Check out the learning support resources below!
Creating a Quarterly Calendar
Keep track of an entire quarter of quizzes, tests, and paper deadlines at a glance. This tool can also help you break your large tasks into manageable pieces. Paper copies of the Quarterly Calendar are available in the lobbies of the ASC, Ames Library, and all Residence Halls.
Creating a Weekly Calendar
Managing your time is key to being a successful college student. Creating a weekly schedule will keep you focused on your academic goals — and also help you plan time for fun. Download and customize your weekly schedule with our weekly schedule template.
Starting off Strong
Successful students build good habits right from the start! Use this two-week guide to help you get going.
Active Study Strategies
Did you know that self-quizzing decreases anxiety and increases your learning? Active study strategies can help you understand and retain new information.
Graphic Organizers
If you’re a visual learner, this handout will give you a variety of visual models to help you organize and remember material.
5 Day Study Plan
Reduce those long nights and late-night caffeine highs with a five-day study plan. Spreading out your review over a few days won’t only help your health — you’ll actually remember more and be more prepared.
Cornell or Wide Margin Notes
(Wide Margin Notes Template) Some students love the wide-margin system of note taking. Cornell notes will keep you organized and double as a study guide when you have an exam.
Strategies for Test Taking
Test preparation doesn’t start the night before the test when you pull out your book—and not even the week before when you start creating outlines and flash cards. Three stages in test preparation can impact your success. Learn what they are and more using ASC Strategies for Test Taking.
Simple Test Taking Tips
Learn how to be better prepared, strategic, and less anxious before, during, and after a test. Discover tips for how to approach various types of exam questions.
Tips for Working Through Writing Anxiety:
Start with Freewriting: Begin your writing process by freewriting. This involves writing continuously for a set period of time without worrying about spelling, grammar, or topic relevance. The goal is to get thoughts flowing and to reduce the pressure of creating perfect content from the start.
Seek Feedback and Support: Before submitting your assignments, share your writing with a peer, or the Research, Reading, and Writing Studio for constructive feedback. Consider talking about your writing anxieties in the process, or working with your Academic Coach at SPU to establish coping techniques that you can implement to help alleviate anxiety before beginning an assignment.
Identify and Challenge Negative Thoughts: Anxiety often comes with negative self-talk. Try to notice any negative thoughts that come up about your writing abilities and record them in a journal. Once you've identified these thoughts, work on challenging them. For example, if you write "I'm a terrible writer," counter this thought by listing instances where you've received positive feedback or noting the improvements you’ve made over time.
Practice Positive Affirmations and Visualization: Ideate a few positive affirmations that are specific to your writing. For example, "I am capable of expressing my ideas clearly," or "each time I write, I improve my skills." Visualization can also be powerful. Visualize yourself successfully completing a writing task and feeling confident about it. Imagine how you’ll feel after positive feedback on your work and try to sit in that feeling.
Establish a Routine and Environment: Try to establish a regular writing routine and find a comfortable and distraction-free environment. Notice which study environments are best suited to your preferences- Do you like to work alone, or around others? Is studying with your friends distracting or motivating? Avoid waiting to complete an entire assignment in one take. Consistency and a reliable setting can help ease anxiety and make writing feel more like a regular, manageable part of your day.
Utilize the Student Counseling, Health, and Wellness Center: Talk through your anxiety and establish new skills to empower you in your academic journey with a free and confidential counseling session. When classes are in-session, students are encouraged to set up an initial consultation appointment. Click here to access the Patient Portal to set up an appointment, or here for alternative contact information.