Don't stress, help is out there
By Samantha Pirc, Campus Life writer
September 27, 2007 | 7:41 p.m.
As week six settles in, students know that it’s time to get serious about what college is really all about. Wednesday’s drinking turns into studying, and Blackboard gets more hits a day than Facebook. All those exams, papers and midterms, which seemed so far away on the first day of class, are finally due soon. While most students can manage to pull through midterm week, some students become overwhelmed by the sudden onset of actual work. For those who feel that the pressure is too much, there are plenty of resources on campus ready and raring to help.
A good place to start
Former Ohio University student Spencer Drew's academic troubles prevented his returning to campus this fall. He explained that a serious illness kept him from classes for two weeks at the beginning of fall quarter last year. After falling behind in all his classes, Drew said that the best advice he ever received was to go talk to his professors or adviser. “Not to say I couldn’t have done better, but I wish I would have gotten more help,” Drew said.
As a new freshman still getting used to college life, he was never aware of the many places on campus that could have helped him out. The Dr. William Allen Student Help Center, located in room 419 in Baker University Center, is a great resource for students who are feeling lost and don’t know where to look for assistance. The center is fairly new, having just opened January in conjunction with the new Baker. “We try hard to get questions answered here,” said Dale Tampke, assistant provost for undergraduate retention and director of the Help Center. The staff works closely with advisors and the different colleges on campus to help students with everything from study habits to making sure they graduate on time. Tampke explained that they have helped students with the simplest problems like how to find a building to the more complicated ones like changing a major. When undecided students pick a major, there is even a bell inside the office for them to ring in celebration.
The Help Center can also assist in finding needed emotional support for students who are having a problem dealing with the stress and anxiety of college life. While the Counseling and Psychological Services located on the third floor of Hudson, is the best resource, the Help Center has the counselors-in-residence available at its office Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. to provide guidance. Tampke said that the center provides “urgent care” for students who are “feeling the pressure of it all.” The Help Center’s Web site offers a number of useful links on its Frequently Asked Questions page that can direct students who are unable or unwilling to stop in at the office. “We hope people feel comfortable coming in the door,” Tampke said. “When people stop coming in, we get worried.”
If students can’t find the help they need at the Help Center, the staff can guide them toward the place on campus that can provide that help. The Academic Advancement Center, Supplemental Instruction sessions and the Student Writing Center are three of the best ways that the Help Center suggests finding academic guidance at OU.
Academic Advancement Center
Located on the first floor of Alden Library, the Academic Advancement Center’s mission is to offer “support services that help OU undergraduates to reach their academic goals.” The AAC has a wide range of services -- from a math center and a computer learning lab to a database that can help connect students to a tutor in almost any area of study -- available for students who are looking for help.
The AAC also has a certain number of University College (UC) classes that help students learn basic computer skills and study skills for college-level reading. If students are looking for individualized help, director Cynthia King suggests signing up fast, as many of the tutors get booked within the first three weeks of the quarter. Individual tutors also cost a small fee, but students can get math, reading and study skills help from the AAC staff for free. Group tutoring in certain subjects is also offered, and a list of classes that offer such sessions is available in the AAC office. Many of the students who come to OU were “high performers in their high schools who may feel awkward asking for help,” King said. She also said that the AAC encourages professors to tell students about the services that are provided and to even try to persuade students to go so that they don’t feel so uncomfortable seeking help.
Supplemental Instruction
Run through the AAC, Supplemental Instruction offers study sessions offered for large, entry-level classes that typically consist of all freshmen. These sessions are led by leaders that are students who are in the class or have taken the class before and did well. Seeing the SI leader every day in class makes going to the study sessions less intimidating, King said. Because SI is typically offered for large classes, the odds are that there will also be a large group of people looking for help.
Writing Center
The Student Writing Center is located on the second floor of Alden Library and is a great resource for students who are looking for help with writing papers. Staff members can proofread papers, help with wording and organization or just get students started on the topic of an essay. Run through the Center for Writing Excellence, the SWC has both walk-in hours and face-to-face appointments that can be set up in advance. For students who don’t want to sit in Alden, the SWC has a new feature that allows students to set up a session with a tutor via the Internet.
Don’t wait
After a few bad exams, students sometimes struggle to dig themselves out of academic trouble, and that is why King said it is best to look at a syllabus the first day and decide right then and there if extra help is needed, but help is still available for those who are just realizing they need it. Students should take advantage of the safety net provided by the university if they are struggling so that they feel comfortable taking hard classes or going into midterms or exams.