Beaver Nation Migration

Now that you’re on campus, and classes have started, where are you going to study? In order to do well in classes you need to go to class, but outside of the class you need to find a study space that will work well for you. Ask yourself some of these questions to find a good study space. What type of environment do you prefer working in, quiet or louder? Do you study better around people or alone? Do you want to sit at a table, desk,  couch, etc.? Think about all of these options while you walk around campus and town keeping an eye out for the study space that will work the best for you.

There are a lot of coffee shops or dining centers on campus where you can study if you don’t get distracted with people being around you.  If you like it to be really quiet there are very quiet areas in the Valley library on the 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th floor or take a quick walk to the downtown Corvallis library. Make sure to check out all the different floors because you might find an area on a specific floor that’s perfect for your needs.  The OSU library is also great for group projects or if you just likes to study with a group of friends. There are study rooms in the library that you can reserve online or at the front desk. Other areas you might want to consider on campus are the MU, or your residence hall or co-op study lounges, or even the small study areas in Dixon Rec Center.  Your study spaces might be closer to you than you think.  Try giving the different study areas a try throughout the first few weeks and find the space that works for you!

Tags: academic success, Food, library, studying
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You’ve hopefully settled into your classes, made a few friends and now it is time to make your advising appointment. To receive the most benefit of the advising appointments keep these tips in mind:

• Reach out to your advisor to set up a meeting. Almost all colleges and majors have unique ways of setting up appointments so make sure to follow their guides.
• Prepare a few questions. Do you want to get involved more? Do you want to know what minors could fit into your schedule? Do you want to study abroad? Maybe start applying for work? Your advisor is a great starting point in the discovering the answers to all your questions.
• Prepare your schedule. Make sure to look on MyDegrees and use the planner tab to help browse through the course work that is required for your degree. The planner tab on MyDegrees will allow you to loosely plan out your entire career here at OSU. It’s pretty neat.
• Lastly, remember to be on time to your appointment, and have an open mind. Your advisor could connect you with some amazing opportunities.

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Hello again Beavers! With football season kicking off recently I am sure many of you have been curious as to how to get tickets without getting tackled by mobs of people. Here is your fail safe guide as to how to get to the 50 yard line without getting intercepted.

• REMEMBER YOUR STUDENT ID
  • Make sure there are no holds on your account, if there are then you won’t be able to get a ticket and that would be sad
• Camp out in line outside the ticket office at Resser
  • Most of the time 12 hours ahead is good enough, however the better we are doing the earlier you will want to get there. You can start camping out up to 24 hours before tickets become available
• Bring your friends and some games
  • Bonus points if you bring a tent or couch, you will be everyone’s best friend
    • Note, if you do bring any camping equipment, officials will walk around between 3-4am to have you put it away and make sure you are awake
• Move to the front of the line
  • When you get to the front have your student ID ready to give to the ticket office
• DON’T LOSE YOUR TICKET
  • Again, that would be sad and you only are distributed one ticket per game
• Go to the game!
  • When you attend the game you must have your ticket and your student ID, otherwise you will not be let in. Stand in your assigned section and have a great time watching your OSU Beaver Football team

Have a great time for me!

Tags: athletics, student life
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Hello New Beavers! Welcome to the first week of classes. During your first year it is unavoidable to have a couple large lectures with 300+ students. You may have been close with your teachers in high school and it is possible to have the same kinds of relationships with your new professors in college. The best way to do this is by putting in the effort to meet with them one-on-one. Here are some tips as to what to do when meeting with professors:

• Check your syllabus to see where and when their office hours are
• Email them ahead of time to give them a heads up as to when you are coming
  • This will make you hold yourself accountable to actually go as well
• Go to their office on the day and time you said you would be there
• Let them know your name, which of their classes you are in, and why you are taking this class
  • Bonus points if you don’t say, “I don’t know, my advisor made me”
• Ask them what they like to do outside of teaching
  • I promise they have lives outside of a classroom

Some benefits of being on a first name basis with a professor in a large lecture hall are:

• They have a face to your name, so if you are  .50% away from a better grade they will remember that you put in an effort to meet them and you will be more likely to get bumped up
• If you use a clicker and it isn’t working one day, you can go up to them after class and let them know you were there. If they saw you in class then you are more likely to get those points
• Professors in general are very interesting. They all come from very different backgrounds and you never know, you could have a lot in common with them, and it never hurts to have a faculty member by your side

Best of luck on your first week and say hi to your professors from me!

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• Visit connect.oregonstate.edu to check out all of the events going on this week
• Check your college for a new student welcome event – meet other students in your major, faculty members, and get free giveaways.
• Introduce yourself every chance you get!(at a welcome week event, in your first couple classes, in the dining hall, just do it!) Everybody is looking for new friends. It’s not just you, I promise.
• Hang out in the MU Basement. There are bowling lanes and pool tables, a great time to be had by all!
• Don’t forget that classes start on Thursday the 24th, that would be awkward if you missed the first day of college
• Go to the OSU vs Stanford football game on Friday the 25th

Tags: advice, College Transition, connect, First year, New Students, student life
Posted in Campus Life, CONNECT | Comments Off on Making the most out of Welcome Week

Everybody wants to avoid that dreaded freshman fifteen, here are some insider tips to help you stay healthy during your first year at OSU!

• Actually go to Dixon!!
  • Don’t just tell yourself you are going to go and then skip it every day. Make it a social event and go with a friend!
  • Don’t be intimidated, everybody had to learn sometime. If you don’t know how to use a machine, ask someone!! They are probably happy to show off their knowledge.
  • Just force yourself to go the first couple times until it becomes a routine!
  • Buy a fit pass if you like going to scheduled fitness classes like Bodypump or Spin!
• If working out at the gym isn’t your thing there are other options
  • Go for a run (to places like the covered bridge at the end of Campus Way or to Bald Hill)
  • Join a Club Sports team – a great option if organized sports are your thing
  • Play Intramural Sports – a super fun way to stay active while making new friends!
• Don’t let the dining halls get the best of you!!
  • Opt for the healthy option – you don’t always need the bacon cheeseburger and milkshake. Check out the daily menus at UHDS dining centers to find tasty, healthy options.
  • Try not to skip breakfast – yes is it can be hard when you have 8am classes, but three smaller meals a day is much healthier

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Now that you’re all moved in to your new home it’s time to start getting ready for classes and buy your textbooks for fall term! I know that they can get expensive, so here are some helpful tips for saving money while also making sure you have all of the books you need:

How to buy textbooks:

• Go to your MyOSU portal on the Oregon State website and click the student tab.
• Select “MyTextbooks” which should direct you to the online Beaver Store and automatically input your classes (if this doesn’t work you can visit the OSU Beaverstore website’s academic section and manually input your classes).
• You can now see what textbooks each of your professors has assigned for your courses, and you can view a price comparison between the OSU Beaver Store prices and online resources (like Amazon and Chegg).
• If you are buying from the bookstore you can pay online and pick them up later, or just buy them at the Beaver Store.

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As you pack your bags and think ahead to your START session here are some things to remember to bring with you and to do during your time on campus.

Top things to pack

1.) Tablet, notebook, pen, paper, etc.- you’ll be given a lot of information at START and taking some notes is the best way to remember it and look back throughout the summer as you have questions.

2.) Comfortable shoes- START programs feature quite a bit of walking between sessions so be prepared with comfortable shoes

3.) Rain jacket/warm layers- this is Oregon and there is always a chance of a shower, even if the forecast indicates otherwise

4.) A copy of your START confirmation and START parking pass- which you can print from the same website where you registered for START.

5.) An alarm clock, watch, or cell phone- for students staying overnight in the halls, Day 2 starts bright and early and you’ll need a way to get up and moving

6.) Water bottle, light, airy clothes, hats, etc.- this summer has already been unseasonably hot, so be sure to bring gear to stay as cool as possible.

Top things to do

1.) Talk with other students at START- this will be your first opportunity to start making friends and developing a social network here at OSU. Take advantage of it!

2.) Talk with and start getting to know an academic advisor in your academic college (Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, Agricultural Sciences, etc.). These individuals will be instrumental in helping you meet your graduation requirements and explore careers so getting to know them early is essential.

3.) If you are living on-campus, you will have a chance to tour your residence hall and see a sample room- this will be very helpful as you start deciding what to pack and what not to pack for your move-in day in September.

4.) Join a campus tour and spend some time walking around campus and orienting yourself. Finding places like the Student Health Center, Valley Library, Financial Aid and Registrar’s Offices (in Kerr Administration Building) will make your initial days back on campus in fall far easier.

5.) Ask questions and take notes- this is a completely new experience for most of you and we expect you to have lots of questions. Why not get them answered before classes start? It will make the rest of your summer far more enjoyable!

6.) For students attending our first-year sessions, attend Dixon Rec Night which is hosted at our recreation center on campus. This is a great chance to check out our gym, different sports clubs, organizations, and food vendors that work with campus. This is a night of fun where you can participate in games and activities and take some time to get to know your fellow START participants.

Posted in Orientation | 5 Comments »

What is coaching?

Academic Coaching is an opportunity for a peer to peer conversation to focus on change, skill improvement, and growth of academic abilities. It is individualized, you can meet with a coach once or on an ongoing basis. It is a safe and confidential place to collaborate with a coach on an academic plan

How does this benefit students and why should students use it?

• Good resource for transition from high school to college
• Get on the right track/start college successfully
• Get connected to resources
• Building academic self-discipline
• Peer Partnership/accountability
• Tools for time management, testing strategies, textbook reading, note taking, etc.
• Battle procrastination

Is it free?

YES! Appointments are free and are sponsored in part by Educational Activities.

What does an academic coaching appointment look like?

Coaching appointments are completely individualized. Students will be greeted by the staff when they check in and asked to provide some information about why she/he chose to come in. These reasons will be brought into the conversation with a coach and will be the core of the appointment. Students may plan out a term schedule of major assignments, fill out a weekly planner, or begin articulating short and long term goals of their education.

How do student set up appointments for academic coaching?

Appointments can be made in a variety of ways. We recommend coming into 102 Waldo Hall to set up an appointment and sit on our comfy couch.

• Come visit us early in the term! Use your resources before you need them, not when you need them.
• Take initiative of your own college experience and success, self-advocate
• Don’t fall behind, look ahead
• It is easier to develop good habits now, than break bad habits later. Work on developing your strategies for success early
• Cramming doesn’t work.
• Make an action plan for success! For example, your upcoming midterm.
• Don’t give up. Be confident! One exam doesn’t define you.
• Utilize your TAs and office hours.
• Find the balance between your social life and academics!

Tags: academic success, academics, advice, free!, support
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10:00am Monday morning was my first class at Oregon State University and I had it in Milam 026. At the time I figured Milam 026 would be like a regular high school classroom with maybe 30 desks placed in rows in front of a chalkboard with room for the professor to teach. Walking into the classroom I was greeted with the dull roar of 500 other students all awake at ten in the morning ready for biology 211. Like many students who first have a class in such a large space I didn’t know what to do. Unsure of what to do I stood in the front of the room looking at the sea of people who all seemed adjusted and ready to go. As if this auditorium was a normal classroom for them and they expected nothing else. Thankfully one of my floor mates saw me and yelled me over next to her and some other students I knew. They were sitting near the front and they had saved me a spot and from then on I knew that the front of the class was where I needed to be. Yet some students do not have the same luxuries I had and might not know where to sit or how to learn in such a large classroom. Below you will find some of my tips and tricks to maximize your learning in some of our larger classrooms on campus.

Sit near the front – Teachers remember and recognize the faces of the students who sit in the front row. Now if you decided to talk and be a distraction this will not help you, but if you are attentive the professor will remember that about you and having a professor who likes you opens up so many doors from references to potential research positions.

Avoid seats on balconies – High up in the balcony it is easy to tune out your professor, forget you are in a classroom and talk to your friends. Professors do not appreciate that plus it is not a good way to learn.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions even though it’s big – Again the professors remember and recognize faces and if you are asking relevant questions that will appreciate that. Also because you are in a large classroom the odds are that someone else will have the same question.

Find a way that works for you to take notes – Some professors put their lectures online for students to print out, some only post skeleton lectures, and some just talk to you and expect you to listen and learn. Weather you work best typing notes on your computer, writing notes on paper or on printed notes from your professor; learn which way works best for you.

Arrive to class 10 minutes early – Arriving early guarantees you a good seat in the classroom as opposed to the seats in the back corners where learning is more challenging.

Always sit in the same spot for classes and tests – Studies have shown that students who stay in the same spot do better than the students who sit in different spots for tests and lectures. When you move, your body has to get used to a variety of new things that could distract you, but sitting in the same spot sets up your body to learn a specific kind of material and perform better on tests.

Sam

Student Coordinator, New Student Programs & Family Outreach

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