Class of 2011

Dear Class of 2011,

So, it’s October now, which means we have about ten more weeks to go in the semester. You might be asking, “Why is he telling us this?” My answer, because you still have ten weeks to make a difference…that’s why! So, here are my thought on what to do while you still have time to make a difference in your Fall 2008 experience here at Wesleyan.

Five Things Worth Thinking About

1. Give careful consideration to your goals and what you want to accomplish, both at Wesleyan and after.
2. Give thought to all the opportunities available at Wesleyan and make careful and calculated decisions about which ones to pursue.
3. Be aware and make use of the many resources here at Wesleyan (people, facilities, groups, programs, etc.).
4. Take some risks (appropriate risks), both inside and outside of the classroom, and seek out opportunities that expose you to areas outside your comfort zone.
5. Get to know people whose backgrounds and experiences are different than yours.

Reaching Your Academic Potential

By now you should have a pretty good idea of the scope of your academic workload. You may have found that college is more demanding than you planned! Never fear! Here are some tips for Reaching Your Academic Potential:

• As soon as you receive a syllabus for a class, write down all due dates for your assignments, when you will start them, and the dates of your quizzes and exams in one calendar. You can use the Semester Schedule in the back of your Wes Planner (available at Usdan info desk). You may also want to have a color coded Weekly Calendar to post on your wall.
• When you do not understand the course material, write down or say out loud what you do understand and then write out your remaining questions. Visit your professor during office hours (that is what we are here for and enjoy doing!), attend TA sessions, the Math Workshop, Life Sciences Mentored Study Group Program, Language Resource Center, Quantitative Analysis Center, or request a peer tutor and ask these questions.



• If you feel stuck writing or researching a paper, visit the Writing Workshop, or the Library Reference Services.
• If you are seeking help with English language issues contact Alice Hadler in the Office of International Student Affairs.
• If you feel that you need direction to focus your studies, visit your faculty advisor, your Faculty Team Mentor, your Class Dean, the Office of International Studies, the Career Resources Center, the Pre-Law Advisor, the Health Professions Advisor, the Health Professions Partnership Initiative,
  and the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship.

• If you have a documented disability and have received reasonable accommodations in the past, use them at college. Make an appointment with Disabilities Services before deciding not to use accommodations. Contact Disabilities Services for more information.
• If you are not sure which resource to use or want peer advice on how to study and manage your time, then meet with the SARN Peer Advisors. Their schedules and locations are available here. You can also invite Peer Advisors to give time management and academic skills workshops for a group of your friends, your hall or your student organization. You can contact Peer Advisors by writing to sarnadvisors@wesleyan.edu.

In closing, if you need help, please ask…our strongest students know when to ask for help! Come in and see me if you need to talk, my office hours are listed below. And don’t forget to check out the blog regularly for important information and invitations to events!

Dean Garrett