Tips for School and Fun

Fun stuff:
Go to school- and club-sponsored events. Most of these events and activities will be free to you as a Coe student, so why not take advantage of the free face painting, food, and interactive activities?
Join a club. At some point during the first month of classes, there will be an activity fair where all of the student organizations will gather and invite people to join. Joining a student organization is a great way to meet new people who share similar interests. Coe is home to numerous student organizations, there is something for everyone.
Get off campus with SAC. The Student Activities Committee (SAC) offers a variety of off campus activities such as going to the movies, bowling, and more. Transportation is often included or offered so it does not matter if you have a car on campus or not.
Talk to people. Everyone always says “make friends,” but that can sometimes take away the fun of meeting new people. Not everyone that you meet during orientation or during college will be lifelong friends, some may, but it is okay if it does not work out. Just try to talk to people and realize that everyone is either in your shoes or has been at one point.
Talk to faculty, staff, and upperclassmen. Upperclassmen remember what it was like being new to college, so unless they are noticeably stressed over an upcoming test or wearing a ‘do not talk to me’ sign, don’t shy away from them. The same goes for the faculty and staff. Coe has a lot of great professors and staff members around campus, so do not be afraid to say hello or stop for a chat. Coe has a lot of interesting traditions and things that you do not get shown on a tour that only upperclassmen, faculty, and staff can tell you about.

Study stuff:
Go to office hours. Your teachers set up designated times to be available to their students. Some teachers like to have you make appointments within their office hours to cut down on wait times, but others will have you do ‘drop-in’ visits where you can drop-in at any point during their office hours to chat or ask questions.
Turn off your phone. Whether you are studying at the library or in class, having your phone buzzing can get distracting. Try putting your phone on Do Not Disturb or on driving mode. Driving mode is available on some devices and is similar to Do Not Disturb, however it allows you to send an automated custom message to those that text you saying that you are driving, or in this case, studying. The library even offers lock boxes at the front desk for students to take and set a timer on while they are studying.
Explore how to study. There are tons of study tips on the internet (and on the Cosmos website) and they all pretend to be the perfect fit for every student. The fact is that different study strategies work for different people and different classes. The way that you study for Chemistry may not work for your Spanish class, so take some time to try different strategies and see what works for you.
Explore where to study. Where you study can greatly impact how well you can focus. If you get distracted by movement or noise easily do not study in Upper Gage Commons or the basement and first floor of the library. In the library, the higher up you go, the quieter it is, so the third floor is for solo study sessions and the basement is great for group projects and tutoring.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. College is tough normally, but we are still recovering from the pandemic and trying to get back to normal. If you need to boost your writing or oral presentation skills visit the Writing Center or the Speak Out Consultants. If you are having trouble adjusting to college life or just need someone to talk to, Coe has free or low cost options available to students both on and off campus. Contact Cathy Muller in Upper Gage to learn more and find out what works best for you.
Make time to relax. Burnout is real and it is not fun. Pushing yourself is a great way to grow but pushing yourself until you break is not. College is stressful enough, so learning how to recognize when you are stressed out and knowing how to take a step away to relax is crucial. Sometimes you can relax by meditating, going for a walk, taking a nap, or watching an episode of a show that you really love.