Classes at BYU can be extremely overwhelming, especially for new students, so BYU offers numerous resources to help students reach their goals.
Alex Chandler, a senior from Littleton, Colo., majoring in political science, shared advice for new students.
“The students who participate [in class] and are active generally do better,” he said.
Chandler also said many new students are intimidated by professors so they do not take advantage of their office hours.
“I think it’s definitely something that can be useful,” he said. “The sooner the students push those preconceived ideas out, the better.”
Professor office hours are a time the professor sets aside for students to visit with him or her about questions and concerns about the class, especially if the class does not have a TA.
Michael Bishop, a grad student and American Heritage TA, said students who utilize the resources offered in American Heritage are more successful.
“American Heritage TAs are pretty knowledgeable,” he said. “So when you ask a direct question, we can usually answer it and if we can’t then we point them in the right direction.”
Asking questions is vital to learning about available resources.
Alisa Hardy, from Reno, Nev., said new students aren’t always aware of all the resources available to them.
“I learned through making mistakes, but those could have been avoided by asking questions,” she said.
Hardy, a senior majoring in American Studies, said she has found many resources since her first semester including the Wilkinson Center’s tutoring services and advisement centers.
The writing center also provides guides for professional writing, including tutors and mini classes. Many departments also have review rooms to help their students understand class material better.
Spencer Campbell, a peer mentor for incoming freshmen, recognized the impact his position can have for new students if they are willing to seek help.
“Peer mentors are kind of a first contact for freshmen,” he said. “If they don’t know where to go, they can definitely contact their peer mentor. Meet at least once. Give it a shot. Really it comes down to being afraid to ask for help. If you can get over that … then you can do well.”
