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Living on Campus - Residential Life
Moving from home to a residence hall for the first time is an exciting adventure. You will spend much of your time there with friends, doing homework or just relaxing. Below are some common issues first year students have in the residence halls and tips on how to make the most of your on-campus living experience.
The adventure of rooming with a new person - More often than not our students have positive experiences with their freshman roommate. Once in a while issues do arise. Be aware of this right away if it occurs because the frustration related to roommate troubles can spill over into many other areas of your everyday life. It is best to recognize this fact and act quickly when problems arise. The best place to start is by going to your RA or RD to talk about the problem. He or she will be able to assess the situation and recommend the proper course of action. You, however, must take the first step. It is very important that your residence hall--the place that you come "home" to after a long day--is a place that is as comfortable as it can be.
Finding a quiet place to get work done - Studying in the residence halls can be a challenge for some students as there are many distractions, especially during certain times of the day (for instance, after dinner). The trick is to find a quiet corner of the campus and reserve it strictly for studying, preparing for tests, research, writing papers, etc. Take advantage of the computer labs and their hours of availability throughout campus. Below are the main computer labs. There are other specific labs on campus for different majors and programs:
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Basement of the Union
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Dailey Hall
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Drake Library
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Hartwell
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Lennon
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Smith
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Student Learning Center
Time management - Trust us when we say time will fly at college! Before you know it, you will be studying for mid-terms, then finals and making plans for the winter break. Here are some tips to help keep you and your schedule on task:
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Buy a planner and bring it wherever you go. In the beginning of the semester write in all important exam dates and when large papers and projects are due.
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ANGEL gives all students their own personal calendar. You can customize it to suit your schedule. Semester-long calendars are most useful so you can see the entire semester at a glance.
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PLAN AHEAD!!! With a planner, it is easy to see when your busy weeks will be and when you will have more downtime. Use that time wisely - get work done early to prepare yourself for busy weeks. This will ease your stress and help you achieve a better grade than cramming everything into three or four busy times each semester.
