Stress Today, Gone Tomorrow

June 1, 2011 at 8:58 AM

Now that Commencement is over, we’re happy to officially wish you a happy beginning to summer! As a student, I’ve found that the second summer hits- I am in a state of bliss. The hours of cramming, the dozens of GSU Starbucks coffees and CampCo Redbulls and the all-nighters spent in Mugar seem to fade away into this distant memory. As a result, the same terrible, stressful cycle repeats itself every semester and it’s easy to get caught up in the stress of everything. I am a natural worrier and I often stress myself out over the littlest things. As usual, the ERC is a godsend in my life and helps solve this problem.

Whether you are back in your native cities and towns or are sticking around Boston this summer, we wanted to tell you about a new PDP course being offered this fall designed to help you keep stress in check. An ERC staff member will help teach a couple of sessions on stress and tests and the smart way of prepping for exams. It’s a great way to add an extra one-credit class in order to improve your college lifestyle for permanent (plus your parents will be really impressed if you tell them you’re taking 5 classes- trust me, they will).

So while you ponder on your fall classes, consider spending a few weeks benefiting yourself for the long run. Check out the link at FitRec here!

By clalama | Posted in BU Happenings | Comments (2)

Why Procrastinate Now When You Can Procrastinate Later?

May 10, 2011 at 2:30 PM

In the spirit of finals week, the OAs have decided to post about something very near and dear to our hearts: procrastination. Being tempted by Facebook, quick bathroom breaks and snacks is easy and avoiding these temptations is difficult, but very important. Here’s some advice to make sure you’re studying in the most effective way possible:

-       Have all of the materials you need to study (books, notebooks, highlighters, etc.) – don’t leave anything you might need behind

-       Make sure you eat a good meal before you begin studying, this way you will avoid having to get up for snacks

-       Get plenty of rest so you can stay concentrated

-       Keep a bottle of water and a couple of snacks with you so if you do get hungry, you don’t have to get up and distract yourself or break your concentration

-       Study in 50 minute blocks with 10 minute breaks – this will help keep you focused and refreshed

Having the right attitude when studying is important, too. Sometimes we go into studying thinking, “I don’t like this professor,” “I hate this class,” or “I’m not even learning anything useful,” which can turn into further procrastination and, in turn poor performance on exams. Even if we don’t enjoy a class or connect particularly well with our professors, we’re still being graded on our performance so we might as well perform as best as we can. Some other thoughts to avoid include:

-       “I can work on this later…”

-       “Nobody else around me is studying.”

-       “I don’t want to miss my favorite show…”

-       “My professor expects me to know too much information – there’s no way I’ll be ready.”

Our advice: be patient, focus as best as you can, and reward yourself with a short break once an hour. Make sure you’re working in an area conducive to good studying and remember; Hulu and Netflix will always be there after finals are over! And remember, when you’re finished studying, reward yourself! Go for a walk away from campus, have some froyo or watch your favorite show – you’ve earned it. Following these rules will get you into good study habits and help you do your best on exams.

Good luck this week!

Kaitlin & Mike

By mbarry9 | Posted in Takeaways | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (4)

Coffee at Finals! Sunday, May 8 and Monday, May 9

May 4, 2011 at 3:35 PM

spring '11 Coffee @ finalsThe Finals are here! The Finals are here!

If you still have last-minute questions that you didn't cover during office hours, check out drop-in tutoring at the ERC this Sunday and Monday.

Please have specific questions for the peer tutors since these drop-in hours are not review sessions. Peer tutors will be available from 1-5pm on Sunday, May 8 and Monday, May 9 at the ERC. You can talk to peer tutors for the following subjects: Biology, Economics, Math, Psychology, Physics and Spanish.

We'll be serving bagels and coffee on a first-come, first-served basis.

Have any questions? Email us at erc@bu.edu.

By clalama | Posted in Takeaways | Comments (1)

Friends Don’t Let Friends Surf Aimlessly

April 20, 2011 at 4:16 PM

Hey Blog Followers!
Katie and Mike here to talk a little about distractions. For us,
we're always playing Katy Perry's Teenage Dream at work (it never gets old) and it sometimes keeps us from writing awesome blog posts for the OA Corner. Here are a couple of cool ways to manage your online time and keep you from Stumble Upon, Twitter and FACEBOOK. We've ranked them in a very specific way according to student's desperation:

Cool I have a paper assignment that's due in 2 weeks! Awesome!
Try: Rescue time - a Google chrome site that is FREE!! It tracks how much time you spend on different online activities so you know what your weak spots are.

Shoot I forgot about that paper and it's due in 2 days, oops.
Try: Stay Focused - a program that lets you set time limits for yourself for specific sites, so you can only spend 20 minutes on Perez Hilton before it goes away for you or 45 on Facebook before it shuts itself down for you and MAKES you study.

PAPER DUE IN 6 HOURS WHY DID I NOT START EARLIER?! (No one should ever be in this state due to the AWESOME ERC time management techniques available, but just in case!!)
Try: Self-Control. It's a free downloadable application for Macs that allows you to completely block websites from yourself for a pre-determined amount of time, even days! There is no way to reverse blocking a site once you've done it, even resetting your computer. The skull and crossbones icon shows that this means business!

We hope that you guys are holding up this week where a lot of 3/4 of the way through the semester papers are due! We believe in you! Stop by and make a Writing Center appointment with us for extra help!

ERCLove,
Kaitlin and Mike

By kurban12 | Posted in OA Corner | Comments (0)

Think You Need an ERC Peer Tutor? Don’t Miss the Thursday, April 14 Deadline.

April 7, 2011 at 3:22 PM

The end of the semester is coming up pretty quickly. If you've considered getting a little extra support in your courses between now and the end of the semester, check out the tutoring page on the ERC website to find departmental resources that may be offered for your courses. There are a ton of academic support resources on campus, so if you don't know where to look, start with the ERC website.

If you do decide to request a peer tutor at the ERC and it seems like that's the kind of support you're looking for, get your request in by the deadline. Thursday, April 14 is the last day to request a tutor.

Remember that a peer tutor isn't a magician. Don't expect to re-live the semester through tutoring sessions. Peer tutors will guide you through tough concepts, but you need to which concepts you find tough. So, if you end up with a peer tutor, go to your session prepared with specific concerns or questions.

And don't forget about office hours! Your professors are around through the end of the semester. Just because you haven't been to office hours before doesn't mean you can't start now.

By clalama | Posted in BU Happenings | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

B a Healthy U Wellness Fair at the GSU Wednesday, April 6!

April 4, 2011 at 3:05 PM

The annual B a Healthy U Wellness Fair is here again! Come check out the fair this Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Metcalf in the GSU. BU Wellness paired up with wellness-related divisions across campus (yes, that includes the ERC) to showcase wellness-related services that students can access on campus.

Wellness is also bringing in more than 50 local area providers of wellness services and products. Check out the details on the Fair on the Wellness Education Blog.

By clalama | Posted in BU Happenings | Tagged , | Comments (2)

Combating the Post-Test Blues

April 4, 2011 at 10:25 AM

Are you a post-test worrier? Do you obsess about the answers that could have been? Take it from us, with enough prep work before the test, you won't ponder too long about whether that multiple choice section sucked too many points off your score or whether that last blue book essay blew your professor away (or put her to sleep).

Here are a couple of post-test Do's and Don'ts that you will help you find the will and the time to really chill post-exams.

DON'T worry about your grade. The test is over, so save your energy for a visit to office hours once you get the test back. Take a moment to review the exam and identify specific questions. Then go in and chat with your professor. You'll be happy to get your questions answered and your prof will appreciate the visit.

DON'T start prepping for the next test right away. If you haven't taken time to figure out what's actually on the test, you might be spinning your wheels on material you don't have to cover.

DO take time immediately after an exam to relax. If that means taking a nap, hanging with friends or blowing off steam at FitRec, go for it! You might even venture off campus and take a look around the neighborhood. There are a thousand things to do around Boston and the surrounding area.

Cross the river (walk across the Mass Ave bridge, or, for a less traveled path, take the Salt and Pepper Bridge into the Kendall MIT area. Take your camera; you'll have sweeping views of Boston and Cambridge and if you time it right, you'll catch crew or sailing teams on the water. If you head for downtown Boston, get to the pier! Check out the ICA. The Institute of Contemporary Art is on the water and near awesome seafood restaurants.

Our point is, get out there and explore! Don't be afraid to get off campus to take a breather. BU will be here when you get back (just make sure you ride the train or bus back in the right direction). Life is too short to live in the past and stress over tests. If you can learn to balance school, work and life in general, you just might be happier and more productive. Check out more ideas on things and places to do and see around Boston.

By clalama | Posted in Takeaways | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

The ERC gets a new home in 2012.

March 28, 2011 at 10:53 AM

BU Student Center

BU Student Center

The Center for Student Services, a six-story building that will rest on the corner of Deerfield Street and Bay State Road, will bring together key student services programs that are currently scattered throughout campus.

The new building will house the Educational Resource Center and the Center for Career Development as well as key CAS student services: Academic Advising, Office of Programs and Leadership, Pre-professional Advising and The Writing Program. The idea is to unite key offices in order to provide more holistic services and programs for students and to make referrals between offices easier for students.

We are really excited about the new building and thought you might be interested in it, too. Whether you live in Danielsen or Claflin, this new Center for Student Services is for you. You can check out progress on the construction and read more about the project at the BU Facilities Management and Planning website.

By clalama | Posted in BU Happenings | Tagged , | Comments (0)

PY 106 on BUniverse

March 25, 2011 at 2:17 PM

Check out this instructional video for PY 106 on BUniverse. If you want to see more, check out these other BUniverse videos from the Physics department.

The ERC offers peer tutoring in about 150 100-level and 200-level courses (including PY106). If you decide to request a peer tutor, check out the peer tutoring page on the ERC website.

By clalama | Posted in BU Happenings | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Know Thyself: What’s your Learning Style?

March 18, 2011 at 2:37 PM

SensoryPreferenceSelfTestLSUscreenshot

Taken from the Louisiana State University Center for Academic Success

Being a "good" student really means being consistent, but if certain study techniques aren't working for you, it might be time to re-evaluate the way you study.  Flash cards aren't for everyone, for example and some students may learn better by reciting terms or concepts out loud.

This Sensory Preference Self Test will help you determine what kind of learner you are so that you can identify better study techniques for your learning style.

By clalama | Posted in Takeaways | Tagged , , | Comments (2)