There are a lot of coffee shops or dining centers on campus where you can study if you don’t get distracted with people being around you. If you like it to be really quiet there are very quiet areas in the Valley library on the 4th, 5th, and 6th floor or take a quick walk to the downtown Corvallis library. Make sure to check out all the different floors because you might find an area on a specific floor that’s perfect for your needs. The OSU library is also great for group projects or if you just likes to study with a group of friends. There are study rooms in the library that you can reserve online or at the front desk. Other areas you might want to consider on campus are the MU, or your residence hall or co-op study lounges, or even the small study areas in Dixon Rec Center. Your study spaces might be closer to you than you think. Try giving the different study areas a try throughout the first few weeks and find the space that works for you!
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Have a great time for me!
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Some benefits of being on a first name basis with a professor in a large lecture hall are:
Best of luck on your first week and say hi to your professors from me!
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How to buy textbooks:
1.) Tablet, notebook, pen, paper, etc.- you’ll be given a lot of information at START and taking some notes is the best way to remember it and look back throughout the summer as you have questions.
2.) Comfortable shoes- START programs feature quite a bit of walking between sessions so be prepared with comfortable shoes
3.) Rain jacket/warm layers- this is Oregon and there is always a chance of a shower, even if the forecast indicates otherwise
4.) A copy of your START confirmation and START parking pass- which you can print from the same website where you registered for START.
5.) An alarm clock, watch, or cell phone- for students staying overnight in the halls, Day 2 starts bright and early and you’ll need a way to get up and moving
6.) Water bottle, light, airy clothes, hats, etc.- this summer has already been unseasonably hot, so be sure to bring gear to stay as cool as possible.
1.) Talk with other students at START- this will be your first opportunity to start making friends and developing a social network here at OSU. Take advantage of it!
2.) Talk with and start getting to know an academic advisor in your academic college (Engineering, Business, Liberal Arts, Agricultural Sciences, etc.). These individuals will be instrumental in helping you meet your graduation requirements and explore careers so getting to know them early is essential.
3.) If you are living on-campus, you will have a chance to tour your residence hall and see a sample room- this will be very helpful as you start deciding what to pack and what not to pack for your move-in day in September.
4.) Join a campus tour and spend some time walking around campus and orienting yourself. Finding places like the Student Health Center, Valley Library, Financial Aid and Registrar’s Offices (in Kerr Administration Building) will make your initial days back on campus in fall far easier.
5.) Ask questions and take notes- this is a completely new experience for most of you and we expect you to have lots of questions. Why not get them answered before classes start? It will make the rest of your summer far more enjoyable!
6.) For students attending our first-year sessions, attend Dixon Rec Night which is hosted at our recreation center on campus. This is a great chance to check out our gym, different sports clubs, organizations, and food vendors that work with campus. This is a night of fun where you can participate in games and activities and take some time to get to know your fellow START participants.
]]>Academic Coaching is an opportunity for a peer to peer conversation to focus on change, skill improvement, and growth of academic abilities. It is individualized, you can meet with a coach once or on an ongoing basis. It is a safe and confidential place to collaborate with a coach on an academic plan
How does this benefit students and why should students use it?
Is it free?
YES! Appointments are free and are sponsored in part by Educational Activities.
What does an academic coaching appointment look like?
Coaching appointments are completely individualized. Students will be greeted by the staff when they check in and asked to provide some information about why she/he chose to come in. These reasons will be brought into the conversation with a coach and will be the core of the appointment. Students may plan out a term schedule of major assignments, fill out a weekly planner, or begin articulating short and long term goals of their education.
How do student set up appointments for academic coaching?
Appointments can be made in a variety of ways. We recommend coming into 102 Waldo Hall to set up an appointment and sit on our comfy couch.
Sit near the front – Teachers remember and recognize the faces of the students who sit in the front row. Now if you decided to talk and be a distraction this will not help you, but if you are attentive the professor will remember that about you and having a professor who likes you opens up so many doors from references to potential research positions.
Avoid seats on balconies – High up in the balcony it is easy to tune out your professor, forget you are in a classroom and talk to your friends. Professors do not appreciate that plus it is not a good way to learn.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions even though it’s big – Again the professors remember and recognize faces and if you are asking relevant questions that will appreciate that. Also because you are in a large classroom the odds are that someone else will have the same question.
Find a way that works for you to take notes – Some professors put their lectures online for students to print out, some only post skeleton lectures, and some just talk to you and expect you to listen and learn. Weather you work best typing notes on your computer, writing notes on paper or on printed notes from your professor; learn which way works best for you.
Arrive to class 10 minutes early – Arriving early guarantees you a good seat in the classroom as opposed to the seats in the back corners where learning is more challenging.
Always sit in the same spot for classes and tests – Studies have shown that students who stay in the same spot do better than the students who sit in different spots for tests and lectures. When you move, your body has to get used to a variety of new things that could distract you, but sitting in the same spot sets up your body to learn a specific kind of material and perform better on tests.
Sam
Student Coordinator, New Student Programs & Family Outreach
]]>Bikes and various electronic devises (laptops, tablets, printers, etc.) can be register with the Department of Public Safety. Registering these items puts them in a law enforcement computer system and therefore recovered items can be identified and returned to their rightful owner. This means you’ll not only have a better change at recovering stolen items, but a thief will be less likely to target your items. You can fill out and turn in a Bike Registration form at Cascade Hall 200 free of charge. Stop tags for small electronics can be purchases through the Office of Public Safety for a fee of $12/tag. More information is available here. In addition to registering these items so simple tips can help decrease the change of theft even more. Consider buying a cheap bike that is less tempting for someone to steal; buy a U-lock and make sure to properly secure your front tire and frame to bike locks; and make an effort to check on your bike regularly (leaving it for weeks on end at the same location is often a recipe for disaster). If you are studying alone do not leave your electronics, or your text books at the table when you’re leaving for a couple of minutes. Please make sure someone is watching your valuables!
Another OSU program to assist you is Operation ID. The form provided on this page helps you document and protect valuable items such as computers, stereos, bicycles, calculators, and more. In order to protect your items fill out the form on the Operation ID homepage and save your serial numbers so if things do get stolen you have a better chance of recovering them. In addition to keeping the serial numbers you would want to have owner engraved identification on the equipment. By having an owner engraved identification on your equipment, if it does get stolen you can get your item entered in the state/national Law Enforcement computer system and can be identified anywhere in the US. This means you’ll have a larger chance of getting your item back. Engraving equipment can be checked out in residence halls and at the Public Safety office at Cascade Hall.
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1.) Don’t leave books, laptops, calculators, and other valuable items laying around the library, study lounges,open dorm rooms or classrooms. These things are easy for people to steal, can be sold quickly and are very hard to trace back to their rightful owners.
2.) Lock doors and windows to your residence hall, apartment, or house on a daily basis. Find a safe place or a friend to keep a spare key in case you lock yourself out.
3.) If you bring a car to campus, remove valuable items from it and leave nothing valuable in clear sight. Check your car every few days to make sure it is still in the condition you left it.
4.) Log off all public computers and consider logging off of your private computer in between uses as well. You don’t want to be paying for another person’s printing charges or having someone else sending messages from your account- so take the extra time to log on and off every time.
5.) If you have to walk alone around or near campus at night, consider using Safe Ride, a free service to all OSU students and staff
6.) Program OSU’s Public Safety number into your phone for easy and quick access: 541.737.3010
7.) Use the buddy system when going out to parties and other social events. Leave with the people you came with and never leave a friend behind.
8.) Know what you are consuming at parties and other social events. Never take a drink from someone you don’t know or leave your beverage unattended.
9.) Keep all documents with personal information (credit cards numbers, student identification numbers, social security numbers, immunization records) in a safe location. If you do decide to get rid of these things, shred them first.
10.) Sign up to receive text/email alerts for OSU’s Campus Alert System. These alerts include campus closures, electrical failures in buildings, suspicious activity and traffic accidents on campus.
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There are numerous things you can do to make the most of your first week of classes, these are only a few. Just remember to enjoy this week, meet new friends, try some new food out on campus, and get yourself comfortable with campus. Get to know people in your classes, residence halls, clubs, organizations, or just say hello to someone while eating lunch! Enjoy your first week! For more helpful hints for Week 1 and beyond check out: Zero To Success
]]>Within a 10 to 15 minute walk/5 minute bike ride you will find:
Bald Hill– This park offers a 1.5 mile paved path along the base of the hill and several dirt and gravel foot trails that circle and climb to the summit of the hill. Biking in permitted on designated trails. To get there head west on Campus Way, which will turn into Midge Cramer Path once you cross 53rd street. Midge Cramer runs by the fairgrounds and then dead-ends into Bald Hill park.
Avery Park– Located south of campus, this park features a 1 mile jogging path along the river, rose garden, softball fields, several playgrounds, horse shoe pits, and BBQ shelters that can be reserved for private parties. To reach Avery Park head south of SW 15th which will hit Avery Park Drive shortly after crossing Philomath Blvd.
Riverfront Park– Running between 1st Street and the Willamette River, this small park offers paved and grassy areas, resting benches, (perfect for picnics), several sculptures (perfect for picture taking), and a 3/4 mile long running and biking trail. The Riverfront Park can be reached by going east on Monroe Ave. until you hit the trail. The trail goes north for a short distance or can be taken south to connect with several longer running/biking trails if you want to extend your time outside. Riverfront Park is also home to the Corvallis Farmers Market which is held from mid April to mid November every Saturday 9AM-1PM.
A little further away you will find:
Oak Creek Trail, Chip Ross Park, McDonald forest, Willamette Park, and Lewisburg Saddle offer many hiking and biking trails and are approximately a 15 minute bike ride or 5-10 minute car ride from campus. As you explore Corvallis more, be sure to check them out!
Looking for something more remote?
Check in with the Dixon Recreation Center’s Adventure Program located on the North end (facing Goss Stadium) of Dixon. They can offer advise for longer trips, whether it be rafting, backpacking, skiing, climbing, etc. They also offer trips throughout the year with guides to ensure your safety and enjoyment. In addition the office rents various outdoor gear including tents, snowshoes, rafts, climbing equipment and more!
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There are a number of other printing locations around campus that may be located in more opportune locations. You can find a complete list of printing locations around campus and pricing (each location varies) here.
Cost: Every term, OSU students receive one free (36” wide) poster printing per course. Make sure to double check the formatting and spelling, if you find a typo, you will have to pay for the second printing. If you decide to laminate the poster, it is a $10 charge to your student account.
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There are several computer stations and printing available. Study rooms with whiteboards are reserve-able and lastly it is home to our Collaborative Learning Center.
We encourage you to stop in during CONNECT and find your way around, so you know where to head when it is time to study.
]]>Policies:
Read all the policies here.
]]>Additional suggestions for your job search include:
Be sure to check out Career Services website for more help on finding a job, internship, or career fair information at http://oregonstate.edu/career/
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