If sleeping with a physics book under one’s head isn’t keeping that 4.0 up, then perhaps it’s time to check out the 6th annual Learning Fair tomorrow.
University faculty will hold one-hour workshops on a range of topics, from “Improving Your Memory” to “How to Succeed in your Accounting Class.”
Joyce Blinn, assistant director of the Study Skills Lab, suggests students choose classes that fit their individual needs.
“This year we have more offerings and offer a broader span of topics,” she said. “We based this off of student comments last year and what they would most like to see.”
The 21 different sessions will be held in one-hour blocks from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in rooms 103, 104 and 105 of Olscamp Hall. All classes are free and are available on a first come, first serve basis. There is no limit to the number of sessions students can attend and the classes require no further commitment. They are all taught by experts in the specific fields.
According to Blinn, one of the areas students request the most help in is time management. Reading specialist Sally Drieir will be returning again this year to teach the popular session.
“In my workshop, students will create an actual schedule for their week. We will talk about goals, priorities, and organization,” Drieir said.
The fair is being held about halfway through the semester because many students have taken their first exams of the year and may recognize areas they need help in, Blinn said.
“We want to catch students as soon as they see a need rather then later. We pick lectures on courses that have been challenging to students,” she said.
Some workshops are on slightly more lighthearted topics, such as “Word Play — Having Fun with Poetry,” a new session this year.
“I know a lot of students think of poetry as just writing in their journals about their boyfriend or something,” said Amanda McGuire, writing specialist in Academic Enhancement. “Poetry is about having fun with language and expressing your imagination.”
McGuire will guide students through three different exercises to help them to begin thinking outside the box of what poetry entails.
With such a wide variety of topics, students should be able to find something that both interests and helps them.
“Many faculty are devoting their own time because they have a commitment to helping,” Blinn said. “It’s just one hour of your time. Students as adults have options to make this college atmosphere a lifetime learning atmosphere.”
