Coping with College

  • College life poses great opportunities and fun but also great challenges at students. Events on and since September 11 have added stress to everyone's life. I don't like it, but bad things happen to good people. If you have a personal/familial/academic problem that prevents you from doing your best work in my class, let me know immediately. I'll do my best to accommodate your needs and help you succeed in the course. However, I'm not a mindreader. Nor am I gullible. Nor am I a magician-- I can't change the past; I can only help you negotiate the future. Problems? Let your instructors know sooner than later. Here are some links to help you cope with various elements of college life- and hopefully avoid huge problems.

    Study Skills/ Good Habits

  • Study Guides and Strategies by Joseph F Landsberger
  • Differences between High School and College
  • Special Needs of First Year Students
  • Back to College: Help for returning students
  • The 5 'Virtues' of Successful Graduate Students Chronicle of Higher Education article, also good advice for undergrads.
  • Education World Study Aids Lots of excellent tools and links
  • How to be an active learner
  • Take advantage of the many services of the university's Writing and Speaking Tutorial Services .

    Confused by all the NCSU policies?

    Here are University Policies, Regulations, and Rules covering just about everything.

    Time and Stress Management

  • Plain Talk about handing stress You can do it-- here's how.
  • Mind Tools Excellent advice
  • Get Organized! Helpful ideas for just about anyone
  • Access Magazine's Educational Web Site Reviews Lots of good links

    Emotional, Mental, and Physical Health

  • Students who wish to access medical care at NCSU Student Health Services should call the appointment desk at 515-7107. Call 515-2563 for questions about hours, location, or accessing medical advice after hours.
  • Don't let minor problems mushroom into major ones. If you get behind or miss an assignment, notify the instructor immediately. The NCSU Counseling Center (tel. 919-515-2423) may also be of assistance. If you have a family emergency that impedes your course work, contact Parents and Constituent Services at Box 7306, NCSU, Raleigh NC 27695-7306. You or a parent may also call toll free during business hours at 877-568-5733 or email ncsuparents@ncsu.edu. For a personal health issue, make certain to get documentation from a physician or the NCSU health center. Once you've blown a month, we have no remedies -- you fail. If things come up, I can make adjustments IF I know of the problem immediately. You can quickly fail the course owing to missed assignments, so keep in touch! See the grading page for important information on assignments.
  • How's Your Emotional Intelligence? What's that? According to Funderstanding, "The term encompasses the following five characteristics and abilities:
    1. Self-awareness--knowing your emotions, recognizing feelings as they occur, and discriminating between them
    2. Mood management--handling feelings so they're relevant to the current situation and you react appropriately
    3. Self-motivation--"gathering up" your feelings and directing yourself towards a goal, despite self-doubt, inertia, and impulsiveness
    4. Empathy--recognizing feelings in others and tuning into their verbal and nonverbal cues
    5. Managing relationships--handling interpersonal interaction, conflict resolution, and negotiations
  • U Lifeline "The Jed Foundation has created Ulifeline.org, a Web-based resource that will provide students with a nonthreatening and supportive link to their respective college's mental health center as well as important mental health information. Students are able to download information about various mental illnesses, ask questions, make appointments, and seek help anonymously via the Internet, a medium they are comfortable using."
  • Strayer University "Guide to Balancing Career, Family and Education"
  • National Institute of Mental Health
  • Wide Range of brief, helpful brochures from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Counseling Center Topics include: # Addictive Relationships # Adult Children of Alcoholics # Assertiveness # Body Size Diversity and Acceptance # Coming Out # Committed Relationships and School # Dissertation Success Strategies # Experiencing and Expressing Emotions # For Loved Ones of Sexual Assault/Abuse Survivors # Grief and Loss # Loneliness # Maybe I have an Eating Problem # Maybe I have a Friend with an Eating Disorder # Overcoming Procrastination # Perfectionism # Self-Confidence # Stress Management # Suicide Prevention # Surviving Child Sexual Abuse # Test Anxiety # Time Management # Understanding and Treating Anxiety NEW!! # Understanding Depression # Understanding Dysfunctional Relationship Patterns in Your Family # When Your Parent Has a Mental Illness # Your Parents' Divorce
  • The Mayo Clinic Health Oasis
  • Mental Health Net Mental health, stress, and other important family and personal issues
  • The Truth: Get the Facts to Help You Quit Smoking
  • How's your physical health? Use these health calculators to check yourself out.

    • Learning Differences/Disabilities

  • All Kinds of Minds/ Dr. Mel Levine
  • State of North Carolina Resources for Learning Disabilities
  • Help with the Transition from School to Work/Adulthood

    NCSU Public Safety Contact Information

  • 515-3333: Emergency: If you need immediate life or safety assistance
  • 515-3000: If you need assistance but it is not an emergency
  • 515-3000: If you need an escort to walk you across campus
  • Public Safety Web Site

    Other Helpful Sites

  • Slatta Links on Learning and Teaching
  • Slatta Links on Computer and Internet Skills
  • Slatta Links on Writing Well
  • NCSU Student Counseling Center Counseling, Health, Legal issues and more You paid for these services. Use them.
  • NCSU Undergrad Tutorial Services
  • Special Help for First-Year Students
  • Refdesk: free reference works on a great variety of topics
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