Retention Resources

Alcohol and Substance Abuse Assistance

Alcohol and/or substance abuse.  Alcohol and/or substance abuse has be the reason for academic failure among college students across the country. Many students don’t feel their drinking habits are a problem. Many students feel that “other people” suffer from abuse problems, not me!  Be honest with yourself about your habits.  Below are several resources that can help you to look internally at your habits:

• Early Signs of an Alcohol Problem: http://www.aboutalcohol.us/alcoholism-signs.htm
• Alcohol Anonymous: http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/?Media=PlayFlash
• Narcotics Anonymous: http://www.na.org/
• Test Your Knowledge of Alcohol: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/TestYourKnowledge.htm

Alcohol and substance abuse are serious issues and they will not disappear without help. In addition to seeking assistance through the Midway College Office of Student Affairs, the following web site provides excellent information and ideas:

• Partnership for a Drug Free America: http://www.drugfree.org/
• Midway College Drug and Alcohol Free Policy: http://www.midway.edu/drugpolicy/Midway College Drug Free Campus Policy.pdf

Campus Web:
https://campusweb.midway.edu/cgi-bin/LOGIN.MBR/LOGIN?PREFIX=MID

Career Counseling:
http://www.midway.edu/prospectivestudents/womenscollege/studentlife/CareerServices.htm

Community Service Opportunities: http://www.midway.edu/prospectivestudents/womenscollege/studentlife/RuthSlackRoach.htm

Concentration Skills:

Learn to concentrate more effectively.

Studying can be difficult. Does your mind wander? Are you easily distracted? Learning professionals have some ideas that can help improve concentration.

1. Avoid marathon cram sessions. Your productivity and concentration will be much better through four two-hour sessions than through one eight-hour session.
2. Get rid of distractions. Turn off the TV. Turn off the stereo. Turn off the cell phone. Students often insist that they study better with music. In nearly all cases, the evidence says otherwise.
3. Take a break. You cannot concentrate effectively when fatigued. Many students find that working for 50 minutes and then taking a 10-minute break is ideal, although this varies, depending on the student and subject matter.
4. Find your "prime time." Most students concentrate better during the day. One hour of daytime study is often as productive as one and a half hours at night.
5. Form study groups. It will make study time more lively and interesting.

Want some other ideas? Check the following links:

• University of Texas - "How to Develop Better Concentration While Studying": http://www.winthrop.edu/retention/UTLearningCntr/concentration.htm
• St. Joseph's University - "Improving Concentration": http://www.sju.edu/lrc/handouts/onlineimprovingconcentration.htm
• Columbia University- "Studying with Intensity: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/study/intense.html

        (taken from: http://www.winthrop.edu/retention/strategies.htm#concentrate)

Counseling Services:

Do you have concerns with your adjustment to college life, stress, self-acceptance, relationships, depression, anxiety, and family?  Are you worried about your own or someone else's alcohol or drug use, eating disorder, childhood abuse, or sexual assault?  The Midway College Office of Student Affairs has several resources available to help you cope and address your concerns. 

For assistance please stop or call to set up an appointment:

Office Hours: 8-6 Monday through Thursday and 8-5 on Friday

Location: McManis Student Center

Phone Number: 859/846-5390

Contact Person: Emily Coleman, Director of Student Affairs

Disabilities:

Eating Disorders:

If you suspect that you might suffer from an eating disorder, please seek help. Contact the Midway College Office of Student Affairs for assistance.

For assistance please stop or call to set up an appointment:

Office Hours: 8-6 Monday through Thursday and 8-5 on Friday

Location: McManis Student Center

Phone Number: 859/846-5390

Contact Person: Emily Coleman, Director of Student Affairs

For web information, try:

National Eating Disorder Information Center: http://www.nedic.ca/

Financial Aid: http://www.midway.edu/financialaid/index.html

GPA Calculator: https://campusweb.midway.edu/cgi-bin/LOGIN.MBR/LOGIN?PREFIX=MID  Click on My Grades, GPA Calculator

Health Services: http://www.midway.edu/prospectivestudents/womenscollege/studentlife/HealthServices.htm

Homesickness:

A big change in your environment can sometimes cause you to withdraw from what is new and concentrate on what you left behind.  Make the effort to move forward!

Step 1: Concentrate on your new surroundings and friends, not your old ones.

Step 2: Hide pictures and mementos that make you homesick.

Step 3: Accept any invitation from roommates or classmates.

Step 4: Schedule time for an activity that puts you in contact with other people, such as sports, study sessions, or volunteering.

Step 5: Exercise or meet a friend for a cup of coffee.  Exercise and caffeine are natural stimulants that can lift your spirits.

Step 6: Avoid activities that isolate you from others, like reading or watching television.

Step 7: Keep an open mind.  Try at least one new activity per week. 

(taken from: http://www.ehow.com/how_1589_beat-college-freshman.html)

For assistance please stop or call to set up an appointment:

Office Hours: 8-6 Monday through Thursday and 8-5 on Friday

Location: McManis Student Center

Phone Number: 859/846-5390

Contact Person: Emily Coleman, Director of Student Affairs

Leadership: http://www.midway.edu/leadership/index.html

Loneliness:

The following link has some great information on how to combat loneliness. http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/loneliness.shtml

Math Lab: http://eagles.midway.edu/MathLab/index.htm

Memory Skills:

"I knew that, I just forgot!" Is that you? Do you quickly forget what you learn? Some quick tips for better retention include:

1. Organize course material to see how the pieces fit together. Seeing the interrelationships will help you categorize information into related "chunks." It is easier to remember five chunks of information than to remember 25 unrelated pieces.
2. Study early and often. This certainly is easier said than done, but it works. If you wait a week before reviewing material you will be relearning rather than reviewing. The sooner you hit the books and the more often you review, the better you will retain the information.
3. Study actively. Don't just read your text or read your lecture notes. Put your pencil to work. Writing down a concept or a formula or a definition makes it far easier to recall in the future. Think of possible test questions and write out answers.
   (taken from: http://www.winthrop.edu/retention/strategies.htm#memory)

For assistance please stop or call to set up an appointment:

Office Hours: 8-6 Monday through Thursday and 8-5 on Friday

Location: McManis Student Center

Phone Number: 859/846-5390

Contact Person: Emily Coleman, Director of Student Affairs

Note Taking:
Clear and complete notes are essential for studying and preparation in a class. Have you looked at your notes lately?  Can you read what you wrote? Do you find that you have large gaps of information in them?

For some practical tips on how to take better notes, try the following sites:

Step by Step on Note Taking: http://www.winthrop.edu/retention/strategies.htm#notetaking

Before/After/and During Note Taking: http://www.winthrop.edu/retention/UTLearningCntr/ListeningNotetaking.htm

Abbreviations to Use: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/Abbreviations.pdf

Evaluate your Notes: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/EvaluateYourNotes.pdf

Procrastinating:
I will do it this afternoon.  This can wait until tomorrow.  I still have a week to get it done.  These are all common phrases that we find ourselves saying when we are using procrastination as an excuse to not get something done.

Use the following survey to see if you are a chronic procrastinator?
http://www.winthrop.edu/retention/UTLearningCntr/ProcrastinationQuotient.htm

If you found that you struggle with procrastination you can use one of the following links to help you conquer your desire to put things off until tomorrow:

Anti-Procrastination Plan: http://www.winthrop.edu/retention/UTLearningCntr/anti-procrastination.htm

Tips to Combat Procrastination: http://www.sas.calpoly.edu/asc/ssl/procrastination.html

For assistance please stop or call the Office of Student Affairs to set up an appointment:

Office Hours: 8-6 Monday through Thursday and 8-5 on Friday

Location: McManis Student Center

Phone Number: 859/846-5390

Contact Person: Emily Coleman, Director of Student Affairs

Stress Management:

Due to a multitude of reasons, students often feel stressed out.  These reasons can include family, school, work, etc.  Some students handle it well; others do not. Learning to handle stress more effectively is often a key to success.

Getting A Handle on Stress Management: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/Getting a handle on stress.pdf

Ways to Manage Stress Levels: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/Stress Management.pdf

If you are struggling with stress management, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at the information listed below:

Office Hours: 8-6 Monday through Thursday and 8-5 on Friday

Location: McManis Student Center

Phone Number: 859/846-5390

Contact Person: Emily Coleman, Director of Student Affairs

Student Activities: http://www.midway.edu/prospectivestudents/womenscollege/studentlife/StudentActivities.htm

Study Environment:
Did you know that your study environment can play a large role in your success in retaining the information you are studying? There are several key factors to ensuring your study success:

1. Study in a regular place. Studying in the same location every day acclimates you to study. When you enter that space your mind automatically will sense that is time to study. This makes it easier to concentrate.
2. Find a place that is similar to the classrooms in which you take exams. Studies show that it is easier to recall information if your study environment is similar to your test-taking environment. That means no television, no telephone, no bed, and no stereo. (taken from: http://www.winthrop.edu/retention/strategies.htm#environment)
    

Is your current study environment an obstacle to success? Work through Virginia Tech's Study Environment Analysis to see (http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/studydis.html).

Midway’s Study Area Analysis: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/Study Area Analysis.pdf

Study Skills/Testing Skills:

Have you found yourself attending every class, taking through notes, studying for ours on end and still not doing well on a test?  Is that you? If so, you might need to develop better study and/or testing skills.

Seek personalized help with a specialist.
 

This is the clear first choice strategy. And it is free. At Midway College you can contact the Office of Student Affairs (ecoleman@midway.edu) to obtain individualized sessions that focus on study skills, note taking skills, test taking skills, time management skills or other learning-related difficulties.  

Additionally, below you can find several excellent resources that can assist you in developing your study skills.

Study Skills Chart: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/StudySkillChart.pdf

How to use a Study Group: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/StudyGroups.pdf

Test Taking Skills Newsletter: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/Test Tips.pdf

Test Anxiety
Do you feel anxious before you go into an exam?  Do you draw a blank when you look at your test?  Do you make simple errors when you take your exams?  If you answered yes to any of the above mentioned questions you may have test anxiety.

Please don’t worry!  There are several great resources available to help you cope with your anxiety.

Don't panic, it's a common ailment and can be managed with proper preparation and strategies. The following test anxiety sites might prove useful:

Overcoming Test Anxiety: http://www.couns.uiuc.edu/Brochures/testanx.htm

Tips on Reducing Anxiety: http://ub-counseling.buffalo.edu/stresstestanxiety.shtml

Time Management
To be effective in your educational pursuits, you must make time to go to class and study!  You may have heard the phrase that students should spend two hours outside of class for every hour spent in class. Have you made the time to do this?  Do you know where the time in your day goes?

Below are a few great resources for you to use in reviewing your time management skills:

The Game of Life: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/Game of Life.pdf

Time Wasters: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/pdf/Time Waister.pdf

Tutoring: http://eagles.midway.edu/advising/Peer-TutorRequestForm.pdf

Web Mail: http://www.midway.edu/exchange

Writing Center: http://eagles.midway.edu/WritingCenter/index.htm