Meet Your ASMs!

 

Welcome to the Maple East and Ruddock Community! We are your Academic Success Mentors (ASMs). We are here to help you find the resources you need to succeed academically at IUP. Think of us as a big brother or sister. We are here to give you all the assistance you need to make it through your freshmen year at IUP.  We were freshmen once, and we are familiar with many of the resources on campus. We have an office in both Maple East and Ruddock located on the first floor (to the left of the main entrance). If the door is open, stop on in and say hi!

Here is a little bit of information about each of your ASMs:

Anastasia

Hi! My name is Anastasia. I am a senior Communications Media major and Journalism minor. I am from Hagerstown, Maryland! This summer, I was the social media and marketing intern at a dairy farm and home delivery company in Middletown, Md. Even though I loved working and eating ice cream every day, I am excited to be back at IUP! This is my second year as an ASM and I am excited to get to know all of the residents.

My office hours are:

Monday 12:30-2:00pm in Ruddock

Tuesday 2:00-3:30pm in Maple East

Wednesday 12:30-2:00pm in Ruddock

Thursday 2:00-3:30pm in Maple East

Can’t find me in my office? Email me at A.E.Gaines@iup.edu

Fab

Hello, Maple-Ruddock!

My mission this year is to help assist your adjustment to IUP as best as I can.  I am truly striving to establish a personal relationship with you all.  I hope that you too will feel comfortable seeking me whenever you need to.  I am excited about having an awesome semester together.  Let the epicness begin.  Leggo!

Fab's Office Hours:

Monday 5:00-7:30pm in Ruddock

Wednesday 2:00-6:00pm in Maple East

Email: F.M.Thelon@iup.edu

Aubree

Hi my name is Aubree. I am a Middle Level Math Education major and a Sophomore here at IUP.  I am from Lancaster, Pa. I am the Co-president of Pre-service Teachers of Mathematics, involved with RHC, and SOAR on campus.  Over the summer I worked at a summer camp with kids from ages 6-14.  I became an ASM because I like to see students succeed and reach their highest potential.  I am excited for this year and can't wait to meet with you.  My office hours are listed below, but if a time doesn't work just email me at SWPS@iup.edu and we can work something out.

Office Hours
Tues.:  11:00- noon (Maple East)
        4:00- 5:00 (Ruddock)
Thurs.: 9:00- 11:00 (Maple East)
        4:00- 6:00 (Ruddock)

AHHH FINALS!

We’re almost done with the 2012-2013 school year! You know what that means—final exams are approaching! If you’re starting to feel stressed, read our tips on how to relieve stress during finals week:

Sleep

Try to avoid pulling all-nighters at the library and get some sleep instead. When your body is sleep deprived, you are more prone to being stressed out. Make an effort to get at least seven hours of sleep a night. This will help your mind and body recharge and will help you be more productive during the day.

Eat Well

Don’t load up on junk food during the last few weeks. Bad eating habits not only affect your stress level, but they also contribute to your waistline! Eat simple and healthy means at your usual times.

Exercise

Take a relaxing walk, ride a bike, take a quick jog, or try going to the gym for 30 minutes. After sitting for two hours during your final exam period, giving your body some movement will help relieve stress and help you sleep better.

Make a List

Plan out your entire week by writing your exams and assignments down. Use index cards, a planner, or post-its. When you finish, cross it out! You will be able to see how much you need to get done, the progress you have made, and how soon summer will be here!

Relax

Find some peace and quiet and spend time alone. Get away from other stressed students and put yourself in a relaxing environment. Spend a few minutes doing absolutely nothing—turn off your phone and laptop to calm your mind while you refocus and recharge. Then do something fun! Take a short break to watch YouTube videos, play games, grab something to eat, or talk to friends.

Check out these videos on YouTube:

Scared Baby: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9oxmRT2YWw

Halloween Candy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YQpbzQ6gzs

How Animals Eat Their Food: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnydFmqHuVo

Want to share your favorite videos? Comment with the link below!

Have a great week and don’t forget to visit your ASMs with any questions—we are here to help!

Summer To-Do List

Summer To-Do List

Summer is almost here! There are 3 months ahead of you to finally relax. Here are some tips to keep from getting bored after the second week.

WORK: Find a fun summer job, or an internship related to your field of study. This  is a good way to build your resume, and make some money.

RELAX: After all of your hard work you deserve a break! Sleep in or take a nap, but make sure you don’t waste your break away sleeping.

TAKE SUMMER CLASSES: Take this chance to get ahead, or catch up. You can take classes at IUP, online at IUP, or at your local community college. Be sure to get the credits approved before taking them.

GO ON VACTION: Go on a trip with your friends or family. This is a fun and relaxing way to spend time together

GET ORGANIZED: Clean out your room. Donate things you don’t use anymore, and then reorganize everything

HAVE A SCHEDULE: Try to eat, sleep, and exercise on the same schedule. This is much better for your body!

Good luck with the rest of the year, and have a great summer!

Finals

We’re just about 18 days away from finals, so now is the time to begin preparing for them! Here are a few pointers and tips to help you succeed.

·         If you don’t already have one, begin a calendar and write your finals schedule down for the week of May 13^th. This will help you prioritize your studying, depending on when your final is. You are able to find your finals schedule on the class syllabus.

·         Use the library! Its hours are listed below. The second and third floors are the quietest, which is very helpful when studying.

·         Beginning May 12^th at 10pm, your residential hall will officially be on a strict 24-hour quiet  schedule. Take advantage of this! Use the lobby or study rooms to get away from distractions.

·         Take study breaks. These are important so that you don’t stress too much.

·         Form study groups with students from the same class. It’s very likely that they are just as concerned about the exam as you, so contact a few and use the first floor of the library to study with them.

·         Eat healthy and get enough sleep! Contrary to what most college students believe, our body and brain will work much better when they are healthy. Getting enough sleep and eating right will boost energy and motivation while studying.

·         Use your resources on campus! Try out the writing center for a term paper, take advantage of the tutoring sessions, and spend time at the library. These are all here for your benefit.

If you have any questions about your finals schedule, studying, or resources on campus, come visit your ASMs!

Here is a very helpful technique to help you study!

ASPIRE Study Tips (from studygs.net)

A: Approach/attitude/arrange

·         Approach studying with a positive attitude

·         Arrange your schedule to eliminate distractions

S: Select/survey/scan

·         Select a reasonable chunk of material to study

·         Survey material to get an overview

·         Scan the text for keywords and vocabulary

P: Piece together the parts

·         Piece together what you've studied and summarize what you understand

I: Investigate/inquire/inspect

·         Investigate alternative sources of information

·         Inquire from support and other resources for assistance

·         Inspect what you did not understand

R: Reexamine/reflect/relay

·         Reexamine the content

·         Reflect on the material

·         Relay understanding

E: Evaluate/examine/explore

·         Evaluate your grades on tests and tasks

·         Examine your progress: toward achieving your goals

·         Explore options: with a teacher or tutor

Celebrate Earth Day

Earth Day is April 21, 2013! Earth Day began in 1970 and is an annual celebration to demonstrate support for environmental protection.

Will you be celebrating Earth Day at IUP? The following are some of the activities that will be held this week to help you love the earth!

Earth From Space

April 17 8:35pm in Ruddock Hall G-12

Come celebrate Earth Week and enjoy free food and edible dirt!

IUP Earth Day

April 22 10-3pm in the Oak Grove

Come participate in various eco-friendly activities put on by on and off campus organizations and local businesses. Live music will play all day! Activities include a Mineral Sale, a Used Book Sale, E Recycling (10:30am to 1:30pm), a Gardening section, lots of free stuff and much more!

Pot Party

April 21 5pm in Ruddock Lobby

Join your ASMs and make a potted plant! It’s free and you get to keep your plant!

Interested in doing more to save the Earth? Here is how to be an Earth Day supporter:

Join IUP ECO

Plant a tree, flowers, or start a vegetable garden

Recycle

Walk or ride a bike instead of driving

Save energy

Take showers instead of baths

Go on a hike

Pick up trash

Try eating organic foods

Attend an Earth Day Celebration

Find it @ the Library Scavenger Hunt

Celebrate National Library Week with the Find it @ the Library Scavenger Hunt! You will have fun finding the answers, and as you do you will also become familiar with library, places, resources and services so you will know about them when you need them in the future.

1. What does the wall in front of the library patio say?

2. When you enter the library, between the doorway and the elevator there are some sofas. What color are they?

3. Right across from the sofa is a glass display case?  What is featured in it? (PS student groups can  reserve these display cases put  up educational displays)

4. There are many printers in the library that print both color and black and white printouts? How much does it cost to make a black and white print from the library computers? (Hint: Check under Library FAQs to find the answer http://www.iup.edu/page.aspx?id=103149 .)

5. How many books can an undergrad check out at one time, how many books can be checked out at a time, and what do you need to check them out? (Check out the library circulation page to find the answer http://www.iup.edu/page.aspx?id=101300  )

6. Is there a place in the library for silent study?

7. What is the library's web site address?

8. Facebook page?

9. Twitter handle?

10. Go on Twitter and tweet a photo of you or your friend doing something fun at the library to @IUPLibraries and use the hashtag #itsatIUPLibraries.   What message do you get back when you do?

11. The Library has a number of desks where services are offered. Find each of the following and ask the person working there to put their initials next to the name of the desk.

Circulation/Reserve:____________

Media Equipment: ___________

Reference: ___________

12. Look up a book on the online catalog. How do you text the call number to yourself?

Finished? Bring your answers to an ASM during office hours!

Goal Setting 101

Goal Setting 101 

Are you looking at your calendar and beginning to get overwhelmed? Are you looking at what you want to do in the future, but not sure how to get there? Try setting goals, to help you achieve these things.

Why set goals?

Setting goals help you organize your time and resources. By setting goals you can take pride in your achievements. Goal setting can also raise your self-confidence because you are able to see what you are working towards, and the progress you are making. Setting goals for yourself is also a great way to increase your motivation.

Tips for Goal Setting:

If you have multiple goals, prioritize what is most important. This will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed, and can also help you focus on what is most important. Also remember to write down your goals! This helps you remember them, and provides motivation if you see them daily.

How to write S.M.A.R.T goals:

Your goal should be…

Specific: be precise and knowledgeable of how to advance

Measurable: How will you measure your goal?

Achievable: Is your goal possible?

Rewardable: Is it rewarding?

Time-Frame: When should your goal be achieved?

	S Specific Goal	M How is the goal Measured?	A Is it Achievable?	R Is it Realistic?	T What is the Time-frame for this goal?
Short term goal
Long term goal