Newsletter

Experience Tailgates

It’s finally the weekend and you have a break from classes. You are still on campus, but you have do not have anything planned. Tailgating is where you should spend your Saturday afternoon. It is a great way to meet new people, interact with full time staff in your college, and enjoy free food. It’s a spirited time for all Bearkats. It is a huge orange fest and Sammy makes annual appearances. It’s not only a great time to mingle with past and present Bearkats, but to be excited about supporting Bearkat football.  An attraction to look for is your college's tent. Most colleges have tents and they are a great way for you to meet students and staff in that college. The HEB Tent is another great tent because they always have games and free food.

Brigid Gould, current Visitor’s Center Ambassador and former BLC participant, is sophomore mass communication major.

The Power of Study Groups

If you aren’t in the habit of studying in groups, you should start!  While studying alone may seem safer and easier, there are many benefits from studying in groups that you’ll miss out on.  Consider this:

  • If you aren’t a good note taker or if your notes are unclear, a study group member can help you strengthen your note-taking skills and identify important information.
  • Not being able to solve a problem doesn’t mean that it won’t get solved if you have a study group. Your group members can work together and share what they understand to find solutions. 
  • Studying in a group allows you to confirm that you really know the material because it encourages discussion and can provide you with the opportunity to teach what you know.
  • A study groups allows members to share their strengths and strategies for success. 
  • Study groups give you a support network that will help you stay focused on your academic priorities.

A study group can help you achieve your academic goals, but you have to be strategic about how you’ll form it.

  • Who? Don’t automatically pick friends for your study group.  Study with people who are motivated to achieve academic success.  Make sure that they are alert in class, take good notes, and do their work on time.  A group of four to six people is the optimal size for a study group.
  • When? Stick with the same time and place to study weekly.  Your sessions should take two to three hours.
  • Where?  Study in a place that can accommodate your group (with all of your books and notes), but is free from distractions.
  • What? Have a plan for each study session so that each member is prepared to cover specific material.  Stick to the topic you’ll be reviewing so that you can make the most of your study time.

Dealing with First Grades

Greetings to all First Year Bearkats,

Darian WashingtonDo not be discouraged or intimidated by the first grades you receive back from your professors. Take every experience as a learning experience, good or bad, and make the best of it. Hopefully you realize after your first month of college that this is definitely not high school. Time management, staying focused, and not being afraid to communicate with new people are three things I got out of my first experience with grades in college. I had to develop a schedule that allowed plenty of study time (not cram time but study time), yet also allowed me to get involved and have fun with friends. Staying focused for me simply meant remembering the reason I came to college in the first place, which is to get an education. Yes, you can have fun, but keep in mind that college requires you to do more work and harder work than high school. If you feel like you need help you cannot be afraid to communicate with your professors. Sam Houston has a staff that wants all students to be successful. "Study Skills" provided through the Sam Center is one of the best things I could have been involved with. I never would have gotten the opportunity to improve my grades by learning what type of learner I am if I had not stepped out of my comfort zone and communicated with my professor. Meeting classmates and setting up study groups is also a great way to make friends and A's at the same time. Set academic goals for yourself and remember if you study hard, you can play hard.

 Good luck new Bearkats!

Darian Washington is a sophomore, pre-nursing major and a member of the on-campus community service organization Bearkat Krew.