1

With an extremely unconventional academic semester coming to a close, the Department of Resident Life would like to first and foremost congratulate you for all of the hard work that you have put into this semester. Through a variety of challenges, we understand that there have been learning curves, confusion, and times when your academics may not have been your priority. You should be proud of all that you have accomplished despite all of these challenges.

Understanding the magnitude and myriad of changes that you have faced this semester, we want to help set you up for as much success during this finals season as possible. Please take a few moments to read through this Academic Success Guide. In it you will find tips on how to prepare for the spring semester final exam season, a guide to reading productively, suggestions from peers on what has worked for them in online learning, and a list of online campus resources that you can utilize. In the Department of Resident Life, we are always here to support your academic ambitions and your success, but the dedication and drive comes from you.

Good luck on spring finals! You’ve got this!

RESIDENT LIFE | Spring 2020

ACADEMIC SUCCESS GUIDE

2

EXAM PREPARATIONThis has been a very difficult semester, so proper exam preparation is more important than ever. Preparing for final exams is a process that happens over time. Work to space out your studying and utilize different preparation techniques to achieve success. Try out the following techniques to improve your study and exam preparation game this semester.

• Make sure you understand your professor’s expectations regarding the final exam. Will it be the same format as it would have been if classes were still on campus? Will there be a specific time or a time range for the final? What happens if you lose Internet connectivity? Will additional technology or downloads be necessary to com-plete the final? These are all great questions to ask of your professors if they have not readily shared this information with you.

• Be aware of your schedule and your mental capacity to ensure that you have adequate time to prepare for exams. Have an open conversation with other members in your household about what you need to have an environment that is conducive to studying and being successful in your finals.

• It can be difficult to make your home environment a productive environment. Creating an exam season preparation plan may help to alleviate some of that additional stress. Include dates and times of exams along with the type of final (paper, exam, project, etc.). Note how much time and what materials you will need to successfully prepare for each final exam or assignment.

3

• Spaced repetition is the practice of studying the same information, repeatedly, over time. The more times your brain sees specific information, especially if there is time in between touchpoints, the more likely you are to retain the information.out of your bag. It might be overwhelming to think about your task as a whole, but give yourself little challenges and you will always be moving forward.

• Although we are all online, attempt to take notes by hand or make a written study sheet. Take 5 min-utes directly after class to polish your notes, fill in gaps, and mark information that may be on a test or needed for an assignment. Use this information to build a practice exam or a flashcard deck. This can also be helpful as a starting point if your professor is allowing an open book/notes format for your final.

• Do you procrastinate? Challenge yourself to do one small thing at a time. Start by putting your book on the desk, then challenge yourself to compile your notes. It might be overwhelming to think about your task as a whole, but break up your work into smaller sections and make little goals for yourself so you will always be moving forward.

• Outline your papers early. Make sure that your outline includes your research and sources, not just topics and ideas. The more thorough you make your outline, the easier your paper will be to write.

• Quiz yourself! Use paper flashcards, Quizlet, a friend or family member, practice tests, and whatever/whoever else you can find to quiz yourself on the information. Quizzing is one of the most effective forms of studying.

• Create a virtual study group for your most difficult courses. Use these groups to review content that you are not feeling confident about and also to cement your own learning by teaching content to others.

• Set up personal accountability mea-sures for yourself. Will you spend 90 minutes studying each day? Will you make a to do list for each class? Will you create outlines for your finals material? Decide what will work best for you and make a commitment.

EXAM PREPARATION

4

TIPS FOR COPING WITH ANXIETY AND STRESS DURING FINALS

• Develop a routine and schedule daily activities, including fun or non-essential activities.

• Identify what is and is not in your control during this situation. Focus on the things within your control.

• Discuss with family and/or roommates the possibility of having designated alone or study space.

• Be compassionate with yourself and others. It is normal and acceptable to have a wide range of reactions to this crisis.

• Begin preparing for your exams as early as you are able, ideally two to three weeks in advance. As part of this preparation, share your finals schedule with others in your household so they know when not to disturb you.

• Read the instructions thoroughly, as finals prompts or testing formats may have changed from what was initially on your syllabus.

• If you have a final in exam format, look over the entire exam before beginning. If your online system allows, answer the test questions that you know first and then go back to the harder questions.

• Take time to outline essays before you begin writing. Read the prompt twice! Have scrap paper handy to jot down any thoughts or points to consider later.

• If you think you are beginning to feel anxious, stop and give yourself one minute to simply breathe. Consciously relax your muscles one at a time. Then, resume taking your test with a more relaxed body and mind.

• Get sleep, eat healthy meals, and exercise. Be realistic about what you can accom-plish in a day. Try to limit media exposure related to COVID-19 and when possible, find opportunities to stay connected with friends and family for your mental health.

• Visit the UMD Counseling Center online whenever needed.

5

WORKING WITH FACULTY MEMBERSAs the semester starts to wind down, it is still important to cultivate connections with your faculty members. Although this is no longer as simple as dropping by office hours, there are still ways to build these connections and get time with your professors.

• Check for your professor’s preferred method of contact, and use that! Make sure your written communications are professional and concise. Also make a note if you are in a different time zone so your professor is aware.

• Review all course documents-- including any recent revisions-- to ensure that you understand all of your professor’s expectations. Ask your professor how they will be holding office hours and attend when possible or if necessary.

• Make sure you understand Pass/Fail options as well as the positives and negatives to choosing this method of grading versus a standard grade. Talk with your professor if you are unclear about where your current grade stands. It may be beneficial to you to choose a specific grading method.

• Look for opportunities to engage with your professors and classmates during your online classes. Not only will this help to solidify content for you, but it will help you to feel more connected in your learning environment.

6

READING COMPREHENSION SKILLSReading for class can be hard and sometimes it can be downright frustrating! Do you spend a lot of time reading the same paragraph over and over and still don’t walk away with good information? When you are tested on material from course readings, do you find that you remember reading about the topic, but cannot remember the content? Well, you are not alone! Try out the following reading comprehension strategies to get more out of your course readings.

PREVIEW: Previewing is a strategy that helps you to be more engaged with the passages you are about to read by giving you context. Previewing a text could mean looking at chapter titles, section headings, bold or italicized words, graphs and charts, or a chapter summary. In a non-textbook, previewing could mean reading the first sentence of each paragraph.

QUESTION: Come up with questions to answer before you begin reading. When your curiosity is piqued, you are more likely to stay on task, be motivated to read, and not let your mind wander.

PARAPHRASING LIKE SUMMARIZE:

• Read paragraph 1. Write a summary.• Read paragraph 2. Write a summary.• Put the two summaries together into one. • Do this with each paragraph, summarize and combine. • It is a slower way to read, but it is more efficient in the

long run because you will have fewer false starts and less time spent going back to find information that has been forgotten when trying to complete assignments.

7

TIPS TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTCheck out the following advice and tips from other UMD students about what has worked for them and allowed them to be successful in this online learning environment.

FIND QUIET PLACES TO STUDY AND KNOW YOUR LIMITS“For me, one thing I learned with finals is that studying in my room just wasn’t productive. I find an empty room in my house or even like to work outside so it’s a great learning environment and really helps you focus. Also, over studying will always be a weakness of mine; there’s a time where you just need to stop and rest after hours of studying and give your brain a break.”

-Kate Maescher, Sophomore Marketing and Supply Chain Management PLAN AHEAD“Setting a schedule for when you will work on each class has been very helpful. Not having set class times can come off as daunting and overwhelming, as you have a ton of work to do and an open schedule. Therefore, make a calendar of when you will engage in each class throughout the week. Try to limit distractions during this time and stick to the schedule. This will make you feel organized and less overwhelmed during this time. After each class time you can grab a snack or go for a walk to break up your day!”

-Maura Canavan, Freshman Behavioral and Community Health Major SUCCEED WITH STRUCTURE

“Create structure for yourself in a time where it feels like there is a major lack of it. Actively keep a planner. Update your Google Calendar. Set virtual reminders for upcoming deadlines, meetings, and classes. Keep in touch with your classmates and hold each other accountable for tackling assignments one step at a time. Most importantly, try not to get too overwhelmed with work by pacing yourself and taking well-deserved breaks after accomplishing tasks!”

-Luniva Shrestha, Junior Public Health Science Major and General Business Minor

8

HELPFUL RESOURCES

MATH SUCCESS PROGRAMUtilize this service to help you develop a better understanding of mathematical concepts or to get help on a specific problem. The Math Success Program runs Sunday-Thursday, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. via Zoom.

TUTORING.UMD.EDUThis website brings many of the university’s different tutoring options together into one easy-to-search space, and it has been updated to reflect which services are online. Tutoring.umd.edu is also a great place to find online resources about topics such as study strategies, organization, time management, test taking, and more.

ORAL COMMUNICATIONS CENTERThe Oral Communications Center offers online appointments for peer consult-ing for presentations, speeches, and other modes of oral communication.

GUIDED STUDY SESSIONSGuided Study Sessions offer review/study sessions for traditionally difficult courses and are currently meeting through Zoom.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS & TUTORIAL SERVICESASTS provides online tutoring for courses in which a large number of students have traditionally struggled to complete. This includes courses such as account-ing, biology, chemistry, computer science, economics, mathematics, philosophy, psychology, and statistics.

9

THE WRITING CENTERThe Writing Center can help you to gather your thoughts on a writing assignment or answer questions about things such as citations, grammar, and content quality. The Writing Center is not a proofreading service, but can help you with specific questions about mechanics. Make an online appointment to plan your paper before you start writing, or if you are struggling to organize your thoughts.

OFFICE OF MULTI-ETHNIC STUDENT EDUCATIONOMSE offers online tutoring in many first and second year courses. They also offer academic support to students that may be struggling or are simply looking for direction.

KEYSTONE CENTERThe Keystone Center is staffed with upper level engineering students and offers online tutoring in fundamental engineering courses.

SPS TUTORING FOR PHYSICS MAJORSTutors are available online to help students with the introductory sequence, required math courses, modern physics, and quantum physics I. Get help with questions about homework or general questions about physics-related course material.

KEEPLEARNING.UMD.EDUThe Keep Learning website provides guidance and resources for successful on-line learning here at UMD.

*Some of this content has been adapted from various sources including but not limited to The Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, The Counseling Center, and The UMD Keep Learning website.

HELPFUL RESOURCES