If you are a student like me, you probably have troubles self-motivating to study for upcoming exams long before the actual cram time. I’ve found over the years using a study group helps me pace myself instead of indulging in the mad, anxiety-ridden last-minute cram sessions, but sometimes even that is not enough.
So, what can we do if we have trouble with a subject or if we can’t figure out how to tackle some project or paper? Eastern Michigan University has a variety of resources to offer us in times of academic peril.
One way to start is paying a visit to the Holman Success Center in the basement of Halle Library.
Holman Success Center offers one-on-one tutoring in a variety of subjects from math and sciences to music and English. It organizes skill-building workshops to bolster student skills in being organized, time management — a necessity for any of us who want a social life and to succeed academically — note taking techniques, textbook reading tips and study techniques to play to your personal learning style.
You can meet with academic success coaches on your time, which can help you organize your studies and teach you to learn better in a college environment.
Holman Success Center hires supplemental instructors in a variety of beginner-level classes who organize and lead additional study groups, all taught by students who have taken and passed the class with a high grade already.
EMU student Gordon Gordon has used Holman Success Center’s individual tutors and the supplemental instruction program before and is used to the inner workings of the system.
“One-on-one tutors are invaluable, especially in foreign language classes,” Gordon said. “Meeting twice a week forced me to prepare and study more. Supplemental instruction has been mixed; sometimes they repeat what they have planned for the session, forgetting to go over what you need help with. Some are really good about specifically helping with what you’re stuck on.”
Having problems with your papers? Pay a visit to the Writing Center in room 115 of Halle Library and they can help you hammer it out. Having issues with a project? The Academic Projects Center in room 116 can help, too.
Several individual departments have tutoring resources, too. The economics department offers a few hours of tutoring Monday-Thursday for classes below the 300 level in room 708 of Pray-Harrold. It operates separately from Holman, but its tutors are hired by the Success Center. The computer science department offers tutoring out of room 521 of Pray-Harrold.
Pray-Harrold’s math tutoring and testing services have received a new coordinator this year.
Melissa Lomont has a full-time position dedicated to providing for those of who are either less mathematically inclined or have some difficulty in a specific area of math.
Higher levels of tutoring are also offered by request if you go to math.emich.edu/tutoring and look up the tutor availability link.
Many people have personal issues with seeing a tutor. But remember: Seeing a tutor not only helps you but also helps your professors.
“If students have any doubts regarding assignments or any problems… They will first approach us,” tutor and senior Sowmya Kalaga said. “If we cannot solve the problem, they will then approach the professors.”
Going to tutors for guidance first and learning from a peer can be less nerve-wracking than approaching a professor and more convenient to professors by freeing up their office hours from students with easily answered questions.
Please note research shows cramming is a lot less effective than steady studying throughout the semester. Perhaps you should ask yourself if it would be beneficial to jump on these resources now before the clock ticks down too far.
