Spring 2012, Volume 1
The Perfect Roommate More often than not, students find that living with others is a lot harder than expected. While the perfect roommate probably doesn’t exist, there are things that can be done to make the roommate situation easier to manage: Be upfront about your expectations Respect each other’s privacy and personal space Follow through with your obligations Be prepared to compromise Clean up after yourself Be courteous of your roommate’s sleeping habits Spend time with your roommate Stay flexible Communicate Share Divide responsibilities Instead of searching for the perfect roommate, try being the perfect roommate. Roommates tend to follow each other’s lead. Watch how things improve from you setting an example.
It’s Almost Like Starting Over Welcome back! Whether you spent your break relaxing, working, or taking winter classes, I know you couldn’t wait to get back to campus and get going this semester. Some of you may have received the grades you wanted, while some may not have. The spring semester of your freshman year is one of the most important semesters of college. If the fall didn’t end quite as well as expected, this is the time to turn things around and rebuild your GPA. The more classes you take, the harder it is to raise your GPA. Since most students take about the same number of hours in the fall and spring semester, each class is an opportunity to balance any grades that were less than desirable. If the fall semester went well, you might find yourself feeling extremely confident about the spring. Just don’t lose sight of all the hard work you put in to get the grades you did last semester. Thinking you can achieve the same things by doing less work is often detrimental – courses typically get harder as you progress in your college career. With one semester down and having a better understanding of college life, many students want to get involved on campus this semester. There are a number of organizations wanting to recruit new members and are able to tell you all of the benefits of becoming a member. Joining organizations are a great way to get involved on campus and become more connected to your peers. However, you must be sure you are able to strike a balance with your academic life. Some organizations require just a couple of hours a week. Some require much more. You need to understand the time commitment you are making before you join and be willing to say no when appropriate. They are called EXTRA-curricular activities for a reason. Spring often brings new hope and a feeling of invincibility for students; making them believe they can take on the world alone. When reality hits, don’t be afraid to ask for help. “I should know this by now” or “They will think I’m stupid if I ask them” are thrown around all too commonly among freshmen. Don’t let pride or ego keep you from getting the answers or the help you need. As the semester goes on and problems arise, you have to remember that you aren’t the only one having issues. Common second semester issues experienced across the nation include:
Stress of getting back into the routine Missing college friends who didn't’ return to campus for the spring Pressure from home to improve grades Adjusting to a new roommate Weight gain Missing family, home, and friends...again
There are a number of resources on campus to assist you and make this a truly successful semester. If you don’t know where to start, you can ask your RA, area coordinator, professors, UH PAL, or send an email to the FYRE program at fyre@uh.edu.
Spring 2012, Volume 1
Tips from a College Graduate
New Semester, New Habits Now that you have a semester under your belt, it’s time to identify where you need the most work in terms of your study habits. Learning Support Services (LSS), located in room N111 of Cougar Village, is a great resource to utilize when looking at academics. LSS offers a variety of services including tutoring in many subjects and workshops to help you succeed in your classes. January Workshop Schedule: Jan 19 4:00 PM Study Strategies for a Great Semester Jan 23 4:00 PM Freshmen Science Workshop: Time Management Jan 24 9:00 AM Fresh / Soph Business: Time Management Jan 25 10:00 AM Freshmen Science Workshop: Time Management Jan 25 1:00 PM Time Management Wednesday Jan 26 10:00 AM Freshmen Science Workshop: Time Management Jan 26 4:00 PM Freshmen Science Workshop: Time Management Jan 27 10:00 AM Time Management Friday Jan 27 12:00 PM Fresh / Soph Business: Time Management Jan 30 11:00 AM Textbook and College level Reading Tips Monday Jan 30 4:00 PM Freshmen Science Workshop: How to Study the Social Sciences Jan 31 9:00 AM Fresh / Soph Business: Reading and Note-taking Jan 31 3:00 PM Time Management Tuesday
To register for workshops, visit www.las.uh.edu/lss and look for the “Workshop Signup” link. You may also find the complete list of workshops provided this semester on the website. LSS is located in Cougar Village N111 and can be accessed via the Northeast entrance facing Moody Towers or via the Northwest entrance adjacent the Cougar Village classrooms.
Help! “When I was younger, so much younger than today/ I never needed anybody's help in anyway/ But now these days are gone, I'm not so selfassured/ Now I find I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors” The Beatles sum up how many of us feel in our first year of college; we are young, invincible, and don’t need anyone to help us. The truth rears its ugly head when that first semester is over and the grades tell us otherwise, in which case the best option for help is tutoring or speaking with your professors more. However, seeking help is not limited to academics. Maybe your declared major isn’t exactly what you thought it would be; help would be seeking out an advisor to help you decide what the best field is for you. You might even be coping with a loss of sorts or could be going through a tough time in your life so Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) can definitely help you. There’s no shame in seeking help in any capacity so make sure you start the process right when a problem arises and open up the doors!
Spring 2012, Volume 1
Questions, Comments, Suggestions? Feel free to contact us.
Freshman Year Residential Experience Moody Towers—Rm 15 713-743-6881 fyre@uh.edu www.uh.edu/fyre
Christopher Miller, Program Coordinator
Andy Chang, Student Programming Director