Asking for help is not a sign of weakness
College work is not meant to be easy—the struggle to understand new concepts (and to put them to use) changes your thinking and strengthens your abilities. And asking for help is not a sign of weakness, it’s a signal that you care about your work and you want to be successful. In fact, most students reach out for assistance regularly – to their professors, their peers, their notes, etc. So when should you consider asking for help?
I'm stuck for an idea
You’ll notice we put this first! Too many students wait to start a paper or project—hoping for inspiration to strike—until it’s too late. The sooner you can begin to generate topics, the better developed your ideas will be. Talk to your peers in the class, talk to your roommates. But if you’re really stuck, reach out to some of the many resources the University provides:
- Take your assignment description to the Writing Center or PASS Office and ask them to help you brainstorm.
- Drop in on your professor during their office hours to talk over some ideas.
- Visit the Reference Desk in Lamson Learning Commons to ask about common issues and topics related to this class.
- Connect with classmates via the Study Buddies feature of the Navigate app.
Where else could you turn?
I’m struggling to understand a specific concept
You’re not the first person to struggle with photosynthesis, or deontology, or the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947. For many courses, failure to understand a central concept in the class can seriously undermine your chances of success in that course. Don’t ignore it and hope you can absorb the idea later.
- Drop in on your professor during their office hours to ask for more help–they’re the experts and they will usually have multiple ways to explain the same concept, plus, they want to be there to support you too!
- Consult your peers in the class. Often, enough people understand enough of the concept that—together—they can arrive a clearer understanding. Crowdsourcing!
- Ask for a tutor from the PASS office.
Where else could you turn?
I’m worried about material to be covered on an upcoming exam.
Some classes cover a lot of ground before the first big exam. It can seem overwhelming. Studying for that exam is critical—but pulling an all-nighter could actually hinder your ability to recall ideas on the exam.
- Find a group of peers from the class and study together. Not only will the group-setting help you to focus, it may help your recall when you actually sit down in front of the exam. Plus, comparing notes with peers may help you to anticipate which topics will be covered on the exam.
- Ask for a tutor from the PASS office. Sometimes the best way to grasp an idea is to hear it from a fellow student who took the same class in the recent past.
Where else could you turn?
I’m struggling to find sources for a paper or project.
Faculty want you to use credible sources in your papers and projects…but it can be a challenge to find those good sources amid the opinion and misinformation that proliferates on the web. In fact, it can be a challenge to know what search terms to use.
- Connect with the Reference Desk in Lamson Learning Commons to ask for help in locating quality sources. Reference librarians are particularly skilled at understanding how to search for, and recognize quality sources of information. Additionally, there are FIVE different ways that you can connect with them, both in person and virtually.
- Drop in on your professor during their office hours to ask for more help—they will have a clear idea of the sorts of sources they deem credible and may be able to point you toward some they are familiar with.
Where else could you turn?
An illness or other circumstance has forced me to miss class.
The flu and other illnesses are common among college students…and of course we are in a global pandemic! People get sick or, sometimes, a family emergency has to take precedence. First, understand that there is a limit to how much a professor can accommodate these sorts of situations—missing too much of a class (even for valid reasons) can destroy your ability to master the content of that class. But if you do have to miss a few classes, don’t just assume your absence will be excused, reach out!
- Reach out to Dr. David Zehr in the Frost House. As the Undergraduate Academic Advocate, he can reach out to your faculty to let them know you have a legitimate reason to miss class.
- Email your professor as soon as possible. Let them know what is happening and when you expect to return. NEVER ask “Will I miss anything important?” You will. Instead, consult the syllabus and see what you will be missing and ask for reasonable accommodations. Understand that some activities—like a group presentation—aren’t so easy to make up. If your professor gives you a deadline for makeup work, stick to it. You’re adding work to their load, don’t make them wait even longer.
Where else could you turn?
I need help developing better study- and work-habits
Not every student comes to college with the habits they need to be successful. In other modules, we focus on study-habits, time-management, and other skills that you need to practice. But you can also seek help to improve your habits!
- The PASS office has many “Study Skills” tutors that work with students in individual- and group-settings on things like note-taking, studying for exams, planning your work-schedules, etc.
- Find a group of peers from your class and study together. Sometimes just having a group to hold you accountable can help you to establish better habits over time.
Where else could you turn?
I have a diagnosis that means I may need some accommodation.
Too many students who had an IEP or 504 in high school, decide not to ask for those accommodations in college. That can be a huge mistake. If you have a diagnosed condition that will permit you accommodations such as extended exam times, you need to work with the Campus Accessibility Office to document those accommodations as early as possible. Once your documents are on file, YOU get to decide which professors you want to ask for accommodations from and then keep those conversations private.