Dr. Shelley Howell
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University of Texas at San Antonio
Interim Associate Vice Provost, Teaching and Learning Services
Lecturer, First Year Experience
AIS 1203 Blog
AIS 1203 Blog
Tips from Dr. Howell's Students
| Posted on July 23, 2018 at 4:35 PM |
To add a tip for my future students, respond to this blog entry.
Categories: Tips from Dr. Howell's Students
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28090 Comments
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Tristan Caballero
1:58 PM on April 30, 2019
The best tip that I have to offer is that you have to understand that difficulty and challenges will come more frequently than ever. Embrace those challenges with fierce determination. This is the time to test yourself before it becomes even higher stakes.
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Gabrielle Dunn
2:52 PM on April 16, 2019
My advice to everyone, including college students, is to call your mom (and dad). No, not when you need something from them, but just randomly. It's easy to forget about your home life at college, but I think everyone should take a moment to appreciate the people who brought you to your current position. Even just sending a nice text before bed can really make my mom's day. I'm her last kid who left for college, which I know is difficult for her. I usually make a goal to have an individual phone call with each of my parents at least twice a week. It isn't too hard to pick up the phone and take a few minutes out of my days to make time for family, so I think it's really important for people to do. I personally am from Dallas, so the distance is definitely a factor in how we communicate. If you still live close to your family, be thankful, but don't forget to call either!
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Jarid Light
4:34 PM on April 2, 2019
A tip that i would like to share with future students that would help advance them in their college career is to always show up to class, I may not show up all the time myself, however i am aware that it will greatly benefit you. It will make things much more clearer when learning vs trying to learn from a book, you will also get two different perspectives on the subject( textbook& instructors). Another tip is to always get things done before hand such as studying or doing assignments. When you do things last minute it will usually result in doing things half as good as you would have done if you had the proper amount of time spent on it. I personally can say that my test grades are 100% dependent on the amount of time i spend studying, i sometimes find myself not being able to cover a whole chapter because i waited last minute to study which hurts my test grade. Lastly, never be afraid to ask for something from your professor thinking they would say no whether its a second chance on an assignment test retake, grade round off etc..., a lot are very nice and may surprise you.
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Delia Lopez
5:57 PM on March 4, 2019
Xochitl Betancourt says...
The stereotypical college student meal is microwave food and roman noodle, but there is a way to combat that issue. I have found that pulling an hour or two out of your Sunday to meal prep for the who week will eliminate having to eat microwave food because you already have at least one meal a day prepared and ready for you to eat.
I totally agree with this because I used to eat a lot of frozen foods and ramen during my first year of college because I was just to lazy to cook. But, I noticed my energy level and overall health declining. So, I decided it was time to give my body the fuel that it deserves (nutrients) and start cooking at-home meals. It honestly makes such a difference in your health over time. Your skin glows more, you don't fall asleep in class, you have a lot more motivation to get you through the semester, it's crazy!
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Delia Lopez
5:30 PM on March 4, 2019
My tip for future students in Dr.Howell's class is to interact with their classmates. Having friends in your classes will make it so much easier for you to keep up with the workload since you can support and remind each other of deadlines and exam dates. Your classmates can also tutor you if you're struggling with that class.Another side benefit of having a friend in your class is it can help you brush off stress just talking to someone before class.
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Angelica Martinez
6:53 PM on February 26, 2019
I want to touch on topic that students really dont focus on when in college. Self-care is extremely important and can really affect your academics, which is what you are there for. Dont ignore the signs your body gives you like if you are sleep deprived or low on energy. Take it seriously and it will enhance your performance overall. Manage your time so you have enough time to recover when you sleep and eat good so you can have enough energy throughout the day. If you need a rest day an a break from the "grind" then take it! There is no need to flex how much you overwork your mind and body. Take the time to stop and make sure you are able to give your all in whatever you are doing, and if not, take the time to fix it.
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Marisa Sepulveda
2:24 PM on December 5, 2018
Session Instructor (SI) and Teacher Assistant (TA) study sessions are one of the best things about this campus. I highly recommend that you take every chance you can to go to these sessions. Not only will you refresh on the information learned in class, but you might learn something you didn't catch in class. The more sessions you attend, the more likely you are to get a higher grade on your exams. Highly recommend going to study sessions!
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Marisa Sepulveda
2:20 PM on December 5, 2018
On the first day of my Environmental Science class, we got put into teams where all except one of us were freshmen. Our one upperclassmen member gave us a really good piece of advice that I will carry with me throughout the rest of my college career: Introduce yourself to two people to the left, two people to the right, the person in front of you, and the person behind you. This is the best way to branch out and make friends. And even if you don't end up talking to those people the whole semester, you might end up having them in a future class and that way you know their name. I highly suggest that everyone does this at the beginning of their semester.
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Joe Guerra
6:50 PM on December 2, 2018
All my off campus friends- start thinking about your living situation in advance! Start touring off campus housing for the following year or renew at you current place of residence as soon as you feel certain that you want to stay. The cheapest rates and best deals are going to be offered in October of the year before. Also, consider that moving student housing complexes means you will have to clean and repair any damages as well as moving out all of your belongings before a set date to avoid being charged, and you will be without housing for about two weeks between the move out and move in date, so know what you want and do your homework so you can make the right decision early on!
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Joe Guerra
6:32 PM on December 2, 2018
If we're all being real, you're inevitably gonna make a lot of bad decisions in college. That's okay, because that's how we learn, but let's not learn the hard way. My advice is to make your bad decisions responsibly- be aware of the potential consequences of your actions and plan for them. Some examples would be to have a designated driver or uber on deck. Don't take drinks you didn't watch get poured. Bring a big water bottle to the party and hydrate throughout. Know your limits, measure your partying, and cut yourself off. Always carry condoms, even if they're not for you (that way there's no reason to have unprotected sex when the moment's right but he's not prepared). Simple and small precautionary measures like these can save a lot of pain and heartache down the road.
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Joe Guerra
6:21 PM on December 2, 2018
Everything in moderation. In college, you have a lot of newfound independence. It's easy to get caught up in it and go wild, but you have to remember what you're here for. That being said, don't be working all the time! Explore and have fun, but everything in moderation. Always remember your priorities, and goals.
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Joe Guerra
6:14 PM on December 2, 2018
When studying, don't try and get things done all at once. Break your study time up into short intervals on a more frequent basis, like twenty minutes of studying for a class every other day, instead of trying to spend an hour a day studying for a test three days before. This way, you have sooner repetition of materials and you'll lose less knowledge to the learning curve, plus you won't end up cramming and stressing out right before a test.
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Xochitl Betancourt
8:19 PM on November 28, 2018
Time for a bit of a personal topic, but it needs to be touched. Being in college there is so much work and other things that need your attention more than a baby. College now at days is so rigorous and time consuming that becoming pregnant can really jeopardize your college career. Being at a very large college campus there are always events and resources around campus that can provide you with free condoms and knowledge on how to have safe sex. Not only are these resources good for preventing pregnancy, but they are an excellent way of being informed about STDs and STIs, adn how to keep yourself safe and healthy.
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Joe Guerra
8:14 PM on November 28, 2018
Don't blow off AIS! It's probably the easiest class workload-wise that you'll have in a long while and most of the class focuses on self-development, which you'll be thankful for later! It's also easy to just show up and not participate, but these are discussions that will open your eyes to new perspectives and ideas, as well as lead you to make new friends. So, show up to class and participate, because it's easy and it'll help you in the future.
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Xochitl Betancourt
8:04 PM on November 28, 2018
Being a social butterfly and making fiends is not always the easiest, especially if you are an introvert like me. Something I realized that is actually really helpful, and is not just for show is your peer mentor. The peer mentor you get in your AIS class is honesty a really good social resource. My peer mentor was my first friend, and she was the one who encouraged me to expand my horizons. Take advantage of that free friend, because i promise you will not regret it.
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Xochitl Betancourt
8:00 PM on November 28, 2018
In college, a lot of the time finances can be a little tight, but there is a really big benefit to being on a large college campus. two words, free food. There is always an organization holding some event or the university is doing something and there is always free food. Whether its pizza for First Gen day, or Bill-Miller BBQ at University Oaks Phase 2 Club house, the free food does not stop. There is also a handy dandy food pantry on campus that is always stalked by donations from your fellow students, staff, and faculty on campus. So there is no reason to go hungry, or have to spend a lot of money on food.
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Xochitl Betancourt
7:50 PM on November 28, 2018
There are so many things that can effect the way a person studies. One that I have found to be super helpful, especially if you like to study in your room like me, is that having a messy room effects your studying. Being in a very cluttered, unorganized environment tends to be distracting and causes you to focus on other things than your studies. So moral of the story folks, clean your room.
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Xochitl Betancourt
7:44 PM on November 28, 2018
The stereotypical college student meal is microwave food and roman noodle, but there is a way to combat that issue. I have found that pulling an hour or two out of your Sunday to meal prep for the who week will eliminate having to eat microwave food because you already have at least one meal a day prepared and ready for you to eat.
Reply
Abigail Harrod
4:52 PM on November 28, 2018
The rec classes are really helpful and fun to relieve stress. All of the instructors are really nice and encouraging, and it's also a great way to meet friends. The barre class and kickboxing class are definitely a workout, and are goof for brightening your mood.
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Abigail Harrod
4:46 PM on November 28, 2018
I've found that although they offer tutoring on campus, sometimes it's hard to make these times, or be on campus for the tutoring. Khan Academy offers free tutoring for science and math and it's super helpful because they have videos of instructors working out the math and science problems, and they really break down the information in an understandable way.
https://www.khanacademy.org/
https://www.khanacademy.org/
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