ACA 111 College Student Success

Creating Your Study Environment

Having a safe, supportive environment where you can learn is just as important as the learning itself. Something to consider is where you study! For some students, home is busy and distracting–it can sometimes be difficult to focus, even if it’s the place you feel most comfortable. 
If this is the case for you, find a place on campus or close to campus where you can go. If you get in the habit of going there to study, you’ll begin to associate this place with learning, and it will become an even more supportive environment for you. Here are a few recommendations for places: 

• Library: Libraries are often seen as places where you have to be quiet and where you can’t eat or drink. This is changing on college campuses. While there are still many libraries that have quiet floors and strict eating/drinking policies, often there are study floors where students can chat, work together, and sit in comfortable locations. Libraries also often have study rooms that you can book for some privacy with yourself and your books or with your study group. 
   
• Student centers: If the library doesn’t work for you, try a student center! There is often a building that is for students to hang out. These buildings will also often host a cafeteria and meeting rooms.  
   
• Favorite cafes or parks: Some students feel too intimidated or tired to study at school when they are done with their classes. For these students, a nearby cafe or park can be a neutral place away from the pressures of school and home life. 

As you build your supportive study environment, always think about what you need and what will work for your specific situation. Make sure you are getting the support that you need and that is available to you, and identify a place where you can go to work that will nurture you in your studies. 

Types of Support

Look around you and think about the friends, family members, coworkers, and/or community that have helped you in different times of your life. It is the same with your educational journey. It’s important to develop a network of people around you that you can use as academic, emotional, and social support as you continue down this path. Some support that you can find is formal, which means that it comes from a program or an office on campus. Other support is informal, and can come from classmates, your professors, or other connections that you establish. 

Institutional Resources for Support 

There are many resources that students can tap into for support. These resources are common at most colleges and universities, and they are always free for students. Look at the list below. Does your college or university have something similar? 

Accessibility Services

This office works to make college accessible for students with disabilities. They can work with professors to ensure that students have the necessary accommodations so their learning can be supported. If you are unsure about whether you have a disability, Accessibility Services staff can help. 

Tutoring or Learning Centers

These centers often offer tutoring and study support for students. They can help with specific classes, as well as things like creating a study schedule, studying for exams, and reading effectively. Tutoring and Learning Centers sometimes hire peer tutors, so if you are strong in some subjects, you may want to consider working in one to help other students as well! 

Writing Centers

Writing Centers support student writing. They can help with any stage of writing, from understanding an assignment to brainstorming for a paper to polishing a final draft. Remember that writing is not just “essays.” You can also get writing help with lab reports, business memos, cover letters, or CVs. Writing Center tutors are also often peer tutors, so you may work with people who have experience with the same kinds of writing assignments that you are working on! 

Librarians

Reference librarians and other library staff can be a great help. Ask them how to search for sources for projects and research papers, evaluate sources, use citation conventions such as MLA and APA, and use the technology, equipment, and online resources provided by the library. Many academic libraries provide group study spaces that you may be able to book ahead of time. Make a point to ask your librarian about any study resources they provide.  

Advisors

There are so many kinds of advisors. You can connect with academic advisors or financial aid counselors just to name a couple. The main job of an advisor is, well, to advise you! It’s a good idea to visit with an advisor at least once per term, even if you do not have a problem. Financial aid counselors, can help you stay on top of your finances and may be able to advise you in how to pay for your studies more effectively. 

Study Groups

Having a study group can be a real life saver! Start by connecting to people in your classes. Talk to the people you are sitting next to. If there are people you feel comfortable with, suggest meeting before class to go over the homework or the readings. Study groups can also meet online via Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, FaceTime, etc. It can also be useful to just have a group chat set up with other people in your major. Some departments have Slack Channels, Facebook groups, or other ways to connect. It’s a good idea to join these groups, even if you are not a regular participant. 

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