Academics News

Academic Success Tip - Marathon not a Sprint

kkball01 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:57:29 -0500

Remember this is a marathon and not a sprint. It is attractive to skip meals, skip sleep, and skip exercise to get more hours to study. Make sure you get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep. Eat balanced meals and not junk food. Get three thirty-minute exercise periods a week. Do not neglect yourself during finals.

Academic Success Tip - Do Not Procrastinate

kkball01 — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:08:42 -0500

During the last week of class and the Thanksgiving holiday, beware of the false sense that “I have all day to do X,” which will likely cause you to procrastinate. Instead, fill in blocks of time each day with the topics you will study during that time period. Stay focused and stay on task. Do not let yourself fall into the trap of procrastination!

Academic Success Tip - Reward Yourself for Sticking to Your Study Schedule

kkball01 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:57:05 -0500

Determine your reward system to stay motivated. The rewards can be large or small depending on the tasks. You might go to the movies with your family if you study for a certain number of hours. You might watch one half-hour of television if you complete a smaller task. Use your imagination for rewards: a new pair of shoes at the mall; reading a magazine; a luxurious soak in a bubble bath; dinner with friends; a morning at the spa; a run with the family dog. You will accomplish more and find it easier to start tasks if you have a reward waiting for you. So, stick to your schedule for studying and then reward yourself.

Spring 2010 Schedule Changes - two changes and one clarification

rtblac01 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:33:26 -0500

Attached is a schedule showing:

- two new changes to the schedule and one clarification.

- all cumulative changes made to the last printed schedule (dated 10/30/2009).

In summary, the most recent changes are:

1) Constitutional Law II - room changed and CAP increased to accept the waitlist plus a few additional students.

2) Crim. Pro. 2: Judicial Process - time changed from Monday and Wednesday 3:50 - 5:05 to Monday and Wednesday 4:10 to 5:25 . The change eliminates a conflict with Evidence.

3) The Registrar mistakenly listed the ending time for Evidence as 3:40. Our schedules have always shown the correct ending time to be 4:05. The Registrar has correct the Web schedule to show 4:05 as the correct ending time.

Academic Success Tip - Skeletal Outlines

kkball01 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:53:48 -0500

Boil your course down to a one- or two-page checklist of topics and subtopics. Memorize the list for a closed-book exam and write it down on scrap paper after you are told you can start the exam. In an open-book exam, place this list at the top of your outline. Use it as a handy guide to see if you have forgotten anything in your outline of an answer to an exam question.

Final Exam schedule for two new classes added to spring 2010 schedule

rtblac01 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:46:34 -0500

Two classes have been added to the spring 2010 schedule. The final exams for these classes are:

1) Crim. Pro. 2: Judicial Process (Abramson) - Friday, 4/23/2009 at 1:00 pm

2) Business Organizations (Blackburn) - Monday, 4/26/2009 at 1:00 pm

Registration reopens on Tuesday, 11/17/2009 at 8:00 am

rtblac01 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:30:51 -0500

Registration reopens

Tuesday, 11/17/2009 at 8:00 am.

Attached is a list of changes to the class schedule, updated to 12:00 Noon on Tuesday, 11/17/2009. The only change from the changes posted last week is the addition of "ID#" for the two new classes.

Academic Success Tip - Study Groups

kkball01 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:51:02 -0500

Use study groups judiciously as you prepare for finals.

Do not skimp on your personal review time by joining too many group activities.
Schedule group time when you have reviewed the material enough to gain the most from discussions.
Alternate who explains concepts or answers questions so everyone has to “work” and get practice.
Have individual practice question time as well – your group cannot help you during the exam.
If study group sessions become too frustrating, consider gracefully bowing out to study by yourself or with just one other person.

Academic Success Tip - Stress Resilience (Cont'd)

kkball01 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:31:40 -0500

It's that time in the semester when stress begins to escalate to new levels of intensity. However, now is also the time when you need to use your best stress resilience skills. Stress that is out of control can lead to illness, anxiety, lessened concentration, lack of sleep, and many other problems. Below are a few more tips on managing your stress for the remainder of the semester.

Remember to look at the pieces and not the whole. Focus on one small task at a time. List all of the topics that you need to review for each exam course. List all of the research, writing, and editing tasks that you need to complete for a paper. Then focus on one small task at a time until that small task is complete. Cross it off the list and move on to the next small task. Step by step you can do it all.
Ask for help if you are feeling overwhelmed. Talk to your professors about areas of the course that are confusing you. Talk to a counselor at the Student Counseling Center. Talk to a physician if you are having physical problems. Talk to your family.
Sleep at least 8 hours a night. You will be more productive when you study. You will be able to focus on the essentials. You will be able to make wiser decisions about your priorities for studying. You will feel less helpless and hopeless. You will be less likely to burst into tears or yell at everyone around you. You will go into exams well-rested and alert.
Add exercise to your schedule if you have let it go. Exercise is one of the best stress busters you can use. Try to get a minimum of three 30-minute workouts a week. Consider where a study break can include an exercise break. Even walking around the building or the campus can be a boon to your brain cells for memory and your body for sleeping better.

Academic Success Tip - Stress Resilience

kkball01 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 09:51:22 -0500

It's that time in the semester when stress begins to escalate to new levels of intensity. However, now is also the time when you need to use your best stress resilience skills. Stress that is out of control can lead to illness, anxiety, lessened concentration, lack of sleep, and many other problems. Attached are a few tips on managing your stress for the remainder of the semester.