parents.tamu.edu
May 2011
A Publication for Aggie
Aggie Quick Connection
by the Office of New Student and Family Programs
Welcome Family Members, Message from the Office of New Student and Family Programs
Provided by Student Counseling Service
The month of May is a time of great expectations on campus. Not only are final exams looming for some, but many students and families are also experiencing the emotions that come with Commencement exercises and New Student Conferences. Whether your Aggie is graduating, a new student, or somewhere in between - we want you to be informed. We encourage you to visit the Aggie Parent web site for additional updates and helpful resources. You can visit us at http://parents.tamu.edu/. Please feel free to contact the Office of New Student and Family Programs at (979) 845-5826, or email us at nsp@tamu.edu if you have any questions. Thanks and Gig ’em!
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Amplify & Upcoming Dates Upcoming Events and Programs General TAMU Resources
TEST ANXIETY TIPS A moderate level of stress before and during an exam is useful, as it helps a student perform at their peak. Too much stress, or test anxiety, can keep a student from being able to focus on the task at hand. If your student is feeling overwhelmed by upcoming final exams, encourage them to keep in mind these tips for overcoming test anxiety: Tips for studentsBefore the exam: • Manage your time well: get plenty of sleep, find time to exercise or be active, and schedule time to study. • Focus on healthy behaviors: eat regular meals, drink water and other non-alcoholic beverages, choose healthy snacks (excessive sugar can make you drowsy), limit caffeine – it increases anxiety. • Study in places that have minimal distractions. • Take notes of your notes and chapters, use flash cards, or try to condense your notes each time you review for the next review. During an exam: • When you are taking a test, keep positive thoughts in your mind (yes, you can!) • Read all directions thoroughly • Read all questions carefully • Take a deep breath, stay focused, and STOP negative thoughts For more information, please visit the Student Counseling Service Website at http://www.scs.tamu.edu/.
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New Student Programs AMPLIFY: THE SUCCESS SERIES FOR STUDENTS Encourage your student to attend Amplify, a year-long series of programs and workshops designed to assist freshmen, transfer and sophomore Aggies develop skills and make them aware of resources that will enhance their Texas A&M experience. Some example sessions offered this semester include: Cooking on a Budget, Time Management and Procrastination, and Career Assessment Workshop: Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to Help Identify Personality Characteristics. Every program offered through Amplify is completely FREE so we hope your student will take advantage! REGISTERING FOR AMPLIFY WORKSHOPS A reservation is required so that presenters can prepare the appropriate amount of materials and also to help track the programs students are most interested in so that we can refine our offerings in the future. Remind your student to go to http://amplify.tamu.edu, click on a workshop, and select “View Details to Register”. At any time students can view, manage or change the list of programs they are registered for by clicking on “My Profile.” HOT TOPICS THIS MONTH (To view a complete and detailed listing of this semester’s workshops, please visit: http://amplify.tamu.edu/workshop.) May 2 (4 - 5PM) Conquering Finals May 3 (4 - 4:30PM) Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI)
UPCOMING DATES May 2 May 3 May 4-5 May 6, 9-11 May 12 (6PM) May 13 (5PM)
Prep day, classes meet. Last day of spring semester classes. Redefined day, students attend their Friday classes. Prep day, classes meet. Reading days, no classes. Spring semester final examinations for all students. Grades for degree candidates due. Last day for May undergraduate degree candidates to apply for Tuition Rebate. May 13-14 Commencement, Commissioning, and Final Review. May 16 (12PM) Final grades for all students due. May 27 (5PM) Last day to register for first term and 10-week semester and pay fees. May 30 Memorial Day. Faculty and staff holiday. May 31 First day of first term and 10-week semester classes.
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Stay Connected with the Latest Campus News The Battalion “The independent student voice of Texas A&M since 1893.” www.thebatt.com Texas A&M News and InformationAggie Hotline The Division of Marketing & Communications produces Aggie Hotline, an email news brief service that is distributed to subscribers each weekday. News briefs may also be found online at: tamunews. tamu.edu. Bryan/College Station News Outlets: KBTX www.kbtx.com The Eagle www.theeagle. com
Upcoming Events & Programs FINAL EXAMINATION SCHEDULE Final Examinations will be held for all students on Friday, May 6 and Monday, May 9 through Wednesday, May 11, 2011. For a final exam schedule, please visit: http://admissions.tamu.edu/Registrar/General/FinalSchedule.aspx.
FINAL GRADES Students’ final grades may be accessed at http://howdy.tamu.edu/. Final grades for degree candidates will be available after 6PM on May 12, 2011. Final grades for continuing students will be available after 12PM on May 16, 2011. Parents should discuss setting up a parent/guardian password to access grades and other information with their student. For more information on how to set up parent/guardian access and University grade disclosure policies, please click “Parent Access” at http://howdy.tamu.edu.
SPRING GRADUATION Commencement ceremonies on the College Station campus for the spring semester of 2011 will be held May 13 and 14. For information on the commencement ceremonies (including specific dates, times, and locations), please visit http://graduation.tamu.edu.
OFF CAMPUS AGGIES MOVING OUT EVENT Is your student moving home for the summer? Are they moving across town? Do they have too much stuff? Off Campus Aggies (OCA) is sponsoring their annual Moving Out event on May 11th and 12th, 2011 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Each May when students move home for the summer or change locations, they discard a substantial amount of cleaning products, non-perishable food, furniture, etc. OCA collects these items and recycles them into the Bryan/College Station Community. This year we plan to partner with Twin City Missions, Phoebe’s Home, and the Brazos Valley Food Bank in order to supplement their efforts. OCA will have a dropoff location at two apartment complexes: The Cambridge and Reveille Ranch. For more information, visit their website at http://ocatamu.weebly.com/, or email oca@stuact.tamu.edu.
RESIDENCE HALL CLOSINGS Although the residence halls close May 14, 2011 at 12PM, residents are expected to leave within 24 hours of their last final. More information on the closure can be found at http://reslife.tamu.edu/.
PARKING PERMIT REGISTRATION Students can register for Fall 2011 - Spring 2012 parking permits now through July 12, 2011. For information on permit pricing and policies, please visit http://transport.tamu.edu/.
NEW STUDENT CONFERENCES All new undergraduate students are required to attend a New Student Conference. These mandatory conferences seek to connect new students with all aspects of their new Texas A&M community. While parents and families are not required to attend, we highly encourage them to do so. Various resources have been designed specifically to help parents and family members as their student starts college. If you are or you know a new Aggie parent or family member, you can get more information on New Student Conferences at http://newaggie.tamu.edu/.
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General TAMU Resources PLAN AHEAD: SUMMER IS NEAR The 2010-2011 academic year is nearly over and summer is almost here. Hopefully your student spent the time wisely and is doing well in his/her classes, but what about after finals? If all that studying and fun hasn’t left your student much time to think about those months between May and September, there are a ton of things to do. Summer School: The summer is a great opportunity for your student to catch up or get ahead with classes. Summer classes are often smaller and offer a more relaxed environment. It might be a good time to take a hard class or a few classes to get one step closer to the Aggie Ring. Texas A&M offers a variety of classes for Summer I, Summer II and the 10-week semester. Encourage your student to make an appointment with his/her advisor to discuss summer options! Community College is another option that many students choose. It is CRUCIAL that your student verifies transferability of community college credits BEFORE he/she signs up. It would be a shame to spend the summer trying to get ahead or taking a prerequisite and then not have it transfer. Encourage your student to contact his/her academic advisor. Check out the Texas Association of Community Colleges website to search for a campus: http://www.tacc.org/tcc_links.htm. Work & Save Money: Another option is to work during the summer. Some students work while taking classes, but others focus on one or the other. If your student is interested in a summer job, visit the sites http://careercenter.tamu.edu or http://jobsforaggies.tamu.edu for helpful resources. Relax and Sleep: Right now this may seem like the perfect choice to your student, but boredom may sneak in after a few weeks. Encourage your student to utilize his/her free time with something exciting or service-oriented. Check out: http://aggieserve.tamu.edu.
What to Expect for Parents of First Year Students Your student is about to complete the first year of college! This is a very exciting time, and he/she is probably relieved that it is almost over, but a little nervous about the summer. Summer is a time for your student to reflect on her/his academic career so far and continue towards their original goals or to create new goals. Just as during winter break, returning home for summer can be trying for students. They are used to making their own decisions and coming and going as they please. You should talk to your student as soon as she/he returns to establish expectations for living back at home. Your student may choose to take summer classes. Summer school adds a new dimension to school work. Classes are accelerated in summer school because of the limited amount of time available. It is important for your student to manage time accordingly. There will be many social activities and strain from the previous semesters tempting your student to procrastinate in summer classes. It is important to stay focused as the workload in accelerated summer classes can quickly add up.
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