issue 2.6 | 12.05.2007 | http://www.wesleyan.edu/deans/fym/
The First Year Matters newsletter is published by the Office of the Dean of the College and features information about academic and community life at Wesleyan; news about events and happenings on campus; and profiles of people and their work.
Academics
If you haven't started studying for exams, you should start today!
- Review your syllabi to determine major topics. Review class notes and identify the topics you know, those you need to review and those you need to learn. In your study schedule, assign times to study each topic reserving more time for most challenging topics. Know the topics that the professor emphasized. If a professor says "Know this!" then learn and practice that information.
- Pull the information apart and put it back together. Create graphs, diagrams, charts, and timelines. The Ohio University Study Tips website has many samples demonstrating how to map out and review information. Teach the subject to another person. Act out the information. Draw pictures. For some subjects, mnemonics may help you remember sequences or lists. Actively make associations. For example assign colors to certain groups of related information (i.e. Foucault's theories are green and Kant's are blue). Make use of available tools (i.e., professors, BlackBoard, TAs, Math Workshop, Mentor Program).
- Anticipate exam questions. Create exam questions that elicit answers which fully describe processes, compare theories, apply facts to theories, synthesize information and analyze information. Review and work through problems from previous assignments, labs, quizzes, and exams.
- Answer anticipated exam questions in the manner you will be expected to perform (in writing, on paper or computer). Prove that you know and can apply the information by demonstrating your understanding of the process. Analyze, synthesize, compare, apply and describe! Take a practice test in the room in which you learned the information or will take the exam.
- Practice your handwriting. Professors must be able to decipher your writing in order to evaluate your work.
At the exam!
- On scrap paper, write down any information that you don’t want to forget such as formulas, mnemonics, or author’s names.
- Read the directions carefully. Follow the directions!
- Read the questions carefully and completely. Watch out for words that change the meaning of a sentence such as “but,” “although,” “however,” “except.” Return to the question periodically to make sure you address the correct issues in your response.
- Too many students lose precious points by not reading the question and instead anticipating incorrectly what the professor wants.
SARN Peer Advisors will be available for time management, exam preparation and exam taking consultations during their regular drop in hours until the end of classes. Some may continue their drop in hours through reading week, others will meet with you by appointment. Email sarnadvisors@wesleyan.edu to make an appointment and tell us where you live.
Look out for workshops about how to survive reading week and exams. Sarah E. Lazare, Associate Dean of Student Academic Resources, will hold an exam taking workshop on Thursday, December 13 at 1:45 PM in Usdan 108. Peer Advisors will hold them in residence halls – click here for the workshop schedules.
There will be exam tips/techniques, and how to handle exam-related stress posted throughout the Usdan display area during the reading and exam weeks.
Thank you to Peer Advisors Elaine Campbell and Ly Ngo for their hard work and dedication to helping other students succeed at Wesleyan. Elaine will be heading off for India next semester and Ly to France. Good luck to you both!
Events
Festival of Hannukah - December 4 - 12
The festival of Hannukah began on the night of Tuesday, December 4 and will end on Wednesday evening, December 12. This year the Wesleyan Jewish Community will be hosting communal candle-lighting in different lounges and locations throughout campus. And yes, there will be chocolate gelt and dreidels. All are invited. Stay tuned for more info. Click here for a thoughtful article on Hannukah.
Midnight Breakfast - December 11
When: Tuesday, December 11 from 11:30 PM to 1:30 AM
Where: The Usdan Marketplace
Who: All Wesleyan Students
It’s hard to believe the end of the semester is quickly approaching! The holidays are here and a nice long break is right around the corner, but first there are final exams! Take a break from studying on Tuesday the 11th for a Midnight Breakfast in the Marketplace! For a 6 point swipe you can enjoy an all-you-care-to-eat breakfast with all the traditional favorites! We hope to see you all there!
Vespers Vegetarian Community Meal - December 12
All are welcome. This meal will be held at the Office of Community Service (167 High Street) at 5:30 PM on December 12. Sponsored by the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life.
Stress Free Zone - December 13
When: Thursday, December 13 from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Where: Usdan Cafe
Stop in for games, holiday card making, and relaxation at the Stress Free Zone. Plus, the Peer Health Advocates will be offering free Massages for Stress Relief in Usdan 108 from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM. (Sponsored by WesWELL)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration - January 29, 2008
On Tuesday January 29, 2008, Wesleyan University will celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, a singer and composer who founded the internationally renowned a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock, will join the University for the celebration. Dr. Reagon will participate in a class, facilitate a lunch discussion and be the keynote address at the community-wide celebration to be held at 4:15 PM in Memorial Chapel.
In addition to the day of events, there will be a display of 16 significant Civil Rights Movement events and people in the Zelnick Pavillion from Tuesday January 22, 2008 to Tuesday January 29, 2008. The current 16 displays were created by the MLK planning committee; this year, the committee would like to add at least two more displays and invites Wesleyan University students, faculty and staff to submit ideas of events that they feel are significant to the Civil Rights movement.
If you would like to propose a topic, please e-mail the topic and a brief summary of what the story board would include to Cathy Lechowicz by December 15, 2008. The MLK Planning Committee will then review all topics submitted. Those selected will be asked to submit the content for the story board – up to 600 words – by January 20, 2008.
For more information about the program, our keynote speaker Bernice Johnson Reagon, and the list of the 16 Civil Rights Landmarks represented, please visit http://www.wesleyan.edu/mlk.
First Year Free Destinta Movie Day - January 22, 2008
Destinta Movie Theater announces the annual Spring Semester Free Movie Day for Wesleyan first-year students on Tuesday, January 22, 2008. First-year students need only present their 2011 Wesleyan ID to the Middletown Destinta Theater ticket counter and name which movie they would like to view. This promotion runs from the first movie of the day through the final screening.
Community
Residential Halls Winter Closing
All University housing, except for wood frame houses, closes officially at 12:00 noon on Friday, December 21. In order to secure and inspect University housing for the recess it is essential that all residents vacate prior to the noon closing.
When you are ready to leave for break be sure to complete the following before your departure:
- Unplug all electrical appliances. Remember you will need to empty and defrost your fridge and keep the door open to avoid mold/mildew upon your return.
- Close and lock your windows, blinds or other window treatments
- Take all valuables home – it’s the best way to protect your stuff over the break!
- Take home personal prescriptions, passports and academic work if necessary
- Remove all personal items form bathrooms and laundry areas
- Remove ALL garbage from your room and recycle/dipose of it properly
- Do not leave anything in the hallway (including trash/recycling)
- Close and lock your room door
- Leave your heat turned off or at the lowest setting
- Turn off your lights
Room Checks
The RAs, Public Safety, and Student Life Facilities will check your room upon your departure to ensure that your room has been secured properly.Return Date
Unless you have been pre-approved by the Office of Residential Life, you cannot return to your residence until Sunday, January 20 at 9:00 AM. Students will not be allowed into the buildings prior to this point or during the break period. Please remember to take everything that you need with you.
Quite a bit of all energy produced in the
United States, including the energy produced for Wesleyan University, is wasted through carelessness.
However, this waste can be reduced dramatically if a few simple behaviors are adopted.
A simple solution to these problems is to plug devices like these into a power strip that has a cutoff
switch and turn it off when it is not in use. At this point, these power-leeching devices will not be
using any power. Saving energy does not stop at just electricity, either; it is rather easy to waste heat energy as well.
Opening your windows during the winter is a common form of heat energy waste, as are extended showers.
As you become more mindful of energy waste, you will think of new ways to save energy, and when you are
paying your utility bills in the not-too-distant future, you'll appreciate these money-saving strategies.
Campaign SAFE: Don't Enable Hate
Campaign SAFE: Don’t Enable Hate is a campus-wide program to pursue social justice using diversity as a catalyst. SAFE stands for:
Seek Understanding Through Difference
Advocate for Safety
Form and Join Proactive Coalitions
Educate Yourself!
Campaign SAFE is designed to engage community members in difficult dialogues about how to enhance the well-being of our shared community by illuminating personal, institutional, and social responsibility, wrestling with the struggles between pluralism and unity, and confronting tensions among freedom of speech, equality, and regulation of assualtive speech. In addition, the dean's office is collaborating with several campus constituencies to quickly enact legal and university policies while, at the same time, implementing educational programs appropriate for the situation.
As part of Campaign SAFE, the Office of Diversity and Academic Advancement invites proposals to improve the campus climate. Applications are available at http://www.wesleyan.edu/odaa, under the Opportunities tab. The deadline to submit proposals is February 4, 2008. For more information about Campaign SAFE, please contact Daniel Hiroyuki Teraguchi at dteraguchi@wesleyan.edu.
The AAABC’s of Stress Management
Stress management is a decision-making process. Here are some suggestions for coping with the effects of a stressful lifestyle.
- Alter it: Remove the source of the stress by changing something. Use problem-solving, direct communication, organizing, planning, and time management to deal with it.
- Avoid it: Remove yourself from the stressful situation, if possible, or figure out how not to get there in the first place.
- Accept it: Equip yourself physically and mentally for stress.
- Build your resistance: You can increase your capacity to tolerate stress physically and your ability to release tension through proper diet, regular exercise and relaxation techniques. Mental resistance is bolstered by taking time for mental health, and getting clear about goals, values and priorities. Social resistance is strengthened by building and maintaining support systems, investing in relationships, clear communication and intimacy. Spiritual resistance is especially important in times of high stress. Meditation, prayer, worship, faith and commitment strengthen people.
- Change your perception: One way to accept stress is to change the way you perceive the situation or yourself. Changing unrealistic expectations and irrational beliefs such as “I should succeed at everything I try" is a good start. Building self-esteem and cultivating a positive attitude help as well.
[Adapted from Structured Exercises in Stress Management, Vol. 1, Tubesing & Tubesing, Whole Person Press, Duluth, MN.]
Check out the new student-run Career Resource Center blog!
The Career Resource Center, located in Butterfield A, provides students support with career planning, job hunts and internship searches. The counseling staff can help you develop or polish a resume, find an internship, choose a job shadow opportunity during Winter Break and explore careers. Drop-in Hours are Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 11:00 AM - 4:30 PM, and Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:00 AM - 7:30 PM. More information is available at http://www.wesleyan.edu/crc/.
Striving for Health as the Semester Ends
High stress levels and low sleep levels due to your academic demands...winter holiday-related activities, including planning for traveling during winter break...colder temperatures...cold and flu season in full swing. It's a wonder we can manage to stay healthy right through to the end of the semester at all!
Here are a few tips to help you through the last few weeks of the semester:
- Project Management: Make a plan for tackling all your final exams, projects and papers. Use your planner to set up a time table for completing everything...and stick to it! Be sure to build in adequate time for sleep, eating, socializing and simply relaxing. Contact SARN if you are struggling with how to do this; asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness!
- Attend to your physical health: Try not to drop your exercise routine completely; modify it in the short term to accommodate a busy schedule. Eat regular meals, strive for a regular sleep pattern, dress well for the weather (see below) and wash or sanitize your hands frequently to prevent getting a cold or the flu. If you do get sick, call Health Services to find out how best to treat it or use our online Self-Care Guide.
- Holiday gift giving: Gift shopping may not be a priority, time- or budget-wise. Your presence may be gift enough to your family and friends, but if you want to give gifts, suggest setting a dollar limit or drawing names, or give small, meaningful gifts such as coupons for walking the dog, babysitting, etc. that the recipient will truly appreciate.
- Avoid study drugs. Drugs are a poor substitute for being prepared. If you find yourself resorting to using stimulants ("study drugs"), it may mean you need to cut some activities out for the short term in order to complete your academic responsibilities...not that you need to stay awake longer to get it all done. Over break, consider what changes you can make next semester to avoid resorting to drugs to get it all done.
If you're new to New England, or just new to living in cold weather, dressing appropriately will go a long way in keeping you safe and healthy in the winter. The keys to dressing for cold weather are to dress warmly and stay dry.
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), in extremely cold weather, adults (and children) should wear:
- a hat to reduce heat loss from the head
- a scarf or knit mask to cover face and mouth to warm air before breathing it in and to protect skin from frostbite
- sleeves that are snug at the wrist to prevent cold air from going up the sleeves
- mittens are warmer than gloves
- water-resistant coat and boots (to keep you dry)
- several layers of loose-fitting clothing (warm air between layers of clothing acts as insulation)
If it is not extremely cold out, you can modify this to your own comfort level. But be prepared for variations throughout the day, such as cooler temperatures after sundown. Be sure the outer layer of your clothing is tightly woven, preferably wind resistant, to reduce body-heat loss caused by wind. Wool, silk, or polypropylene inner layers of clothing will hold more body heat than cotton. Stay dry—wet clothing chills the body rapidly. Excess perspiration will increase heat loss, so remove extra layers of clothing whenever you feel too warm. Do not ignore shivering. It’s an important first sign that the body is losing heat. Persistent shivering is a signal to return indoors. Avoid drinking alcohol to "warm you up" when outdoors since this will also increase heat loss.
It's also important to take wind chill into account. While the air temperature may be manageable with fewer clothing layers, a brisk wind will greatly increase your risk for frostbite and other cold-related problems (click here for a wind chill factor chart). Click here for more tips on cold weather safety from the American Red Cross.
The Office of Fire Safety will continue to conduct health and safety inspections through
the break period.
- Candles, incense, used smoking materials and cooking appliances in student rooms are the most common fineable offenses
- Students should review the list of prohibited items on the fire safety website
- Campus Fire Safety will fine and confiscate any item prohibited for fire safety reasons
- Campus Fire Safety will notify Public Safety if any weapons or drugs are found during room inspections
- Campus Fire Safety will notify the Dean’s Office if any alcohol is found in rooms of students presumed to be under 21
People
Sabrina Perez is a senior from Manhattan, NY, majoring in Classical Civilization. Sabrina plans to work in an art gallery or museum when she leaves Wesleyan. Speaking five different languages (English, Spanish, Greek, Latin and French), Sabrina feels she will also conquer Portuguese and Chinese in the near future. Among her many activities at Wesleyan, Sabrina is a Head Resident for Fauver, Nicolson, and Hewitt Halls; a staff member at the Usdan Information Desk; a member of the Catholic Student Organization, and a member of ADAPT, a group that strives to raise awareness about the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. When she first arrived on campus, Sabrina admits to being excited, but also scared and intimidated that she didn’t know anyone. Her words of wisdom to first year students: “Attend everything you can, you will meet new people, discover new interests and learn new things.”
Carolyn Sorkin - Director of International Studies
As Director of International Studies, Carolyn Sorkin oversees all aspects of study abroad at Wesleyan. She advises students on how to make their time abroad as substantive as possible by learning about the host country, selecting programs based on their goals for the experience, and participating in pre-departure and re-entry workshops. She supports internationalization efforts across campus, working collaboratively to infuse international perspectives into the curriculum through research, teaching on global and regional affairs, academic and scholarly exchange, and co-curricular activities. In addition, she supervises the application process for several prestigious international graduate fellowships.
Dr. Sorkin values the way the Wesleyan community treats obstacles as challenges to be studied and overcome. She revels in the broad range of disciplinary and geographic interests on campus, noting that 50% of the Wesleyan students who study abroad choose programs outside the historically popular sites of Western Europe. “This is not to say that one can’t do excellent, meaningful work in Western Europe — rather that Wesleyan students tend to see more places as viable sites for intellectual and cross-cultural learning than do their peers at other institutions.”
"First-year students are particularly well-placed," Dr. Sorkin says, "to think through how study abroad can fit with their academic and professional goals, and to organize their first two years at Wesleyan with an eye to preparing for a semester or year of study abroad." She encourages students to call on the Office of International Studies, as well as on faculty, to help them do this from the get-go. Dr. Sorkin believes it is vital to study whatever interests us from other national perspectives as well as our own. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re studying history, biochemistry, music, or psychology: our studies are enriched by our knowledge of alternate approaches and values.” In a world with increasingly permeable borders, she argues, students with the skills to cross those borders are most likely to thrive academically, professionally, and personally.