“For people with ADD, to do piles might just as well be called never done piles.” – From Driven to Distraction

Finals are quickly approaching and you have a to-do list cluttered with a variety of to-do tasks to finish the term out strong. You might even have a variety of personal tasks mixed in including cleaning the house, doing laundry, and paying bills.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, disorganized, and unable to prioritize your time effectively try O.H.I.O. Only Handle it Once. O.H.I.O. is a concept taught by Dr. Edward Hallowell  to help his clients with ADD address the tendency to let things pile up, both figuratively and in reality. If you have found yourself creating stacks of mail, papers, even laundry that keeps getting larger and larger, and cluttering up your desk O.H.I.O. can help you get rid of that guilt, anxiety, and resentment surrounding tasks undone.

Here’s how it works…

When you receive a document try to only handle it once. Driven to Distraction, a national bestseller on ADD in adults makes the following three suggestions:

1.       Respond to the document/memo/e-mail/written material right away, or

2.       Throw the document away, or

3.       File it away permanently.

Obviously you wouldn’t want to throw your class syllabus or an important bill away, the key is setting aside a specific time to respond. For example, try setting aside time in the morning and evening to respond to e-mails. Schedule a specific time each week to pay bills. Create a system to organize your school paperwork, returned assignments, etc. so that documents aren’t piling up on your workspace.

If you have a task that is looming and you begin to feel guilt or anxiety about it do that task first. You will feel much better and over time you’ll notice that things are not piling up as much.

If you need help setting up a system of organization, consider Academic Coaching from DAS or the Academic Success Center at OSU. Academic coaches can help you find an organizational strategy that works for you!

OSU Blogger Eric Stoller’s writes about captioning on Inside HigherEd: http://www.insidehighered.com/blogs/student_affairs_and_technology/do_you_youtube_don_t_forget_to_add_captions

If getting a job after college is not on your mind–perhaps it should be. We all know that the job market is tough, but there are some things you can do to put yourself ahead of the competition.  You don’t have to wait for your senior year to start thinking about your career.

The time is now to begin exploring career options, acquire valuable work and internship experiences, and prepare in other ways for your future. Career Services provides a variety of workshops, individual career guidance and counseling, help with resumes, interviewing and job search strategies, career fairs, and other networking opportunities. For students with disabilities, counselors at Career Services can help identify and focus on the many strengths you’ll bring into a workplace, helping you build your confidence as you prepare for interviews as well as help to navigate your questions about disclosing disabilities to prospective employers.
Below are some of the upcoming events with Career Services. Most events are held in Kerr Administrative Building Room (KAB) B008, unless otherwise noted. For more information about the events or to contact Career Services, call (541) 737-4085. For an updated schedule of events visit http://oregonstate.edu/career/.

February 8, Networking and Dining Etiquette
5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
CH2M HILL Alumni Center

February 11 Workshops, Kerr Admin. Bldg, B008
10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Effective Job Search
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Resume Writing
2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Interviewing
February 12 Workshops, KAB B008
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Finding an Internship
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Success at the Career Fair
2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Resume Writing

February 15 Workshop, Kerr Admin. Bldg, B008
Time TBA, Mock/Speed Interviews

February 16 OSU Career Fair
11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. CH2M HILL Alumni Center

February 17 Engineering Fair
11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. CH2M HILL Alumni Center

April 12 Networking and Dining Etiquette
5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. CH2M HILL Alumni Center

April 19 Workshops, Kerr Admin. Bldg., B008
10:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m. Resume Writing
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Interviewing
4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. Effective Job Search

April 20 Workshops, Kerr Admin. Bldg., B008
11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Effective Job Search
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. Success at the Career Fair
2:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Resume Writing

April 21 OSU Career Fair
11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. CH2M HILL Alumni Center

May 20 Applying to Graduate School
4:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Location TBA

The Workforce Recruitment Program (WRP) will be holding on-campus interviews Tuesday Feb 9, for PAID Summer Jobs in 2010. Many positions lead to permanent employment upon graduation. Open to all majors and levels, freshmen through graduates!

The Workforce Recruitment Program for College Students with Disabilities (WRP) is a recruitment and referral program that connects public and private sector employers nationwide with highly motivated postsecondary students and recent graduates with disabilities who are eager to prove their abilities in the workplace through summer or permanent jobs. Employers include agencies such as Departments of Defense, Labor, Agriculture, Commerce, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Interior, State, Treasury, and Veterans Affairs; the Social Security Administration; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; the Nuclear Regulatory Commission; the Environmental Protection Agency; the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; the Farm Credit Administration, and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Many (but not all) positions are outside of Oregon.

Sign up now for an interview if you meet the following requirements:

1) have a disability AND
2) are a U.S. citizen AND
3) are enrolled full-time at OSU (unless reduced course load is authorized as a disability-related accommodation) OR you?ve graduated since Spring 2009.

This opportunity is ONLY available to students and recent graduates with disabilities! Hurry, interview spaces are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Contact Karen @ DAS for application materials and to sign up for an interview, at karen.hanson@oregonstate.edu or (541) 737-8582.

Finals week is just around the corner and it’s never too early to get POWERED up for your finals! Check out the following on-campus resources!

Collaborative Learning Center

Collaborative Learning Center (CLC) provides a variety of services to help support your studies. During scheduled hours, you’ll find peer tutors and GTAs from the College of Science, the Academic Success Center, and the Writing Center.

http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/clc/

Math

Interested in free math help? Contact the Math Learning Center

http://www.math.oregonstate.edu/files/math/Tutors%20by%20Class.pdf

http://www.math.oregonstate.edu/mlc_schedule

The Mathematics Department maintains this list for the convenience of students
seeking private tutoring in mathematics. The Department does not do any screening
of tutors. You can access this list by visiting this website: http://www.math.oregonstate.edu/private_tutors.

Chemistry

Get Chemistry Help with the Mole Hole

http://chemistry.oregonstate.edu/courses/molehole.html

Writing

Need help with papers? Consult the Writing Center!

http://cwl.oregonstate.edu/writing-center-descrip

Don’t forget to relax a little!!!

Unlock your inner potential with active relaxation at the MindSpa: http://oregonstate.edu/counsel/mind-spa

Exercising at Dixon is a great way to take a study break: http://oregonstate.edu/recsports/

Need to get some study fuel? Check out what’s open on-campus: http://oregonstate.edu/foodatosu/

Midterms and exams are approaching and although you can’t miraculously learn course material overnight, Dr. John J. Ratey, MD says there are some things you can do to “fertilize” your brain.

In his book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain he describes how exercise is just what the doctor ordered for increasing focus, reducing stress, and improving mood—things which can assist students in learning.

He describes how exercise affects learning in three ways:

1. Exercise improves the learner. Their senses are heightened, their focus and mood are improved, they’re less fidgety and tense, and they feel more motivated and invigorated.
2. In addition to priming your state of mind, exercise influences learning directly, at the cellular level, improving your brain’s potential to log in and process new information. Exercise creates the environment for our brain cells to wire together, which is the basic building block of learning. One of the key ingredients that exercise increases is BDNF, Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor, or what I call Miracle Gro for the brain — as it truly is fertilizer.
3. Exercise is also perhaps the best way to increase neurogenesis, which is the making of new neurons that happens on its own daily. The process is pumped up greatly after we exercise, by releasing factors to encourage the process of our innate stem cells to divide and then provide a healthier internal environment for them to grow up to be functioning nerve cells on their own.[1]

Exercise can be especially helpful for students who are ADD/ADHD or struggle with stress and/or anxiety. Here at OSU we have a plethora of resources to help you get your heart rate elevated including Dixon Recreation Center, Sports Clubs, Intramural Sports and more! You can even schedule a free 30 minute fitness orientation.

Check  Dixon out today and fertilize your brain!

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[1] http://add.about.com/od/treatmentoptions/a/ratey.htm

Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is offering group therapy on a variety of topics this fall. Group therapy provides a safe and confidential place to share and explore concerns as well as receive support around various issues. Therapy groups are free for OSU students. Click here to learn more:  http://oregonstate.edu/counsel/sites/default/files/Fall_2009_Group_Flyer.pdf