As the time approaches for fall semester at Salt Lake Community College to begin, new and returning students look for ways to make the transition a little smoother.
Accomplishing a relatively short list of tasks may help students to get their brains in gear and help them take on their courses with a renewed sense of vigor.
John Steiner, lead tutor at SLCC’s Taylorsville Redwood Learning Center, offers tips on the things students can do to get ready for school.
“Once you’ve registered for your classes, get the textbooks needed for them. Regardless of where you buy the books, make sure the ISBN codes match up,” Steiner said. “I’ve had students accidentally buy the wrong book, not realizing it was a different edition of the book they actually needed. Sometimes different editions have identical covers.”
Steiner recommends buying parking permits one or two weeks before classes start. Additionally, he warns students about parking availability in campus lots.
“It is a bit of a madhouse the first couple of weeks of the semester. The parking lots fill up quickly,” Steiner said. “So arrive ten to twenty minutes early. That way, you’ll have time to look around for a spot.”
Additionally, Steiner recommends a visit to the campus restaurant to pick up a juice or a coffee before class starts “in order to get amped up.”
“It is important to remember that if you’ve been working during the time that you weren’t in school, you have skills that will help you in your classes,” Steiner said. “An example of this is your ability to coordinate your schedule throughout a given time frame. At work, you likely took on the shift with a good idea of what you needed to get done that day, and in school, you’ll do the same.”
Once classes begin, educators will provide information that will allow students to get an idea of what is expected of them. At that time, students can acquire the different tools necessary to complete the course successfully.
