Shelbie Harris

Staff Writer

Now that the holiday season is officially over it’s time for students to prepare for a successful spring 2015 semester at Idaho State University.

The beginning of a new semester sparks a nice mixture of excitement and stress with every passing day although there are some things students can do to relieve some of that stress and invoke a little more excitement.

Being organized is one of the first and most important strategies a student can implement for a successful semester.

This can be accomplished easily if done early and often. Prior to the first week of classes students should have purchased all required textbooks for all courses.

Additionally, it is recommended students take a look at the building and classrooms for each class, and if necessary, locate a campus map for assistance.

It’s a common misconception that college students don’t have to attend class because they are the ones paying for their educational needs. On the contrary, students should attend not only the first day of each class but also attend every class each week.

This practice sets students up for success by being involved in classroom discussions and being present for any changes or discrepancies in the class from the class syllabus.

A syllabus should be available for each class at the beginning of the semester and students should print a copy for each class and refer to it regularly.

Remaining organized could include entering the due dates of assignments and exams in a weekly planner while also including some time to review the activities for the upcoming week.

“To help students have a good semester and reduce the stress associated with the beginning of a semester there are many things the student should do,” said JoAnn Hertz, director of Central Academic Advising.

“First, students should complete all the incidentals; buy your books, get a student ID card, pay your fees, confirm any financial aid has transferred over, purchase a parking pass, and understand possible parking locations,” said Hertz.

Another important concept to a successful semester is understanding how many hours per week should be devoted to school and how many hours can be devoted to work.

The Office of Academic Advising recommends at least two to three hours be assigned to every hour spent in class. For example, students taking 12 credit hours should spend 24 to 36 hours of study or prep time each week.

Understanding how to communicate with professors and other campus entities is also very important to a successful semester. Knowing how to login and access your ISU email account is essential in staying informed.

In order to maintain a successful semester it is important to understand there are several campus groups or departments established to provide students with any assistance needed throughout their academic pursuits.

The Student Success center located in room 323 on the third floor of the Rendezvous Complex provides students with university tutoring, a math lab with tutors available for assisting students, as well as a writing center.

“The student success center is here to provide students with whatever tools they need to be successful during their academic career here at ISU,” said Administrative Assistant for the Student Success Center Tawna Brockett.

“The tutoring available through the Student Success Center is fantastic and it is completely free to full-time students, so if needed, students should definitely take advantage of this opportunity,” Brockett added.

Other than the Office of Academic Advising and the Student Success Center there are many other departments around the campus of ISU dedicated to the success of students including the Counseling Department located in the top floor of Graveley Hall, or the Career Center located on the top floor of the Museum building.

Academic calendars which can help inform students of all important dates to remember for the upcoming semester can be found on BengalWeb under the academic tools tab.

The last and quite possibly easiest way to have a successful semester is to eat well, rest well, exercise and repeat.