Programming Resource Center

It may only be the second week of school, but your residents (and you) may already be feeling the burden of too much reading, too many papers, and those tough decisions of whether to do work or take a break and enjoy the last few warm days with friends. Freshmen especially may be realizing that the study strats that worked in high school may not live up to the demands of college. And though many William and Mary student might think asking for help is as good as defeat, our school has lots of resources in place to make sure those students who want to succeed will do so. Check out some of these resources below:

1. The number one resource there for you is the Dean of Students Office. Don’t just think about them as disciplinarians or the ones you go to in emergencies, the DoSo has both worksheets and workshops for time management, study skills, and strategic learning. They’re also happy to hold one of these workshops for a hall as a hall program!

2. Tribe Tutor Zone. Technically, this is part of the Dean of Students Office, but it’s in Swem and run by students. The Tribe Tutors were recommended by faculty members because they had outstanding performance in the classes that they now tutor for. Because these are specialized and individualized tutoring sessions, they do cost money, but it’s a very low fee of $10/55 minute session, and it’s charged to the student account, so many students can just rely on their parents to foot the bill. If you know of a resident who’s struggling in a specific class, consider recommending the Tribe Tutor Zone to help them master both study skills and course-specific material.

3. The Writing Resource Center. Also in Swem, the Writing Resource Center is a free resource to help students improve their writing and public speaking skills. They also have tons of handouts and resources available online. Consider asking a WRC consultant  to come to your hall to give a brief presentation or to host your residents for a 15-minute tour at the WRC (services they advertise as available to professors of small classes, but which are certainly generalizable to residence halls).

4. The Office of Academic Advising. Does a resident need help planning their class schedule? Can’t quite figure out how to get in all their major requirements, GERs, and take that semester abroad? Academic Advising is the department of experts, who know the school’s policies inside and out and can set up an 8-semester plan in just a few minutes.

5. Professors! If a student is struggling in a class, they may not need to look any further than the front of the class room. Professors know more than anyone else on campus about what they expect and what it takes to do well in their class. They also appreciate it when students actively seek help and try to develop relationships. Go to a professor’s office hours, and you may see the difference when you get your next essay back!

With these resources at your fingertips, you and your residents will be sure to have a great semester!