Navigating college life can be stressful and daunting, nonetheless faculty, staff and fellow students have tips to make the college experience less nerve wracking and more relaxed.
If need academic assistance:
The UTRGV Learning Center offers free peer-lead tutoring in courses ranging from freshmen core to graduate levels.
Reaching out for academic help and tips to be successful in your career.
Professor at UTRGV who teaches the UNIV course, Erika Perez, expresses the importance of taking the class to help reach academic success. “This is a great class that students can take in order to make successful changes in their college life”, Perez said.
The UNIV course is a learning framework course that specializes in helping first year students make a successful transition from highschool to college. “In the course students learn about learning strategies that will help them build good habits, also it builds their understanding of their own personal motivation.”
Faculty is aware that students are put under a lot of pressure from transitioning to a university setting, said Perez.
That considered, it is important to build professional relationships with your professors to become comfortable in asking for help thus enhancing your learning experience.
According to The Education Trust website students are more likely to be “academically engaged and have stronger social skills” if they have a steady relationship with their professor.
Ways to grow a professional relationship with professors is arriving to class early, staying after class and introducing yourselves to the professors, said Perez.
Tips from Professor Perez’s
- Doing a walk through campus to avoid getting lost and being late on the first day of classes.
- Reading your syllabus and being on the lookout for changes.
- Be proactive and plan transportation to and from campus.
- Write things down, from notes to reminders.
- Do not prepare for a test till the last minute.
- Review your notes outside of class time.
- Attend tutoring sessions if needed (Learning Center).
Tips from a UTRGV Student:
UTRGV Mass Communications Senior Nayeli Ramirez, suggests students to network in order to stay updated in student life.
“Sometimes students are really helpful there in giving other students advice and tips that can help them conquer the school year,” Ramirez says about the benefits of joining UTRGV Student facebook groups.
Ramirez says that the struggles new students have will not last forever.
“The first week is always hard, so don’t think that that’s how the rest of the school year will be. After the first week, it will get calmer, you’ll get to know the school and the school will get to know you,” says Ramirez.
This is Silvana Villarreal with Vaquero radio.
