Ever sat and looked at a computer screen, painfully waiting for that paper idea to hit you? Or wondered how you would ever complete the reading assignment in time for class? What about determining how best to study for that exam that feels like its the iceberg to your Titanic? In college, these feelings are nearly impossible to avoid. Everyone sits in these situations or hundreds of similar circumstances in frustration, stress, or panic. The Academic Success Center (ASC) works to help college students know that nearly all of these situations can be handled better, or can even be prevented.

At Oregon State University, the Academic Success Center works to help students not only avoid the upcoming icebergs but also detect other dangers in the water. Initially, it sometimes takes guidance to know what distractions and threats are coming your way as a student sailing towards academic success. One moment, the waters seem smooth and clear, but may immediately turn to a storm the next. Learning the signs of academic storms and preparing yourself to ride the waves are crucial to completing the journey in whole. The Academic Success Center works as a compass and guide: pointing you in the general direction of travel, helping you determine your bearings, and teaching you the skills to navigate the water. The ASC never wants to determine the map of travel for you; they want to help you “Learn To Learn,” giving you the skills to build your own map and the ability to face any obstacle along the way.

With a multitude of resources, ranging from a class on study habits and time management to free drop-in consults with fellow OSU students, the ASC has built a program that focuses on each student’s goal of academic success at no extra cost. Of the many opportunities, most students start their partnership with the Academic Success Center in their collegiate journey by meeting with an ASC strategist in Waldo Hall 125. With drop-in appointments, any student can speak with a strategist, Monday through Friday between 9am and 5pm. Any question on academic success and study skills is met with a friendly smile and a listening ear, no matter the time in the journey or the state of the waters. Strategists are available to talk for as much time as any student would like to go through ideas and strategies for their topics of interest. The ASC has many worksheets and scientifically proven techniques that strategists provide to students in their consultations for tangible and instant resources.

As the strategists may be those helping a student outline the basics of the map, the ASC’s academic coaches are those that help the student determine the depth of the waters and the possible routes to take along the journey. The academic coaches offer 50 minute appointments that allow students to brainstorm strategies and ideas that are beneficial to them specifically. The ability to go in-depth about academic success with a trained academic coach promotes deep thinking. Coaching and strategizing, together, help students equip themselves with the tools to ride the waves and winds of the college academic journey.

With many more opportunities and resources--including but not limited to a class on academic success, the Learning Corner with online worksheets and videos, and structured study tables--the Academic Success Center is the best tool for any OSU student. Just as a sailor should not leave the shore without their compass, a college student should not take on the journey of college without the ASC by their side. Beyond all, success is about finding your own strategies and working to prepare yourself, something the ASC strives to help each student achieve. The journey is important, the waves will come, and the ASC will be there to guide you through it all.

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