Regardless of where you are on your journey as a student, challenges will always present themselves.
No one has a better understanding of the plight students face than college instructors and staff. Therefore, they are best suited to provide students with advice on how to better improve, not only as students but as people.
When prompted with what advice they would give to students, staff and faculty provided many different responses:
“Make sure you memorize your ctcLink number, so we don’t have to go look it up. It also helps the lines go faster and smoother. It’s also easier for us to better help you if you come in person as opposed to emails,” Megan Bickley, a staff member from Enrollment Services, said. “Knowing important dates and where to find them will make your lives easier.”
“It’s important to know the section number and professor/ instructor. Students are welcome to find your own books, you don’t have to wait for help,” Bookstore staffer Julie Jordan said.
English instructor Phebe Shen said it is vital to one’s education to “be here and be present. You only get to be in college once, in this environment. Learn and share ideas. Make the most of it and meet different people.”
“Finding out who your program advisor is and reaching out to them early is very important. It helps to prevent taking classes you don’t need, which also saves you time and money,” Diana L. Jaramillo, Advising & Pathways faculty advisor, said.
“To utilize the instructors, ask questions and use them early. Make sure to take advantage of Internships and get experience in undergrad. This is key to getting a job or getting into a master program,” Biology instructor Jeff Fennell said.
“Time management. It’s very important to start developing it earlier. Begin starting assignments earlier. This will benefit you not only in the future career but is also a necessary life skill,” Dr. Anysha Venkatachalam, an Engineering program faculty member said.
Jed Serven, a Physics instructor, said that a common mistake students make is not taking “advantage of instructors’ time” as it will only hurt themselves. “One on one time is key. It’s how I was able to be successful in college.”
“We have textbooks on reserve, which is something I don’t think many students know of. You should never have to pay for anything because students have a lot of free access to things and resources,.” Mariane Le, a member of the Library faculty said. “The better you can articulate your needs, the better we are able to help you,” Bob Bertoldi, another Library faculty member, added.
Diana Harker, an English instructor, said that “learning how to do something new is difficult” to help students cope with feeling overwhelmed. “Something being difficult isn’t a reflection of you or your intelligence. Some things are meant to be hard and that’s okay. You’re not gonna get it right away.”
For more personalized advice, be sure to reach out to your instructors and advisors. Other students are also a great resource for advice, as well as helping you navigate through your college careers. EvCC has a vast pool of students from all across the world and in different age ranges, which means every new interaction is an opportunity to learn and experience something new.
EvCC also offers many different student clubs, sports and organizations as a way for students to get involved and enhance their experiences, which information can be found on the EvCC website.
Regardless of where you are on your journey as a student, you can always improve because there is always something new to learn.
