Here is some advice I was given before coming to college, as well as when I made my way to WashU. I hope these tips can help you like they helped me.
Stay Connected to Professors
You might have already been told a bunch of times to go to office hours to speak with your professor if you need help in a class. Or, your professors told you to come to office hours simply to chat. Even if you don’t need help in a class, I agree it is good to go to office hours as that is the best way to get to know your professors. You can develop lifelong friendships with your professors through shared research interests as well as learn about amazing opportunities. Your professors are also the ones that will help you with letters of recommendation and I’ve found it more comfortable asking a professor I’ve gotten to know. Go to those office hours and see how things will change for the better!
Asking for Help
If you’re anything like me, then you always want to figure things out on your own. It’s okay to want to be independent but it’s also okay to admit you need help, whether academically or mentally. For those who struggle writing papers (or not), the Writing Center is the best place to go for help. The Writing Center is a free service for all students, both graduate and undergraduate, currently enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis. They provide free one-on-one writing tutorials to all WashU students and also offer a variety of writing workshops designed to help you become a better writer.
Uncle Joe’s Peer Counseling and Resource Center offers knowledge on available resources on and off campus for common issues college students face. This student run and staffed organization has highly trained peer-counselors that have undergone 100+ hours of intense training on an extensive range of issues that members of our community may be facing. They guarantee complete confidentiality except in instances where an individual is in immediate and severe danger. Need help? You can call anytime 24/7 at (314) 935-5099. When you call, leave a voicemail with contact information for a Joe to call you back. The Joe will call you back within 20 minutes. Their in-person office hours are Sunday-Monday from 10pm to 1am.
Remember to Have fun
Take time for yourself. Give yourself a break! If you can’t finish an assignment, take some time to freshen up. You can eat a snack, watch a short show, take a nap. The possibilities are endless. Always remember that college is not worth you ignoring to take care of your mind and body. It’s okay to relax.
