Hello Highlanders. It’s finally week 10, the last week of the quarter before finals. The COVID-19 pandemic has made the quarter more difficult with remote learning, but UCR faculty and staff are working hard to support all of you. Whether you are happy that the quarter is almost over or you are just getting started with your studying or both, we’d like to share some tips and resources to help you end the quarter well.
Finals: Prepare in advance
While preparing for finals,
Identify resources
The Academic Resource Center (ARC) offers tutoring as well as writing and reading support for undergraduate students. The GradSuccess Center offers graduate students resources and support for teaching, writing, and research. Your professors and TAs are also here for you. As teachers, they help you learn and succeed in their class. As human beings, they are there for you and can be a resource when to reach out for support.
Also, it is important to keep in mind that academic integrity is a core expectation for students, as outlined in the UCR Code of Conduct.
The Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) office provides free, confidential counseling sessions. You can book a nonclinical 15-minute session with The WELL’s Mental Health Educator to learn more about mental health, self-care, and time and stress management. You can also check out the Student Recreation Center (SRC)’s fitness and cooking classes to help you relieve stress through exercise and prepare healthy meals.
The Student Affairs Case Management office can aid with any situation by helping you find ways to resolve your problems and connect you with other resources. Another resource available online is AskUCR, a student resource HUB for all your UCR-related questions.
Nurture your body
Act on your goals
Try active studying such as using flashcards, re-writing your class notes on your own, voicing (summarizing), taking practice tests, and teaching the material to someone else.
Learn with others
Schedule your tasks
Of course, that is not an exhaustive list of resources we have at UCR. You can find more tips at Keep Learning and more resources at AskUCR, and graduate students can go specifically to the Graduate Student Resource Center for more help.
Through all the difficulties during this time, we are here to support you. Reach out to the International Students and Scholars office if you have questions or would like to connect with a student advisor. You have worked hard this quarter to survive in challenging situations like this, and you will continue to grow more resilient for the future and succeed.
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We want to hear from you. What have you learned so far? What has helped you? What tips do you have for first-year students? Share your thoughts with us by commenting on the posts for our Finals Week Tips Series at @ucr.iss and @ucrinternationalaffairs, or you can reach out to us by email (internationalaffairs@ucr.edu) and we’ll collect the best tips to share with the entire international community.
Jenna Nguo is a junior at the University of California, Riverside (UCR). She is majoring in psychology and minoring in education. She is currently a Marketing and Communications Student Assistant and Front Desk Assistant at the International Affairs office, as well as a Co-Director of Events and Outreach at Psi Chi, the psychology honor society at UCR.