B2SB: Study Resources and Help for Texas State Students

By Stacey Ramirez
Web Content Contributor

SLAC (Student Learning Assistance Center)

One of the biggest mistakes incoming freshmen can make is believing college will be like high school and they can get by without any studying and tutoring. But for many new students, college courses can be a rude awakening and students soon learn that they’ll need to seek help if they’re struggling in a class. Thankfully SLAC is a resource available to all Texas State students. 

Located in Alkek Library, SLAC offers tutoring on a wide range of courses and essay writing help. Aside from in-person lab meetings, SLAC is now also offering online virtual touring.

A full list of subjects and lab hours is available online. 

Writing Center

Writing an essay is something incoming students will also be expected to do a lot of. Being in college will teach you that each professor will ask for different structures and ways of writing an essay. But if you find yourself needing help or wanting someone to review your writing, the Writing Center is the perfect place to go. 

Located in the ASBN building, the Writing Center helps with planning and reviewing essay writing for all students and offers virtual meetings now too. To schedule, an appointment with the writing center students can make a 30-minute or 60-minute appointment online.

Keep track of your notes

Just like your deadlines and planner you should also keep your notes organized and review them. keeping them organized will make your notes easier to study with and it’s best to review them when you can.

Stay organized

Having a planner is important to keep a record of dates but it’s also important to keep it organized and check it regularly or else you’ll miss those important dates. Another option is to have a jumbo dry erase calendar in your room this way those dates and deadlines can be seen every day.

Syllabus 

The syllabus is your lifeline in college. It holds all the important information you will need to succeed in a class. With this said, reading your syllabus also keeps you from being that student that asks the professor a question and their response is “check the syllabus.”

The syllabus has your deadlines for assignments and tests, you can add them to your planner. It also has your professor’s contact information and office hours. And most important it has your grading scale and attendance policy.

Office hours

Voluntarily meeting with your professors on your own time may also seem like a strange concept for new students. Especially with large seminar classes where you’re in a class with more than 100 students, you might find it intimidating to reach out and ask for help in class, but this is where professor’s office hours can come in handy. 

Professor’s set aside time a few times a week to allow students to come and meet with them. This is a great opportunity to ask for help or get to know your professors for future advice and recommendation letters.

Finals week and midterms

Another important reminder to a new student is keeping track when their classes midterms and finals week. Unlike in high school, you don’t have the same teacher every day reminding you how many days are left until your test. 

Some professors do try to help out by sending email reminders or mention the date in class, but it’s not their responsibility to remind you and more importantly to remind you to stud. Depending on how many courses you take you will have multiple tests to worry about so it’s a good idea to plan what days to study for each test to better prepare. This is a healthy study habit to start developing.

Study habits

Speaking of study habits, if you didn’t have a study routine in high school, you’ll need to develop one in college. Find what works for you which means for some people listening to calming study music to focus meanwhile others prefer complete silence. It also helps to have an area that makes you feel comfortable like your room, a coffee shop or a library. 

But the most important study habit to remember is not cramming for tests. No one feels good after locking yourself up for hours and being sleep deprived for days and don’t wait the night before to review everything you have been learning for weeks. So, try to space out a block for each class and also make sure to take time for a break and maybe take a breath outside. 

Study groups 

Study groups can be very beneficial. Don’t be afraid to form your own study group or seek out one to join. In some classes, the professor might host their own study group students can attend. But if that’s not the case you can definitely start your own. It’s good to have at least one friend in each class that you can share notes with if one of you misses a day or to remind each other of deadlines. 

Making friends in class will allow you to form your study group where everyone can contribute notes, review, or maybe explain topics someone less doesn’t understand. A good number of people to have in a study group is less than 5 people. This way the group doesn’t become too big and essays go off-topic or get distracted. The library also offers study rooms that students can schedule for groups.