Category: Academics & Studying

Then it’s a really good thing that in college you have a bunch of different assignments (essays, readings, discussions, papers, projects, etc.) and not homework! 🙂 Seriously, there’s a lot more work to do in the college setting and you will need to be able to figure out how best you can address it all. The Connors Family Learning Center (bit.ly/BC-connors) has lots of great resources to add to that cuteness so you can do the best you can. P.S. I actually think all of the students who pass by me are kinda cute. <3 <3 <3

For being more analytical: Thinking Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (O’Neill Library BF441 .K238 2011). For reading: How to Read a Book, by Mortimer J. Adler (O’Neill Library & Theology & Ministry Library PN83 .A43 1972) For other, more practical recommendations, I’d advise a visit to the Academic Coach at the Connors Family Learning Center: bit.ly/BC-connors

No matter what sort of test you are trying to pass, it is perfectly normal to get stressed. I can’t guarantee you that you will pass, but I can tell you two things: 1) I have confidence that you are talented and will be prepared for this test, and 2) even if you don’t pass any given test in life, the wonderful thing is that there are other chances. No test is determinitive of the success of your life. My advice is that you should go in with confidence and remember that sleep and relaxation are also important parts of the test prep process. You’ve got this and the whole library is rooting for you!

So frustrating! I suppose it doesn’t help to look at the bright side of having the maximum amount of time to study…? Best wishes for your remaining exam(s) and then summer!

Oxford Bibliographies Online points to several (bit.ly/taiwan-histories), including Rubinstein, Murray, ed. Taiwan: A New History. New York: M. E. Sharpe, 2015 (we have an earlier edition in O’Neill Stacks DS799.5 .T3114 2007).

You’re not alone; being evaluated causes anxiety for most people. Here are a few things to remember or do that might make the process a little less anxiety-producing: 1. *You* aren’t being evaluated as a good or bad person; what’s being evaluated is just your skill, memory, and understanding regarding a few processes &/or concepts. 2. You’ve been preparing for a whole semester, and professors really try to make sure exams test what’s been taught. As much as it might seem like they’re trying to catch or trick you, they’re not. 3. Think of it like the olympics: what good is all that practice if you don’t get to perform? 4. Visualize success. 5. Study in short bursts with lots of breaks & plenty of rewards. 6. Study with other people & do what you can to make it fun. 7. Remember, no matter how your exams go, they’ll be over soon. If the anxiety is overwhelming, contact counseling services: bit.ly/BC-counseling. I know you can do this! Best of luck!

Everyone gets the worst group partners. That seems to be a universal truth in education. But, learning how to work with groups on projects is critical to working in the real world. You will almost never work alone in a job. I would encourage you to not look at the situations as “my way or their way”. “They” are all individuals with ideas and perspectives just as rich as yours. State cases for your ideas using facts, learn to compromise on things that are less important to you, try to find ways to “yes, and” their ideas. If they think something is important and should be included, the answer is “Yes, and…” with your idea to make it better.

Oxford and Cambridge do something like that bit.ly/bc-tutorial. Williams offers 60-70 tutorials per year for two students each. bit.ly/bc-williams. And the Wall suspects that is why it isn’t more widespread: it’s hard to do for a student body above a certain size. If you want to dig deeper, there’s a broad literature on testing and what works in our library catalog: bit.ly/bc-tests