Earlier this week I pulled up interview photos of freshmen who had just taken their last final of the year. Looking at the faces of their younger selves reminded them of how much they had changed. Working in and studying Student Affairs, you learn about Arthur Chickering's Seven Vectors that theorize the "tasks" that students must go through while developing their identity. While I know that the students were taken aback by seeing their younger faces and remembering the day of the interview, I'm sure they did not think about third of Chickereing's vectors, movement through autonomy toward interdependence.

For traditional students, and even some non-traditional, college is as a sequence of developmental tasks and stages when biology and psychology  converge. It qualitatively changes thinking, feeling, behaving, valuing, and relating  to others and oneself (http://students.berkeley.edu/committees/bc/SAStudentDev.doc). ​

First Vector: Developing Competence.  
The three types of competence that college students develop:

• including intellectual, the ability to understand, analyze, and synthesize. 

• manual skills,  the ability to physically accomplish tasks

• interpersonal competences, working and establishing relationships with other

So let's talk about the first competency of the first vector...
​

If you're in college, moving through these vectors, wanting to develop and grow intellectually, you want to know:

What do the smart kids do?
​
Some think they are smart because of something deep inside of them called "intelligence" or "IQ" but people do not have "intelligence" stuffed somewhere inside their head making it easy for them to learn things. For most people, the difference between excelling and failing is almost entirely determined by what world you live in, and how you act in that world.

Most smart kids are smart because they live in a world where being smart works and being dumb doesn't. If you want to be smart too, you should spend as much time as possible in that sort of world. Be surrounded by the right kind of people and avoid the wrong kind of distractions, and you will start to reflect the world you are part of.

4) They talk to their friends and family about what they are learning in school.
If you do not want to spend some of your free time talking about school, you are doing something wrong. How is it that smart kids get in so many hours of studying? Some lock themselves in their room, true. But many just have friends who like to talk about school. In college you have new-found freedom to learn about things you want. Join a club that has to do with your major. Approach professors after class. Find ways to talk about the stuff you are learning in class with other people who are trying to learn the same thing. 
​

5) They understand that different courses require different types of studying. 
Smart kids know every course isn't the same. In college, you will need to adjust to many different professors who have different ways of running their class and different ways of evaluating your accomplishment. This is just like in real life! (Except substitute "boss" for "professor.") You should try to determine how class is run, and how you will be graded, and plan your studying accordingly. Ask other Terry Scholars. Learn about faculty before you can sign up for classes.

There were classes where I never read the book and classes where I always read before class - and I was an English major! The type of studying that lets you have a meaningful in class discussion and write a good essay is different than the type of studying that lets you fill out a factual multiple choice test. And by the way, if you are in a class that grades with essays... don't expect to do well if you were not keeping up with the discussions.
 
Your Part of the Deal
Don't be another student who expects class time to be wasted doing what you should be doing outside of class. It is your responsibility to become part of the wider campus community. It is your responsibility to be actively present in class. It is your responsibility to arrange your life so you can get out-of-class work done. It is your responsibility to bounce ideas and thoughts off of those around you. It is your responsibility to study and show up to class prepared, whatever that is in each class.

References
Psychology Today

by Hunter Cisco

​Going into college, the number one thing I wish somebody would have told me, or showed me rather, is a good studying technique that worked for me. When I first came to college, it was a challenge trying to adjust to college life, do course work, and develop an effective study method simultaneously. If you do not have a method already, the first step is to READ THE BOOKS. Many do not, and it really does help in understanding and retention of the topics. The key to success is to attend class and take useful notes. Then, when you get back from class, GO OVER THE NOTES (once the night after class and a second time the next day). Notes are there for review, not just to write and forget about. You will not believe the amount of time you save doing this as opposed to cramming and you will find you do not have to study as hard for exams to do very well. 

by Bruce Wilson

by Bruce Wilson

by Paige Williams

1. Orientation and Choosing Classes
   1. Sign up for the first orientation

i.You will get first choice at freshman classes.
ii.Orientation crew will still be excited about new students, and excited to be part of the crew.

1. Consider coming to orientation without your parents.

i.I brought my mom and it was great sometimes, but it made the process more difficult and stressful.
ii.Don’t let your parents pick your classes.
iii.Everyone is different, if you think you can’t do it without your parents don’t hesitate to bring them along.

1. Consider what buildings your classes will be in and where on campus they are.

i.One thing your advisors don’t mention when you are picking classes is considered where the buildings are on campus. There is nothing worst that choosing classes ten min apart that on different sides of campus.

1. Consider having breaks in between classes.

i.The two to three hour breaks is when I get the most homework done.
ii.This is also a great time to finish up homework for the afternoon class that you were too tired to finish the night before. (I have never finished an assignment ten minutes before class started, wink, wink.)
iii.Perfect time for that mid day nap if you live in the dorms.

1. Don’t listen to everything your advisor tells you.

i.Advisors have so many students to take care a lot of the time they don’t have the perfect answer for your individual needs.
ii.My best advising has come from older students with the same major, and they will tell you exactly what professors to take by there experience, most advisors will tell you all the professors are great (News Flash: They aren’t).

1. Don’t take all your hard classes all in one semester.

i.Unless you want to have a miserable semester composed of no social life and sleep deprivation.
ii.Write out you plan to graduate and try to sprinkle blow out classes throughout your hard semester so you don’t go crazy.
iii.No sleep, enough said.

1. Don’t take all your easy classes in one semester.

i.If you take all your easy classes in one semester you will be forced to take all your hard classes in one semester later on.
ii.See above.

1. Consider taking online classes not relevant to your major.

i.Arts and sciences majors especially have to take a lot of classes that are not exactly relevant to our degrees, so it is a good idea to get with a few of your friends and take those classes online. The will be easier and less time consuming.
ii.I am taking Political Science online currently and I have worked a total of approximately 1 hour on it and I’m done with about 3 lessons.

1. Consider testing out of classes not relevant to your major.

i.Again Arts and Sciences have a lot of classes irrelevant to your major. If you think you have the skills to CLEP the class jump on it. It will save you a ton of time and money.

1. Buy the books you know you will need before class starts.

i.Many people will tell you to wait until the first day of class to get your books.  I did that first semester and almost went crazy trying to get books the first week.  This semester I looked at my book list and bought the books I knew I would need for the semester. It was a lot less of a headache.
ii.I have never ordered a book online, I would probably have a mental breakdown, but I have seen others who have and nothing is worse than not being able to your homework because your book hasn’t come in yet. Moral of the story: order online with caution.

1. Getting Involved
   1. Make as many commitments as you can handle as long as you are enjoying them.

i.Be involved in the school, but don’t be involved to the point where you are miserable.
ii.If you can manage your time and are enjoying yourself, go for it!

1. Don’t continue with an organization if it makes you miserable, no matter how good it looks on you resume.

i.If you get involved with an organization and hate it, just quit.
ii.Your time is too precious to spend on something that’s not enjoyable.
iii.There are too many organizations on campus to spend with one that is not making you happy.

1. Get involved with organizations relevant to your major.

i.This will make you more marketable in your career field.
ii.You should enjoy these since it is relevant to your chosen field.

1. Get involved with organizations not relevant to your major.

i.This will show that you are well rounded.
ii.Take something that you love from high school or an outside passion and join a related group, and just have fun.

1. Relationships with Professors
   1. GO TO OFFICE HOURS, especially if you are having trouble in class.

i.Professors are always willing to help.
ii.You will see yourself improve in class.
iii.This will put a name to a face if you are in a large class.
iv.Don’t show up before the day of a test or a week before the end of the semester.

1. Don’t be afraid to email your professor.

i.I have email my professors more times than I can count, and they are always more than happy.

1. Learn how to write a professional email.

i.Always address your professor as Dr. or Professor in your email at all times. Better to flatter than under acknowledge.
ii.Don’t email the day before a test asking for help or copies of notes. It won’t go over well.
iii.Be Professional, you are emailing a professor, not your buddy from summer camp.

1. Ask professors who know you personally for a recommendation letter.

i.Ask professors whom you know your name and who’s class you enjoyed.
ii.Don’t ask a professor for a recommendation letter if you made a poor grade in the class.

1. They are here to help you learn, but they won’t do the work for you.

i.They will help you as much as they can, but will not give you answers.
ii.Professors are not teachers; they are they to give you the information, it is your job to learn the material.

1. Don’t go asking for help a week before finals.

i.Professors won’t be very nice if you failed all your exams and never came to class, and come in a week before finals asking for extra credit.

1. Study Abroad
   1. It’s never too early to start thinking about study abroad.

i.The best time to study abroad for most major is spring or summer of your sophomore year, junior year classes become too specialized to study abroad.
ii.The earlier you start is the easier it will be to get all the paperwork together and plan your graduation with study abroad included.

1. Get a passport.

i. You never know when a chance to go out of the country will happen and you don’t want to have to wait 4-6 weeks.

1. Don’t wait too long to decide to study abroad.

i.Once you get to be a junior study abroad becomes difficult due to specialized classes.

1. Don’t be afraid to explore a new place on your own.

i.The world isn’t safe, but don’t let that stop you. Go. Explore. Adventure. Learn.
ii.The world isn’t safe. Be cautious at all times.
iii.Your parents will worry about you whether you are 15 miles away or 5,000 miles away.

1. Other little bits of advice
   1. Don’t be afraid to change your mind.

i.Better to change your mind freshman year than senior year, and a lot easier to change now than in 10 years.

1. Make a professional college resume.

i.I would say this is one of the most important things you have to do the first semester of college.
ii.Should only be one page, and only one.

1. No one in college cares if you won jv district tennis freshman year of high school.

iii.Only include high school things if they are very impressive or relevant to position.
iv.Make a basic resume that you can change if to fit an array of positions you may apply for.

1. Find a older student with your major to mentor you.

i.My best advising has come from older students with my major, They have been where you are and have great insight on professors and classes, and might even have old notes.
ii.Having a mentor gives you someone to ask questions, and give encouragement when you don’t know what you are doing with your life.

1. Volunteer.

i.Help others, and have a great thing to add to your resume.
ii.Keep track of all volunteering, shadowing, and internships you do.

1. You think you will remember all of the times and dates you volunteer, trust me you won’t. I tried.
2. Apply, Apply, Apply.

i.Newsflash, you won’t get everything you apply for so the more you apply the better chance you have to receive an award or position.
ii.Apply for positions as soon as possible so you don’t have to rush. I have extensive experience with application deadlines, and it is not an enjoyable experience.
iii.Use old essays if possible, will make writing 10 application essays a lot easier.

1. Don’t send the same essay to the same organization twice.
2. Give honest answers on applications and in interviews.

i.Review committees don’t want to read about how you volunteer with the homeless every Saturday, when you really sit in your pajamas watching Netflix.
ii.The more honest and personable you are the more likely you are to get the position.
iii.Interviewers want a hard worker that can be an asset to the organization, not a robot that can recite an answer word for word.

1. Have a go to professional business outfit, and a business casual outfit.

i.Digging in your closet at midnight to find something to wear for that interview that was moved to tomorrow that was supposed to be next week is a nightmare.

1. Consider how casual or professional the event/interview will be, and when in doubt always go nicer.
   1. As Oscar Wilde said, “ You can never be overdressed or over educated,” but it is somewhat embarrassing to show up to a casual interview for a summer camp in a suit and tie.
2. Save everything.

i.You would be surprised all of the notes from high school, and previous semesters that you can look back at and have a better understanding of concepts.
ii.Save every essay you write, because prompts repeat, and you will often be able to piece together a completely new essay from all the things you have already written, and save a lot of brainpower.

1. Live in the dorms if at all possible.

i.Living in the dorms, has possibly been my favorite part of college, you meet you best friends, and what is better than catching a nap in between classes or rolling out of bed 20 minutes before a class and making it with time to spare.
ii.Dorms are a great transition from living with your parents, to living by yourself with roommates in an apartment.

1. Don’t be afraid to go to the rec.

i.You are paying for it after all.
ii.Yes, you won’t be the most fit person there, but most people are just like you with the goal of just getting more in shape.
iii.Avoid the freshman 15. Enough said.

1. Read your Tech Announce.

i.That being said, just read the titles unless something catches your attention.
ii.Most of the time it is useless (like how to purchase Sesame Street Live tickets (Has actually been on the Tech Announce)), but sometimes you find a really awesome event or opportunity that you would not have known about otherwise.

• Use a planner.

i.When you barely have time to sleep, a planner is a great way for you to remember due dates and upcoming events.
ii.I love to color code my planner depending on the event/due date and it really helps me get a overall picture of what I have on my plate that week.

1. Network.

i.It really is about whom you know not what you know.
ii.Find people and resources the will help you on your journey to success.

• Find a place on campus you love to study at.

i.I personally like to study in my room and at the Barnes and Noble at the SUB but hate the library, but it depends on who you are and how much background noise you can handle.
ii.It can be in your dorm room, the library, the SUB, or the math building. The list goes on and on. Just pick an environment that gets those creative juices flowing.
iii.When you get to this place, you know it is an environment where you can get things done.
iv.Consider Internet connection when finding your go to study area.

• Get enough sleep.

i.I am still working toward this one.
ii.How can you ace that math test tomorrow if you have stayed up until 3 am every day for the last week.

1. Don’t forget to have time for yourself.

i.If you want to watch a Netflix episode a couple of times a week, do it. You are working hard on classes and deserve a little time to enjoy yourself and relax.
ii.This can include anything from dinner with friends, going to the rec, video games, reading, Netflix, or whatever else you do for relaxation.

1. Go to sporting events.

i.Even if sports aren’t your thing, get some friends together and make an appearance, odds are you will have fun.
ii.Football games are awesome no matter who you are.

1. Throw tortillas (I have not, but I really want to, they are one of my favorite parts of football games).
2. A lot of people dress up for football games, but games are just as fun in shorts and a t-shirt, and more confortable.
   1. If you want to dress up, do it. I commend you.
3. Make time for a social life.

i.Grades are important, but the majority of your college memories will come from the time you spent with your friends.
ii.Of course you can keep up with high school friends, but there are over 30,000 people on campus, so go make a new friend.

1. Be yourself.

i.You are no longer defined by who your parents are or who you were in high school.
ii.Go be who you want to be.

1. If that means reinventing yourself, do it. If it means being a better version of your high school self, do it. No one is telling you who to be and how to live, so do and be what you want.

by Kacie Schiaffino
 
Taking tests is stressful, and dealing with test anxiety can be a major struggle. Here is a list of strategies to help you cope with test anxiety.

Be well prepared
It may sound clichéd, but the best way to do well on a test is to be well prepared. Do not wait until the day before the test to start studying. Try to look at the material and practice it every day. Know the material well enough that you would be comfortable teaching it to someone else. If you are well prepared, there is less of a chance that your mind will go blank on the exam.

Take your time
When you are put in a high pressure situation like an exam, it's easy to feel rushed. You may try to hurry through the exam, only to find out you made some easy mistakes. To combat this, take 5 to 10 deep breaths before you open the exam booklet. Then, skim through all the parts of the exam, writing down any quick notes to remind yourself of things later. Then go back through the exam, carefully reading through each question twice and underlining any major points. If you get stuck on a question, just move on to the next one. Put a star or a symbol in the margin to remind yourself to come back to that question later. If you start to feel overwhelmed, look up at the ceiling and take a few more deep breaths. You may find it helpful to work backwards through the test, as the more difficult problems are usually the last ones.

Practice in a similar setting
Although you cannot fully prepare yourself for the actual test, there are a number of things you can do to help replicate the same setting. Using a practice test or review, set a timer and try to complete it without using any of your notes. This is a great way to really see what you know, and what you still need to work on. Timing yourself and not relying on any notes help replicate the high pressure setting of an actual test. The more you practice the easier it will become, and the better you will be able to perform on the actual test. If you do not have a review or practice test, then make your own. This will force you to think like an instructor and help you to see patterns between different topics. You will also learn to evaluate the material by thinking about what the most important topics are, and which ones you can just graze over.

Remember: It's only a test
It does affect your grade, but it's important to remember that one test will not make or break you. A test is just the way that you can show your professors how much you have learned. It is a form of communication from you to them. Always write down as much as you know, and give explanations for your answers. This also forces you to really think about your answer and whether it is sound. And remember to keep your audience in mind. The best answer is one that an instructor has previously given in class during lecture. So be thoughtful with your answers. If you feel you did poorly, then take it as a learning experience. Find ways you could improve how you study, and then implement them.
 
Test anxiety doesn't have to leave you shaking and your mind blank. By being mindful of how you study and take tests, you can catch on to what works or doesn't work for you. This translates into better grades and a better peace of mind.

by Zoie Walker
 
We all know how much of a blessing the Terry foundation is in our lives. They have given us one of the greatest gifts: an education. One of the most valuable aspects of being part of such an incredible program is the family that you will develop with your peers. I have met my closest friends in college through the Terry program. Now that the Tech Terrys are growing so rapidly, we have connections throughout campus. If you want to learn more about student government, we have incredible leaders. If you are interested in engineering, we have some real Terry brainiacs in that department. Nursing, education, agriculture, business, architecture, you name it… Terrys are everywhere. You have access to an immediate family at college that most freshmen dream of having. Don’t be afraid to reach out. Upperclassmen can help you figure out which classes are the most interesting and which professors to avoid. Most importantly, don’t forget to learn from and support those around you. College is hard, and the friends that you make during this time in your life will be there to help you when you need it most. Who you know in college can make you or break you, so don’t throw away the chance to get to know your amazing Tech Terry brothers and sisters.
 

by Matthew McCutchen

​Before we get too far in to this new semester and lose sight of our New Year’s resolutions, I simply challenge you as a Terry Scholar to lay out some goals for yourself so that you can look back at this year as the most successful and fulfilling yet.

Back in 2014 I had a life changing experience through setting realistic but challenging goals. I served this organization as a freshman mentor and asked my mentees to join in with me as we worked together to become the best versions of ourselves possible. In my personal life, that meant to grow academically, socially, and spiritually. I sought after help when the hardships of the semester came and went and was encouraged often. My first tip to you this semester is to create accountability with close friends. Allowing others to come into your life and walk alongside you in any aspect you are seeking to improve will be beneficial. Likewise, you will have new found opportunities to help others and grow deeper in friendships and relationships.