A Survival Guide to Finals Week

Finals week often ends up feeling like dead week - Social lives, sleep habits, and healthy eating habits get tossed out the window in exchange for all nighters, stress, and study guides. In the midst of all this chaos, it can be difficult to focus on the task at hand, so here are some tips to help you through finals week.

1. Do Not Disturb - One look at your phone and you’re immediately sucked into the endless world of texting, Facebook, and Twitter. Every time your phone lights up or vibrates, it distracts you and takes even more time to get your mind back into concentration mode. Turn it completely off or put it in “Do Not Disturb” mode to minimize distractions. 

2. Set Goals & Rewards - Challenge yourself by setting a goal. Once you reach that goal, set aside a reward for yourself. For example, tell yourself that if you finish reading the entire chapter, you can take a ten-minute Facebook break. 


3. Allocate Your Time - You don’t have to spend an equal amount on every subject. If you know some topics better than others, focus on those that need the most preparation first. Also, if you can finish your final papers before Dead Week, you will have that much more free time to really focus on studying. 


4. Hydrate - Water, agua, H2O, whatever you call it, DRINK IT! When forced to choose between an energy drink and water, always choose water. Energy drinks are packed with caffeine, sugar and sodium, which can lead to dehydration, which can then impair memory and focus. 


5. Go Bananas - Pick a fruit, any fruit, and put it in your backpack. Fruit is easy to take on the go, and also a super-filling snack. 


6. Study With a Group, But Only If It Makes Sense - Many students believe (mistakenly) that a study group always affords an advantage: more brain power plus peer pressure to crack the books. This works well when your study buddies are at least as smart as you. Exam time isn't charity time.


7. 4-Star Tip - Don't waste too much time outlining your answers, writing down formulas you've memorized, or (when given a choice) starting a question and then stopping and starting another question. You're being graded on the quality of your answer, not on notes to yourself or false starts.

8. Be Sure To Develop Your Answers Fully -  Many students don't realize that, on essay exams, part of what's being graded is how well you develop and explain your answer, not just how correct it is. Consider explaining your points in more detail so that someone unfamiliar with the answer would know, just from what you say, what the answer is.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding finals, or if you just need someone to talk to, stop in to the Ruddock office Monday from 3-5pm, Tuesday from 12:30-2:30pm, or Friday from 10am-12pm!


- ASM Katie :)

Be Successful in a Winter Class

With winter break right around the corner, you may find yourself signing up for an online class in order to get a little bit ahead. Online classes certainly have their perks to them, but there are a few steps you should take to solidify your chances of successfully completing the class.

Here are some quick tips to remain successful over winter break:

1. Understand the required materials

• Do you need to purchase a book?
• Do you have access to a computer/laptop?
• Do you have trustworthy internet access?

2. Communicate with the professor

• Send an email prior to the start of the class to introduce yourself.
• Don't be afraid to email the professor with any questions - that's what he/she is there for!

3. Create a schedule

• Some online courses may give you all the work from the start and allow you to work at your own pace.
• Know when the due dates are. You may not receive reminders about upcoming assignments.

4. Stay organized and focused

• Know the due dates.
• Complete the assignments.
• It is easy to forget about an online class when you are at home relaxing. Make yourself reminders to complete the work.

5. Have a consistent workspace

• Do your work at a local library or coffee shop.
• Designate a part of your bedroom or living room strictly as a workspace.
• Pick a place with limited distractions.

Best of luck!

-ASM Meghan

Change your habits...but not today.

What are some habits you would like to change about yourself? Would you like to exercise more? Eat better? What about going to all your classes? Being more organized. Don't procrastinate as much. 


With the winter breaks coming up, it is a perfect time to access yourself and decide on one habit you would like to change. Instead of focusing on too many habits and getting overwhelmed, focus on the ONE that is most important to you. You can add on later once you have successfully accomplished your first goal. Furthermore, Don't expect to change anything about yourself in just a day. The only way to make a true change is to take baby steps and gradually improve.


 Believe it or not,our habits are determined by our cerebral cortex, which involves muscle memory. Our habits are literally engrained into our brains through synapse connections. It is impossible for us to change those connections one day, instead we need to gradually carve out new pathways for our synapses to make a permanent change.


Lets take an example. Say you want to be more organized for the Spring semester.
Start out with small steps. Get yourself a planner. When your teachers give you your syllabus, go ahead and write down all your known homework for that semester in your planner. If you're on a roll, you can even color highlight different activities, events, or classes.
Next, create a weekly set schedule. I have a chart above my desk that tells me where I absolutely need to be and at what times for every day of the week. That way I can see where my free time and utilize it properly.
Finally, Its time to clean out those files from your high school English class on your computer that you're never going to need again. Do a clean sweep of everything you don't need on your computer and organize the things you do need into folders. My personal computer has folders in folders in folders. Keep up with your organization by always saving your work to the correct folder. This way, you will never lose anything!

Whatever you're goal is, don't forget: Pick 1 and take it slow! Don't be afraid to reward yourself either!

Improve Your Study Habits

As motivation decreases, the ambition you may have had to study also decreases. Prevent yourself from slacking off, and find out the best strategies to study! Here are 8 tips that can help you get through the last few weeks of the semester:

1. Review content within 24 hours.

2. Refrain from multitasking while studying.

3. Recite information from memory.

4. Take practice tests.

5. Listen to classical music.

6. Use flashcards.

7. Make connections between ideas.

8. Exercise prior to studying.

Good luck as you finish this semester strong!               

-ASM Meghan



Only 5 Weeks Left in the Semester? Spooky! Here's Some Tips to Stay Motivated As the Semester Comes to an End.

Week 10 of the fall semester has just come to an end... Spooky, right? Do you know what else is spooky? The fact that there's only 5 more weeks left in the whole semester! Where has the time gone!? With Halloween and Thanksgiving celebrations on everyone's mind at this time of the year, it's important to stay on track and keep yourself motivated with your school work and obligations (as hard as that may be). Here are just a few tips to peak your motivation just when you seem to be losing it:


1. Set Small Goals - Focus on progress, no matter how big or small, to keep your motivation from dwindling; take things one-step-at-a-time.

2. Organize Your Time - Doing well academically should be a top priority; set some time aside to plan out the week ahead of you.

3. Develop a Support Group - Finding friends and family that support your goals can make a world of difference when it comes to staying motivated.

4. Be Realistic, But Always Strive for Improvement - Be realistic in undertaking your pursuits; nothing happens overnight and nothing comes easy.

5. Believe in Yourself! - Always work to be the best you can be and never give up on goals that are important to you, regardless of how frustrated or exhausted you may become.

I hope these tips help you to push through the last couple weeks of the semester when you're being bombarded with work, exams, and projects. Remember to always strive for greatness. Stop into my office if you have any questions, concerns, or if you just need to talk!

Have a HAPPY and SAFE Halloween!

- ASM Katie :)

personalize your study habits

"If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

Everyone is unique, therefore everyone has there own unique ways of learning. Some people learn simply by sitting in class and listening to the teachers lecture, others are more hands on and need to physically practice. Some people are visual learners and grasp concepts using charts and visual aids. Below is a great diagram to help you pinpoint your unique style of learning.

Now that you have seen which learning style fits your personality the best, you can get the most benefit out of this knowledge by tweaking your study habits to fit your learning style. The chart above also provides some great study tips for all of the different learning styles. Find what works best for you!



It's the Most Stressful Time of the Year

Hang in there!
At this point in the semester, it is common for stress levels to increase all across the campus. It is important to have an awareness of how much stress you can handle before you reach your breaking point. Luckily for all of you, you live in a community that has two different meditation rooms! Stop into the meditation room in either Maple or Ruddock to take a step back and just breathe. The rooms will provide you with a computer to play soothing music or instructional yoga videos as well as a variety of pillows. Take advantage of the resources right around you and take care of your mental health. Always remember: This too shall pass:)

Didn't Do So Well On Your Midterms? Never Fear - There's Room for Recovery!

With week seven of the semester coming to a close, you all know what that means: MIDTERM EXAMS. Sure you've had other tests and quizzes prior to this, but midterms are some serious business; they're a way of testing what you've learned during your first seven weeks here at IUP and they usually weigh a pretty hefty influence on your final grade. Stressful, right? Some of you may be in the process of preparing for you midterm exams now, but what about those of you who've taken them already? Did you do well? Was the score you received the one you were expecting? For those of you who didn't do as well as you wanted to (or as well as you thought you were going to do) here are some tips for midterm recovery.

1) Take A Deep Breath - We all make mistakes. Try to accept this one and move forward onto bigger and better things. You were born to be real, not perfect.

2) Contact Your Professor - Creating relationships with your professor can completely change your classroom experience and understanding. They will notice and respect your effort, and in return, you'll get the help that you need.

3) Front And Center - It's time to sit in the front row and turn off your phone. If you didn't do well on your midterm, that means you need to crush the final exam, and scrolling through Twitter in the back of the classroom simply won't help you. Don't just go to class - be present.

4) Implement A Plan - Okay, so you didn't do well on the midterm - What are you going do about it? Write down your personal goals. What will you do differently the second half of the semester? Execute your plan! A bad grade on a midterm doesn't define you, how you bounce back does.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your academic standing, or your stressed and need someone to talk to, feel free to stop by my office in Ruddock on Mondays 3-5, Tuesdays 12:30-2:30 & Fridays 10-12.

- ASM Katie :)

To begin, just start: 5 steps to writing a research paper

I won't lie to you, I am a procrastinator. Not because I would rather be laying on my bed watching Netflix, or because I have many other things to do, but because I just don't know where to start!


Step 1: Coffee.


Step 2: Decide on your topic. Make it specific, make sure you can get the required page limit out of that topic, and stick to it!


Step 3: Make a web. Put your topic in the middle and on the outside write at least 5 main areas of interest to expand upon.


Step 4: Make an outline. Here we will get more detailed. Use your "outside web" ideas as main topics for paragraphs or sections of your paper, then expand on those more in your outline, becoming more detailed. By this point you should be able to see your paper unfolding in front of you!


Step 5: Research what you don't know. Get the research topics from your outline!


Step 6: Write a CRAPPY first draft. Sit down, take a deep breath, and type away! The hard part is
over!


Most Important Step!
Step 7: Take that crappy first draft to the writing center! Located in Eicher hall. Peer tutors are there ready to read your paper and help you in any way they can! They can even tell your professor that you went to them (Professors like seeing that you are trying ;)).


Step 8: Revise your paper with the corrections from the writing center.

Get Involved!

Becoming involved on campus has a ton of benefits. Are you feeling
lonely and homesick? Do you find yourself sitting in your room bored?
Do you need a way to build your resume? Now is prime time to check out
all of your opportunities! Joining an organization can cause you to
form life long friendships and a sense of belonging...all while doing
something you love! Log onto Crimson Connect to see what your options
are. If you need extra guidance, stop into the ASM office. We'd love
to help you!


-ASM Meghan :)

Stop Saying "I Don't Feel Like It"

Hi everyone,
Can you believe that you just finished your fourth week of classes for the semester?! Time flies when you're having fun, right? Well... Maybe not. It's about of year when the "newness" of college and classes starts to wear off. You're in your daily routine of classes, homework, eating, studying, sleeping and repeating - Am I right? It's hard to stay motivated and on top of things when you feel like you're in the never-ending rut that college can tend to be for many students.  Here's a short video clip that I hope will take you out of the "I don't feel like it" mindset and kick start that motivation you had during your first 2 weeks of school, especially since we're almost to mid-term! Enjoy and have a great weekend!

- ASM Katie :)

Spring 2015 Tutoring Resources

Hello Everyone!

We are on Class Week 12 of 15! The finish line is so close!

At this point, it is time to finish the semester strong with the help of the following tutoring resources:

Chemistry

Weyandt Hall 128

Monday – Thursday         

7:00-8:00 PM

Biology

Weyandt Hall 120

Monday – Thursday         

6:30-8:00 PM

PSYC 101: General Psychology

Pratt Hall 208

Monday & Friday

10:00 AM – 12:45 PM

Tuesday & Thursday

11:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Economics

ECON 101, 121, 122

Pratt Hall 212

Monday

6:00 PM – 8:50 PM

Math

MATH 101 through MATH 217; DVST 093/095.

Pratt Hall 210

Monday

6:00 PM – 7: 50 PM

Wednesday

7:00 PM – 8:50 PM

Thursday

5:00 PM – 6:50 PM

Also offered:

MATH 100

Pratt 108

Monday & Wednesday

12:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Tuesday & Thursday

12:30 PM – 9800 PM

Friday

12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Sunday

2:00 PM – 8:00 PM

MATH 101, 105, 110, 115, or higher

(except 151, 152, 153)

Monday & Wednesday

12:20 PM – 2:20 PM (Stright 229)

2:30 PM – 4:30 PM (Stright 232)

Tuesday & Thursday

1:00 PM – 5:30 PM (Stright 231)

MATH 151, 152, PAPA Test

Stright 302-CLEM

Monday & Wednesday

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Tuesday

9:30 AM – 5:00 PM

Thursday

9:30 AM – 3:30 PM

Friday

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

The Writing Center

Eicher Hall Room 218

Monday – Thursday

9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Friday

9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Satellite Hours

First floor of library behind reference desk.

Monday – Thursday

8:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Sunday

5:00 PM – 10:00 PM

Online – Can’t make it to those places? Don’t feel like leaving your dorm room? Just schedule an appointment through this link and then meet your tutor online. During the session, you will share your screen with the tutor and discuss your paper using your computer’s microphone. Please note: Online appointments are conducted no sooner than 24 hours after the time that you schedule. If you need help sooner, stop by the Writing Center in 218 Eicher Hall. No appointment is needed for walk-ins.

SI - Supplemental Instruction

SI Sessions provides small-group study/review sessions for sections of courses with difficult content or high levels of failure and withdrawal rates. The sessions supplement, but do not replace, out-of-class preparation for the course. See the Spring 2015 Schedule to see if an SI Session is offered for your course!