fun things to do on campus. 

• Go to our Fitness Center.  It's FREE for students and located in the basement of LSF.
• Visit the Dean of Student's Office.  Diana Marovich's office is located there.  She can help you on campus and hook you up with many off campus resources.

       Don't worry.  Stay the course.  Stick with us.  Come see us if you are worried, but never fear we are here to help you.   Soon you will be on the other side of midterms and looking toward the end of the semester.....and Final Exams.  But, we will talk about those in another post.  :)

(C) 2012 Jane Brooks

Boring...when is this class OVER?

Everyone has at least one.  If you asked them, they could probably name it right off the top of their head.  The class they dread attending.  The class that isn't necessarily hard.  It might even be on a topic you are interested in....BUT, the instructor is boring.  Or, sometimes, the material is boring.  The book is boring.  You are boring.  What??!!  Whoops.  Forget that one!  Seriously.  You will have classes you don't like.  I did.  My friends did.  Sometimes they were the same, sometimes not.  What's the catch?  You often have to take that dreaded class for some reason.  Major requirement.  Core requirement. Any way it shakes out, you have to take it.

So, how do you make the best of a boring class?  This really isn't an easy question to answer.  It depends on the situation.  Does the instructor give you a lot of information that you need to know, they just do it in a way that lets your mind wander off to what's happening on Facebook instead of in the classroom?  In that case, just try writing down whatever they say.  Even if you write every word, at least you are keeping yourself busy and you look like you are paying attention.  A similar strategy can be used for the boring books.  Keep track of the most important page every couple of pages to keep yourself in the moment.

A simple thing that you can do to make MOST classes more interesting is to raise your hand.  I know.  You are thinking "Whatev!"  But, it is true.  Ask a question.  Answer a questions.  Whichever you choose, you will have added a new voice to the classroom.  And, really.  That is part of what college should be about.  Learning to listen to and appreciate new voices.  To find your own voice.  To raise that voice and add it to the discussion.

So maybe, the question to ask yourself next time isn't "when is class over," but rather "how do I use my voice to make this class more interesting to me?"

(C) 2012 Jane E. Brooks

First Week as a Freshman: I Survived

Another look at the first weeks of classes and the change from high school to college by one of our new PNC students.

First Week as a Freshman: I Survived

From the Librarians' Desk: What's to Know?

Every year we hear “I didn’t know this campus had a library” or “I can find everything I need on the internet.” With modern technology who wants to read these old books anyways.

Our library is so much more than a library.

We have a mini computer room, where you can work on research papers, homework or surf the net.  There are plenty of spacious comfortable seating areas, to work on class work or just to relax in between classes (just keep the snoring to a whisper). We also have a small selection of magazines for leisure reading.

If you need help finding books, articles, or just need to know where to start, ask our staff to get you started in the right direction. We offer off campus access to our databases so you can do your research from home 24/7.   PNC Library  Click the link to check out our online offerings.  You can also email a librarian if you are having trouble finding a resource.

If our library doesn’t have the information you need for a project you are working on, we have an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service that you can request books (sorry unfortunately we cannot request course books) or articles from other libraries. We also have an ALI card which allows you to go to other universities like Notre Dame and Valparaiso University and use their library resources.

Speaking of course books, the library does have a few of the course books, and other course materials that your professors have put on reserve for their classes. They are located at the front desk.

While you are up here check out….

The Student Success Center         
Are you having trouble understanding your homework? They can help you with your homework, or maybe you don’t need the tutoring and just want to check and see if you understand the work correctly they are here for you. The Student Success Center also helps students learn the academic, professional, and time-management skills to help them succeed.

The Academic Advising Center              
They assist students in find and understand their academic directions and educational goals. They also help students develop and maintain effective plans and strategies for continued success. Our advisors are very knowledgeable in the areas of which they advise, and are always available if you just need some reassurance or need a shoulder to lean on.

The Writing Center    
You can go here to get one on one help creating, developing and editing your papers. They will not proof read, but they will help you understand the different style of writing your professors ask for.

(c) 2012 Susan Anderson

To Drop or Not to Drop, That is the Question

    The beginning of the semester hits faster than you would think.  You go from getting a syllabus and introducing yourself to classes filled with lectures and the expectation as you walk in to class that you have read and UNDERSTOOD the reading.  The second week slides in like a slow-forming mist and suddenly you are engulfed.  You are a college student and whether first year or seasoned veteran, you are expected to hit the ground running.  And, that isn’t easy.  

 

    Somewhere between Weeks Two and Four is also when the dreaded Syllabus Shock hits.  Yeah.  You looked at the syllabus during the first week when you sat in class, but you didn’t really read it.  A glance.  A looksy.  A quick skim.  But, read it.  Not so much.  Then, Week Two, maybe Three.  You realize that you not only have to read that thing, but the syllabus (and you have one for each class!) is the guide, the map, the structure for your next fifteen weeks.  OMG.  The realization hits that you will actually have to complete these readings, the assignments, the quizzes, the discussions and the list goes on.  It can be an overwhelming amount of material to look at, to sort out, and to think about already.  So, what happens to a lot of students during this time?  

   THEY FREAK OUT!  They think “I can’t do this.  NO WAY!  Ain’t gonna happen.”  They go to their advisor and they drop.  And, once a student drops a course, it is like a seal breaking.  It is just easier when you feel overwhelmed to drop another one.  Students who were registered for 15 hours will drop to 9.  Students registered for 4 classes, drop to 2.  They think that this is helping them.  It is an immediate fix to the chaos that surrounds you in that moment.  Except.  It isn’t an easy fix.  More often than not, those classes are required.  You will have to take them again.  More importantly, you will have to PAY for them again.  Students who drop often don’t get the full refund.  Many will end up paying for the same course twice.  Drop three courses over the course of your undergraduate studies and you have added another semester to your timeline. In the moment and the long term, this is not a great strategy because you pay for it in so many different ways: financially, academically, emotionally...

    

         What do you do instead?  What do you do when you think that you can’t possibly take all 4 classes, or all five classes?  How do you make it through a challenging time without backing off or full-out running away? TALK to your instructor.  Go see your Academic Advisor.  Seek out someone in your school’s Student Success Area.  These people are here to help you jump these hurdles.  Remember, some folks are born with special talents, but to be GREAT they have to work at it.  Not every track and field star finished their first race without bulldozing through a hurdle or cracking a shin.  You might get some lumps, but what you will learn is how to PERSEVERE!  Sometimes, when we are in the midst of the chaos, it is hard to see a way out.  That’s where talking to an instructor, advisor or even a friend (who is good at organizing things!) comes into play.  Once they show you the path, you will be able to find your way.  That fog will lift and you will see yourself through, successfully to the end of the semester.  You will save yourself money in the short term and the long run.  And, most importantly you will have faced a challenge and won!  And that is a truly wonderful feeling! 
(C) 2012 Jane E. Brooks

The Hardest Step: The First Day of Classes

               There are many first steps in our lives.  Some we anticipate and can’t wait to take on our own.  Some that our family or friends can’t wait for us to take; they wait and wait, hoping to be on hand when the day is at hand.  As a new Mom, I anxiously awaited the day my son would take his first step.  Each wobble along the couch was a potential first moment.  While I was anxious that day, nothing compared to the nervousness and queasiness that accompanied my first day in a college classroom. 

                I don’t recall a great deal about the first day for each class, but, man, my first math class in college left a lasting impression…and it wasn’t how to find sin or cosine.  I took the class later in the day, around 5:30.  When I walked in my professor was a small man with glasses who barely looked up.  He wasn’t even half the issue (well, at least, not then).  The class was full.  I was running late (a personal flaw that haunts me even now).  Not only was the class full, but almost all the students were older than I was.  As a newly minted high school graduate turned into new college student, I had no idea what a “non-traditional” student was or the fact that the people in the class wouldn’t all be new to college.  I wasn’t quite sure what to do or how to act.  These folks, including the few students who looked my age, were not newbies to college.  Since I had taken college prep classes in high school, I tested into a higher math than the students who were in the class with me.  Most of them had worked their way up from College Algebra into this course.  They knew the drill.  I was woefully unprepared, even though I had been an excellent student in high school. 

                What do I remember most about that day (night, actually)?  I felt out of place. Off my rhythm.  Out of step.  Except that I was in step.  I just had to find my footing.  Walking into that classroom was about as difficult as anything I have ever done.  But, I did it.  I made it through that Math 154 class.  You will do it too.  You have already taken so many steps to get here: applying, filling out the financial aid, talking with your advisor.  Don’t let stepping through that classroom door stop you.  Take that first and often hardest step.  After that, it’s a breeze.  Not until graduate school, did I feel that anxious about entering a classroom.  In fact, after that first semester of college, I couldn’t wait for the Schedule of Classes to come out for the next semester.  I had a turquoise folder where I kept all my Plan of Study information and I would gleefully pour over the Schedule to see what I needed and what I could take just because I was interested (I know, I know.  I like school!  I can’t help it.  I have been at it since I was a young girl making my younger sisters play school.  I was the teacher.  As if you needed to ask!).  I still have that turquoise folder filed away.  One little folder houses the story of many first steps.  I hope one of yours is into my classroom.

Dr. Brooks’ Student Success Tips for the First Day:

·         Walk in prepared with notebook, folder(s), pen, paper and book if you have purchased 
it. 

·        If you are feeling nervous, sit in the front.  This way you have fewer people who are looking directly at you if you have to talk. 

·         Make a friend!  Introduce yourself to someone.  You will feel better on Day 2 if you have someone you can say “Hi” and chat with to break the tension.

                       








                                        

© 2012 Jane E. Brooks

First Week of Class Experience

The first day of class you walk onto campus not really sure what to expect. You’re emotions are a mix of excitement, nervousness, and fear. Once you finally find the room in which your class is in, you face the decision of where to sit. Do I sit up front where the professor will possibly call me out? What about the middle where I will more than likely be surrounded by other students? Or there’s always the back where I can just disappear and not have to speak to anyone… More likely than not, new students always go straight to the back of the room. I was no different. I was extremely shy and I felt out of place. I had always been in classes with students I have known my whole life, but I was now in a room full of strangers. I’m the type of student who never wants to show up late to class because professors really hate it when students do that. So there I sat waiting for the professor to come in, all the while watching as students started to pour into the room. I looked at each one of them as they entered hoping I would recognize at least one face. All the students just sat there in silence. No one really wants to be the first one to say anything. Finally the professor walked in and my first official college course began.

Most professors will joke and say they do the traditional first day of class “getting to know you” exercise. The students go around the room and introduce themselves by saying their name, major, and what year they are in college. I know this sounds silly because, come on, you’re in college now! It actually is a useful exercise not only for the professor, but also the students. You finally get to put names to the faces of the people who are no longer strangers, but rather your classmates. I did this exercise in all the way through to the last semester of my senior year. Once you are done with this, the professor will typically go through their syllabus. One thing new students should learn right away about college courses is that the syllabus becomes your life line. It is full of the essential information that you will need to know to survive the semester. The syllabus has information like your professor’s name, e-mail, phone number, office location, and open office hours as well as the tentative schedule for the semester, the grading policy, and any other information the professor sees as important. Most students go into thinking that the first week of class is just a blow off week. Don’t start the semester thinking this way! Depending on who your professor is, the first day of class may consist of nothing more than just the “getting to know you” exercise and going over the syllabus. For others, you may already have a hand cramp by the end of the class because of all the notes you took.

Once class is over you may have a break or another class, depending on how you set up your schedule. I was always the student that scheduled my classes back to back to back. I liked it that way because I didn’t know anyone on campus really so I wanted to spend as little time as possible on campus. As soon as I was done for the day, I left and went home. I didn’t really study much that first week, but I later learned that this is not the way to go. During that first week, you should try to familiarize yourself with the schedule and get started on whatever you can. Just because it’s the first week of class does not mean you should not do any studying. Sometimes professors will have assignments due at the end of the week, while others will have exams during the second or third week of classes. Just always stay one step ahead.

I know this all probably sounds very overwhelming and I get that. I have been there. Trust me when I say it will all be okay. The semester gets better. You will make friends and have that awesome college experience you want. When I was first starting out I wish I would have had someone tell me what I could expect in that first week of class. It’s perfectly normal to feel out of place or scared, but you don’t have to be. Everyone here will be feeling the same way. Just try to relax and enjoy the start of the next step in your life.

©Kelsey Jordan