Tips for Academic Success During your First Year at UofSC

Hey PNMs! We are so excited for you to be at UofSC with us this fall! As you enter this exciting new chapter of your life, we know you may sometimes be nervous for your upcoming classes. All of us have felt the nerves of entering your first big lecture hall, walking around trying to find the right building, and even switching to online learning. College classes can feel very overwhelming at first—especially if some or maybe even if all of your classes are online! It can feel difficult at times to manage all your tasks, find new ways to focus, and the best new places to study! However, there are so many ways to study and keep track of your work even with online school! Here are some tips and tricks on how to conquer online learning:

ATTEND VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS

All professors hold office hours in order for you to ask questions on course material. Even in an online class, it is likely your professor will hold these hours through a zoom meeting or Blackboard Collaborate. If you are confused or want to hear other peoples’ questions this is a great time to get help and clear up any missed material!

CHECK YOUR STUDENT EMAIL FREQUENTLY

Many professors will send out announcements and updates regarding the course you are in! It is important to check your student email a couple times a day in order to stay up to date on any new information they give you! Be sure to turn on notifications for the app in your phone to stay up to date on important emails!

FIND YOUR STUDY SPACE

In transitioning into online learning, it can feel very difficult to find a proper study space to complete your work. Pick a space where you will study, and only use that space for school work. This will help you keep focused and stay less distracted throughout your schoolwork. Use this space to listen to lectures, attend office hours, complete homework, and study.

“Having a study space free of distractions helped me focus on the work I needed to finish each day. I liked to get out of my room as much as possible since I associate that space with relaxation and I am easily distracted there. Finding a separate space that I could associate with my school time with was key!” -Amanda Pometti, Sophomore

FIND A ROUTINE

Finding a routine for each day will help you maintain a good schedule with school work as well as taking breaks. Finding consistent times to wake up along with times to do school work and times to relax will help you stay on top of your work better.

GET READY EVERY DAY YOU CAN

It can be very tempting for all of us to want to do our school work all day in our pajamas. While this is super comfy and sounds amazing, it is likely you will focus better if you do not do your school work in your PJs. Try and put on some different comfy clothes and get in your study space to do your work!

“Last semester when classes moved online, it was very tempting for me to stay in my pajamas and do my work from my bed, but I know it was much less productive! Every morning I scheduled a time for myself to get out of bed, do my hair, and change my clothes. This always boosted my mood and made me feel ready to tackle my work. I’m going to keep using this routine in the fall as well!” -Madi Lindley, Senior

FIND FRIENDS IN YOUR CLASSES TO HELP

If you know you have a friend in the same class as you, maybe create a group chat where you can help keep each other accountable for the work in that class! Set up times to do your work together over zoom or even meet up for a socially distanced coffee and study date!

ASK YOUR NEW SISTERS FOR HELP

Ask any of your new Sisters for help! It is likely someone else took the class you are in previously and can help give you some helpful tips and tricks!

UTILIZE YOUR ACADEMIC DIRECTOR

Ask your academic head in your chapter if you find yourself needing help! They are always available to connect you with someone else who can help you and guide you towards other resources.

“I love being able to help sisters in any way possible, it’s my favorite part of the job! You can come to me if you need advice, a friend to study with, someone to vent to, or help getting connected to resources. If you are struggling don’t be afraid to reach out, we are here to support one another and want to see you succeed!” -Rachel Bakalich, Senior, Academic Director

VISIT THE STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER

Utilize services the Student Success Center offers. Click here to visit their page and all of the resources they offer. You can always ask your advisor or your University 101 professor if you need help finding any of these resources!

“I always go to the student success center when I’m struggling with something in one of my harder classes and they have always been really great about getting me the help I need! They have free tutoring in almost any subject and a lot of the really difficult classes at USC have peer tutors who hold weekly group sessions review topics taught in lecture. Sometimes I have a hard time learning the way my professors teach, so it’s really helpful for me to meet with someone else who can offer a different teaching style!” -Kali Gibbons, Senior

USE AN AGENDA

A basic, but great resource to use both in online learning and regular class is an agenda. For online classes it is important to write down all virtual class lecture times and virtual office hours. Check every day to see what classes you have and what time to make sure you are logged on for them. Next, make sure to write down all due dates in advance in order to make sure you are on top of all assignments in a timely manner. Also be sure to include all exam dates and times to make sure you are prepared for these! All this information should be in all syllabi you receive!

“One big thing that helps keep me on top of my school work is planning. At the beginning of the week I make sure to look at everything I need to do and select certain days to work on it. By doing this I am less likely to procrastinate on my assignments.” -Ellie Shuck, Sophomore

MOST IMPORTANTLY...FIND TIMES TO REST

The amount of studying, school work, and social things to do in college can feel overwhelming. Find the best times for yourself to rest in order for your mind to stay well. Find times to do things just for yourself such as working out, taking a nap, meditating, reading a good book, watching your favorite Netflix show, etc. to take breaks.

We wish you the best of luck in this upcoming fall semester and look forward to meeting you all!

-Lauren Surface, Member Development Vice President