FLUNK DAY!: How Not To Flunk Out

by Arabella Chamberlain

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Everyday is FLUNK DAY. Or so I've been told.

Since arriving back from Spring Break, everyone’s been wondering when will that blessed day come with an email saying “NO CLASS”. A day when (almost) all your classes are cancelled. Okay, except the occasional night class or evening exam. Nevertheless, NO CLASS.

But what is Flunk Day? A day of debauchery and chaos, celebrating the start of warm weather, sunshine, and summertime? Maybe to some. But how can you use Flunk Day to save yourself from flunking out?

Many students choose not to participate in the Flunk Day activities and some activities are illegal to others, but whatever reason you choose not to participate in the traditional Flunk Day activities this year, there are countless other great things to do.

• If you're behind on homework, take some time on Flunk Day to catch up. Here are some other great posts that offer some good study tips and strategies:
• How to Study (When the Sky is Falling)
• Be Advised!: Advising Season
• Back-to-School Blues: Starting the Year off "badly"
• Midterms: What to Expect When You're Not Expecting
• The End of the World: The Onslaught of Finals
• Studying vs. Homework
• 5 Study Habits to Start Now



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• Setting the Mood: Study Jams

On a non-academic note:

• If you plan to spend Flunk Day doing some less crazy activities, the Learning Commons also has a ton of great alternatives! Things that might be planned include:
• Guided Painting, board games, puzzles and more! More details will be available on Flunk Day.
• Get outside and enjoy nature! You can always spend your Flunk Day just enjoying the nice weather - alcohol-free if you choose or legally should - and maybe take a hike or sprawl out on the lawn and catch some zzz’s in the sunshine. Even if you don’t spend your Flunk Day working on academics, don’t let the day pass you by!

Whatever you do, have fun, stay safe, and don’t FLUNK out!

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Marching on from Midterms

 by Arabella Chamberlain

So midterm grades are out, spring break is over, what now?

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It can feel overwhelming, especially in the last leg of the semester, to look at those midterm grades and wonder if you'll ever be able to pull that grade up. Fear not, there are tons of resources available to put you back on the path to success!

• To start with, if you are struggling in a class, a good place to start is to have a chat with your professor. Reach out by email and set up a time to meet or just drop by office hours - they have them for a reason! Ask about what you can do differently in the course to improve. Are you getting your assignments in on time? Is something hindering your ability to learn in the classroom? Have an open, honest conversation. Your professor can't help you if they don't know you need help.
• Request a tutor - they're here for a reason! The Learning Commons has tons of tutors available for many classes and if there isn't a tutor, we'll work on finding you one! Tutoring is a great resource for working through homework and assignments, prepping for an exam, or just learning a new study strategy or two.
• Stop into the Peer-to-Peer Academic Space. Trained tutors are available, staffing the P2PAS in the back right corner of Stewart Memorial Library from 12-9pm Mondays through Thursdays, 12-5pm Fridays, and 5-9pm Sundays. The staff are tutors for multiple courses and can help you get connected to the right resources.
• What is you are struggling in more than one class? Meet with an academic coach. If things feel like they are too far off-track, set up a meeting with an academic coach to help you get organized and back on top of everything. These are professional staff members who are trained on how to set you up for success - use them as a resource!
• Lastly, as the past couple years have shown, mental health is so important and comes before academics. If you are struggling, reach out for professional help. Coe offers a number of resources available on- and off-campus. Reach out to Cathy Muller, Coe's Student Care Coordinator & Counselor.

Many of the aforementioned resources can be accessed here, unless otherwise noted.

Request for Academic Support Form

Survey Responses: What Do You Know About the Learning Commons?

 

We conducted a survey about students' knowledge of the Learning Commons to gain feedback and suggestions for the future. We would love to continue hearing students' feedback, so feel free to fill out the survey if you haven't yet!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeUgICImAUW0l_ZP48wM8tkIHEXTL6eldYJ1XMRoT4TO3cMdw/viewform?usp=sf_link

Most Commonly Used Resources

1. Writing Center

2. Tutoring

3. Supplemental Instruction

4. Test Proctoring

5. TRIO/AAP

6. Peer-To-Peer Academic Support Space

7. LC Study Hall

Have These Resources Helped You?

"Yes, these resources have made it so my time here at Coe was possible, without their help I would not have been able to attend this school and be passing.”

“Yes, they have helped tremendously!”

“Yes, specifically the writing center in my FYS class.”

Every student who responded said "yes" in some form. Many responders mentioned specific resources that have been the most help to them such as tutoring, the writing center, and test proctoring.

Suggestions For Additional Resources/Support

Students offered up these suggestions in the survey:

1. "More times for SI, possibly structural type SI's for assistance with learning and how to do things like fill out a lab journal for those who may be lost in the course."

2. "Professor, staff, or just student hours on a monthly basis (sort of like a long night against procrastination)."

3. "Professors in the library"

4. "It would be helpful to have a folder of organizational templates such as monthly calendars, assignment checklists, and so on. That way students have easy access to helpful academic planning materials."

Questions About the Learning Commons

What is the Learning Commons "Study Hall"?

This is a new program we are trying out this semester. On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5pm, the library classroom is open for study to have a place where they can be held accountable to study. Each session, students work until 4pm then a Learning Commons staff member leads a 15-20 minute study break. These breaks change each session and include activities such as games, meditation, and crafts. After the break, students work until 5pm.

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Got Writer's Block? Visiting the Writing Center!

Got Writer's Block? Visit the Writing Center!

Are your writing assignments piling up? Can't figure out how to start? Got writer's block? Don't stress because help is available right on campus at the Writing Center! The Writing Center, located on the main floor of Stewart Memorial Library in the Learning Commons, is a student-run center that can help you with any kind of writing. No matter if you are at the brain-storming stage, or just need another pair of eyes to proofread, the Writing Center has got your back. 

The Writing Center has over 60 student-peer consultants covering about every type of major on campus. All consultants are eager and excited to help you with your writing and the Writing Center provides a warm and welcoming environment to engage in conversations about writing. Want to learn about some of the consultants you might see in the Writing Center? Meet them below!

Lila Dabill

Lila is a senior majoring in physics and math. This is her fourth year working at the Writing Center and she has strong experience helping others with argumentative papers, math papers and lab reports. For any of you taking calculus with Dr. Brittney Miller or philosophy with Dr. Jeffery Hoover or Dr. John Lemos she can help you with any writing assignments they assign. For fun, Lila likes to read, draw, paint and go hiking!

Evan Perry 

Evan is a junior whose majors are economics and math. This is currently his third year working in the writing center and he particularly enjoys helping those with technical writing assignments. He has taken a lot of economic classes so if any of you need help with writing assignments for these classes he can definitely help. In his free time, Evan likes to hang outside, read, and watch Netflix. Currently, he is watching New Girl!

Brittany Ramirez

Brittany is a freshman majoring in neuroscience and psychology and this is her first year working at the Writing Center. Having just taken her FYS class, she is very helpful with any FYS writing assignments as well as has experience with English papers and nursing and psychology papers. On campus, Brittany is involved in Greek life belonging to her sorority - Alpha Gamma Delta. In her free time, she likes to play tennis, hang out with her sorority sisters and friends, and watch movies.

Brett Porter

Brett is a sophomore whose major is elementary education with endorsements in reading and language arts. This is his second year working in the Writing Center and he particularly enjoys helping others brainstorm ideas and write personal narratives. He has taken many education and history classes as well as taken a religion course with Dr. Kenzski. So if you need help with any of these types of classes be sure to sign up for a conference with him! For fun, Brett likes to play video games and basketball and is on the ultimate frisbee team here at Coe. 

Ally Roeker

Ally is a senior triple majoring in English, Communication Studies, and Writing. She has been working at the Writing Center for almost four years and has a lot of experience with cover letters, personal statements, literary analyses, and research papers. She also enjoys helping write citations. Some courses in which she can assist with any writing assignments are, The Art of Literary Research, Research Methods in Communications Studies, Persuasion, Fundamentals of Public Speaking and senior literature seminars in the English major. In her free time she enjoys bullet journaling (ask her about it sometime!), reading books from the Cedar Rapids Library, and making playlists on Spotify.

As you can clearly see, writing consultants of the Writing Center span a multitude of majors and are able to help with you all and any kind of writing. To sign up for a conference you can make an appointment directly at the Writing Center or go to coe.mywconline.com

Coe Writing Center Hours

Monday-Thursday: 8:00 AM - 11:00 PM 

Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Saturday: Closed

Sunday: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM

What Is Your Learning Style?

Have you ever wondered what your learning style may be? Knowing that I am a kinesthetic and reading/writing learner has helped me find study techniques that work best for my brain. Keep on reading to see how you relate to the four most common learning styles!

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1. Visual Learning

Visual learners absorb information, concepts, and ideas best through seeing them represented as a visual. They thrive on learning through visuals such as charts, diagrams, images, and videos. In addition, they often have strong visualization skills with the ability to form images in their mind. It can be more difficult for them to understand and remember information solely through the spoken word. Therefore, lectures with visual presentations can be a big help for these learners. 

2. Auditory Learning

Auditory learners learn best by listening to information rather than just reading or seeing something. For example, they would prefer listening to someone explain a concept rather than reading a textbook or trying to figure it out on their own. When studying, it can be helpful for auditory learners to explain concepts or information out-loud because they are more likely to recall a conversation over an image or words on a page.

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3. Kinesthetic Learning

Kinesthetic learners thrive on hands-on projects and activities. They learn best by doing rather than listening or watching someone else demonstrate. Trying things out for themselves can help them remember information better. It also may be hard for them to sit for long periods of time which makes a movement-based study break really helpful for them. Sometimes, just being physically engaged while learning, such as having something to fidget with or tossing a ball, can help them retain information better.

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4. Learning Through Reading/Writing

As reflected in the name, these learners thrive on the written word. They absorb information best by reading texts or seeing written words in a presentation, and they can further retain the information by engaging in it through writing. These learners typically take in-depth notes during class. For studying, reading and annotating the textbook plus creating flashcards can work well. 

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These are just four of the core types of learning styles. You could be a variation of these or something even more specific such as logical, social, solitary, and verbal learners. Everyone is unique, and there are so many different ways people learn. Understanding how your brain works can help you find what works best for your learning and studying skills.

Want to take some quizzes to help you figure out your learning style? Check these out:

https://www.learningstylequiz.com/

https://vark-learn.com/the-vark-questionnaire/

Works Cited:

https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-experience/college-life/most-common-types-of-learners/

Jumping Over Your Hurdles: Persistence and Resilience Tips

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As a college student, there are many hurdles you may come across. Some may be very different than others, but we all have our own obstacles. To help you jump over academic/college related hurdles, I'd like to share some persistence and resilience tips to keep in mind.

1. Growth Mindset

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People who have a growth mindset believe their talents and skills can be developed through things such as hard work, practice, good strategies, and working with others. In contrast, people with a fixed mindset believe their talents and skills are innate gifts, so there's not much they can do about it. Having a growth mindset can help you work through obstacles by putting in more time and effort. It's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to get stuck. What matters is that you keep going through these difficulties. If you don't understand an assignment right away, keep trying and don't be afraid to ask for help. Working with others is a great way to learn more and develop new skills.

2. Grit

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Grit is a trait that demonstrates someone's effort, perseverance, and passion for their goals. They embody qualities of hard work, dedication, and resilience. This is a learned trait that is not influenced by your genetics. It's the ability to not give up when times get hard, which can be the most important factor in success. Set goals in your classes and always welcome feedback. Anyone can work on having more grit, so don't give up on yourself.

3. Know your resources! Check out the Office of Student Success and Persistence at Coe.

They offer Success Coaches who provide proactive outreach to ensure a smooth transition to college. Your coach can help you navigate Coe, get connected with people, and learn about tools and resources you need to be successful. They also host College Possible. This program utilizes near-peer (recent college graduate) coaches who use a structured curriculum to help students get the most out of their four years and who serve as a resource for questions and concerns. The Office of Student Success and Persistence is located in Upper Gage Memorial Union with hours from 8am to 8pm Monday through Friday. Their team is available by appointment, but they welcome drop-in appointments as well. 

Busy and Overwhelmed: A College Student's Narrative

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It seems like the semester has just started, yet it's already November. It feels like this school year has just been going and going with hardly any room to breathe. How can we manage this busy and overwhelmed narrative while keeping our stress under control? It's not an easy task, so I want to provide some tips that may help you with stress management.

Getting enough sleep

This can be a difficult task to accomplish, but sleep is vital for our health and stress management. Think about setting a goal for yourself to get more sleep. It doesn't have to be drastic. Even just thirty minutes of more sleep each night can make a huge difference.

Being Active

Exercise can be a great way to take a break from the day's stresses and do something good for your body. Physical activity can help bump up the production of the brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, endorphins, and it doesn't have to be super intense. Just taking the time to take a walk can be a great way to refresh your mind, or if you have been sitting at a desk for a while, remember to stand up and stretch every once in a while.

Having a healthy stress outlet

This could mean something different for every person, but it's important to find things that you enjoy to help manage your stress. This could be your hobbies or clubs you're involved in. For example, I love dancing and listening to music; both of these outlets are a great way for me to lower my stress levels.

Find connections

It can be hard to get yourself to do more when you're already stressed, busy, and overwhelmed, but it can be extremely helpful to surround yourself with people who make you feel supported and calm. Joining a club is a great step to finding connections with others on campus with common interests.

Practice self-care

Once again, this can mean something different for everybody; it's important to cater self-care to what helps you feel refreshed and relaxed. Some ideas include hobbies, yoga, meditation, reading a book, talking to friends, playing games, going outside, drinking a lot of water, and listening to music.

Time management and organization

These can be tough skills to develop and continually practice, but once they are used effectively, they can be a great way to combat stress. For example, I use a planner to organize my to-do lists for the day and the assignments that I need to do for each class. For my extracurricular involvements, I use the app called Daily Planner. It's a great way to organize different lists and events in a calendar. You can also set reminders on your phone. Overall, figuring out time management and organization practices that work for you can be long process, but they are worth it in the long run.

Journaling

This can be a great way to relieve stress by getting your thoughts out on paper. For example, you may want to write about something stressful that happened; this can help you process how you are feeling through reflection. Want to learn more about the benefits of journaling? Check out this website: https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-journaling-for-stress-management-3144611

Always feel free to reach out for help

Whether this means talking to a friend, family member, a professor, or staff member, remember that there's nothing wrong with asking for help. We can all use support from each other.

Setting Yourself Up For Success

It's the beginning of a new school year! For some, this may be your first year of college, or maybe you're nearing the end of your time here at Coe. Either way, a new school year can be both exciting and nerve-wracking in a wide variety of ways. Balancing school with extracurricular activities and jobs can be a lot of work and cause so much stress. That's why I want to share some tips about setting yourself up for success at the beginning of the school year.

Creating a Schedule for Yourself

A super strict schedule may not be the right fit for everyone. Some people thrive on specific schedules and routines while others need more flexibility. Either way, having at least some kind of schedule can help you keep organized, stay on top of homework/other commitments you may have, and combat procrastination. I use a planner to write down all the homework assignments I need to complete each day and any other important work that needs to be done for extracurriculars. I don't set specific times to do each of these things because I like a bit more flexibility, so my schedule is more like a checklist. Other people find it useful to set aside certain times during the day to work on homework. If you aren't sure what works best for you, just try different things!

Be Aware of Your Resources

• The Learning Commons offers an abundance of academic resources for Coe students. The Request for Academic Support (RAS) form is a great starting place for getting the help you need. Whether it's a tutor, help with a presentation or speech, academic accommodations, test scheduling in the Test Center, or something else, the Learning Commons is there to help.
• Professors and office hours! Your professors are there to help you learn and succeed. If you have questions, don't be afraid to reach out or stop by their office hours.
• Classmates. You can always reach out to your peers. Maybe you can create a study group with your classmates where you can help keep each other stay on task. We all have a different set of skills, so asking each other can be a great way to learn and share knowledge with others. 

Self-Care

It can be really difficult to make yourself a priority when the school year gets super busy, but it's vital to make sure you're taking care of yourself and your needs. Try your best to get enough sleep and make sure to take time to have fun and do things you enjoy! Self-care can mean something different to everyone, so spend some time thinking about what helps you feel refreshed.

Goals

Think about what you would like to achieve this semester and create goals for those things. Creating short-term, specific goals towards the beginning of the semester can be a great way to keep motivated  and on track in your classes by giving you something to work toward that you set for yourself. It can also help you measure how far you've come and how much you've learned at the end of the semester.

Engaging and Participating in Class

Try your best to get in the habit of engaging and participating in class. This could mean taking notes during a lecture or participating in class discussion. Speaking up in class can be really difficult; that is completely understandable, but it is a great way to learn from each other and really engage. Something that helps me participate more is processing my thoughts through writing before speaking them out loud, so I always make sure to bring a notebook to each class for writing things down. Also, if you know what's going to be discussed during the next class, you can prepare a bit ahead of time with any thoughts or questions you may have.

How to Push Through Burnout

 

Does your list of finals to-dos feel impossible? Are you struggling to get started? To do tasks that you know are easy? You are not alone! It’s very normal to feel overwhelmed and burnt out at the end of the semester. With no break and the condensed term, this has been even harder than a normal semester, and I think the majority of us are barely holding it together and struggling to motivate. So how do we push through the burnout to finish strong? Read on for tips to get through these last few days (yes only days):

1. Prioritize sleep as much as you can. We all know how important it is, but what’s the first thing to go when you’re stressed? Think about what is most important, and take guilt-free naps when you can.

2. Spend time doing something you enjoy. Whether that’s hanging out with your friends, playing a game, coloring, or getting some good food, take even just a little bit of time out of your day to not think about school.

3. Move your body. Take some time to go on a walk, do some yoga, or a workout of your choice. That 30 mins spent not studying will make you feel better and increase your productivity. 

4. Eat some good food. We all know how awful the cafe/pub is so treat yourself to some good food, whether that’s something good for your body or your taste buds.

5. Mix up your environment. Been stuck in your room all semester? Increase your productivity and decrease the fog by going to the library, Upper Gage, or better yet study outside.

6. Incentivize yourself. Try out different incentive methods. When your tasks feel immobilizing, set small accomplishable goals and reward yourself when you complete them. This could be with a tv break, a Tik Tok break, or a treat. Just make sure you don’t take a break for too long or you won’t want to start again.

7. Make a list. When you have tons to do and haven’t written it out, your brain might be full of things to do instead of focusing on the task at hand. When you write it out it is no longer occupying your brain, and you can prioritize what is most important.

8. Do things in person when you have the opportunity and it’s safe to do so. Life has felt like an endless Zoom call for over a year now, and it is a huge contributor to that burnout you’re feeling. Take the time to go to some of those in-person things when you can, it can be incredibly refreshing to get out and see people even when masked.

9. Take a well-deserved break. Once you have gotten through finals (which you will) take a very well deserved and needed break!! Don’t do anything that you don’t want to for at least a few days. After you take some time for self-care, you can enjoy the summer and set realistic goals for the fall.

Good luck with finals, you are going to crush it!!

Study Tips for Finals

Finals are just around the corner, so it's a stressful time! The pressure of all these final projects and tests due during one week can be very overwhelming, so we often push things off until the last minute. Do you want some tips to avoid that last minute rush? Read on for some study strategies for finals…

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1. Make a game plan for finals

Planning out study sessions for all your finals can be overwhelming, but it can be really helpful to have at least some sort of game plan. Instead of cramming last minute, setting aside spaced out study session can immensely improve your retention. Try putting them in a planner or calendar. You could even set alerts or reminders on your phone.

2. Start early (if possible)

We are all busy. Sometimes it's difficult to avoid last minute studying, but going along with the last tip, try your best to start studying for finals early. Maybe a few weeks in advance even. Try to figure out which classes you may struggle with more, so you can determine which classes you need to spend more time on.

3. Make use of academic resources (we have a whole post on this blog on how to access a bunch of different resources Coe has to offer!)

It's not too late to get extra academic support when it comes time for finals!

• Visit the writing center or schedule an appointment with a Speak Out consultant for a final paper or project.
• Make an appointment with a tutor. While regular tutoring is helpful to make use of throughout the semester, it's still not too late to request a tutor.
• Visit your professor's office hours for any questions you may have about a final or any other confusion about the class.
• If your professor gives you a study guide, be sure to make use of it.

4. Form a study group (but with people who won't distract you!)

Study with a group of people who can help hold each other accountable. Talking out loud and explaining concepts to others helps with memorization and full comprehension. Also, remember you can visit the Learning Commons study hours if you don't want to study alone. They are virtual on Sundays from 6-8pm (zoom link) and in the Stewart Memorial Library, Lower Level on Wednesdays from 6-8pm.

5. Use a variety of study aids

• Create dynamic flashcards for concept memorization
• Four quadrants on card: definition, sentence, question, and image
• Draw mind maps
• Create a quiz for yourself and take it
• Use mnemonic devices or acronyms
• Look through textbooks for:
• Review questions
• Chapter preview, outline, or objectives
• Chapter summaries
• Key terms/definitions
• Look at suggested readings or references
• Review old notes or lectures

6. Take breaks!

Study breaks are very important to refresh your mind and prevent study fatigue and burnout. They can:

• Restore your ability to focus
• Help you regain attention and motivation
• Improve creativity
• Restore your energy

Some ideas for study breaks:

• Take a walk
• Go outside
• Have a snack
• Exercise
• Draw, color, paint
• Meditation/yoga
• Call a friend
• Listen to a short podcast

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7. Remember self-care!

Don't forget to take care of yourself when you're under all the stress of finals. Remember to do things that make you happy to lower your stress levels, and don't forget to eat healthy and drink plenty of water.

8. Make sleep a priority!

Don't stay up all night studying before a final. This will not help you get a better grade. When studying like that, you just don't retain as much information, and lack of sleep only makes your brain not work at full capacity.

Sources:

“How to Study for Finals”

https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/how-to-study-for-finals

“20 Study Strategies for Finals Week”

https://www.fastweb.com/student-life/articles/the-20-study-tips-for-finals