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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Abigail Harrod
4:38 PM on November 28, 2018
As a first year college student, I have learned how important it is to properly handle stress. By meditating in the morning you can actually significantly lower your stress levels throughout the day. I use the app Headspace which helps me stay focused... and it only takes five minutes.
Reply
Ethan Santoyo
8:37 PM on November 27, 2018
Martin Montalvo says...
One thing I've learned from this semester is that it's extremely important to keep track of all and any deadlines you have in any of your classes. Unlike high school, in college deadlines are not just given to you; there are very few professors who remind you constantly of a deadline so it's up to you to make reminders for yourself and keep track of the assignments that are due. If you don't keep track of your deadlines you're going to end up having to do everything at the last minute and stressing yourself beyond reason.
I agree with you on the deadlines, in Highschool things were always reminded and forced into your head about when things are due. So far, in college, things have been very different. If lucky, you will be told the day off the assignment is due. It's very important to keep track of everything you have to do now and for the future.
Reply
Ethan Santoyo
8:36 PM on November 27, 2018
Tyler Chanes says...
As an out of state student, I came into UTSA not knowing anything or anyone. Therefore, I will give you all some tips to make some new friends so you can have a much easier time here. Firstly, joining a club is a great way to meet new friends because that way you know everyone there has the same interest as you and so it will be a lot easier to connect with them. Also, by talking a lot in class that's a great way to start meeting some of your classmates which is a good idea considering you'll be seeing them so much anyways. Lastly, you should just sit next to people you don't know whether that be in the JPL, food courts, or the cafe because you'd be surprised how many people will just talk to you out of nowhere (seriously). I hope this helped all my fellow out of state students out there!
I completely agree with you Tyler, as well as being an out of state student myself... I have had to learn how to make friends and throw myself out into the world. When I joined the soccer club, I think that helped me feel more comfortable with everyone because I had something that a lot of others held valuable as well. Also, I do remember that time we had lunch together and became even better friends. It's true, everyone else is almost in the same position as you, we all want to make friends but we all are afraid to talk to others or experience confrontation. We just have to deal with it and move on.
Reply
Tyler Chanes
8:32 PM on November 27, 2018
As an out of state student, I came into UTSA not knowing anything or anyone. Therefore, I will give you all some tips to make some new friends so you can have a much easier time here. Firstly, joining a club is a great way to meet new friends because that way you know everyone there has the same interest as you and so it will be a lot easier to connect with them. Also, by talking a lot in class that's a great way to start meeting some of your classmates which is a good idea considering you'll be seeing them so much anyways. Lastly, you should just sit next to people you don't know whether that be in the JPL, food courts, or the cafe because you'd be surprised how many people will just talk to you out of nowhere (seriously). I hope this helped all my fellow out of state students out there!
Reply
Martin Montalvo
4:24 PM on November 27, 2018
Sometimes things pile up. This doesn't just have to be about assignments. Things could be going wrong for you either emotionally, physically, in school, or at home or all of the above. It sucks and especially in college, when you don't have your old friends and family that you had back home to support you. The key to this is taking a breath and changing your point of view. First of all you have to keep in mind that eventually, maybe not soon, things will get better and this is just a rainy day in a year of sunshine. In addition to this just tell yourself that one day you'll look back at all this and laugh. After you've changed your mindset you can start working toward making things better. If it's a relationship that's gone wrong, then go and start dating again. If school is going wrong, take it one assignment at a time, prioritize, and get each assignment done. Remember that you are human and not an immortal god, you can't do everything and that's ok.
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Martin Montalvo
4:17 PM on November 27, 2018
A big part of college is keeping your time sacred. If you have a huge project to do time everything out and budget your time. If you have an assignment due in a week and your friend wants to go out, make sure you're scheduling out the work taking into consideration one of your go out nights. College shouldn't take up all your time but you should also give it the importance it deserves. Point is, college requires you to time everything out whether it be getting to class on time or having lunch with a friend.
Reply
Martin Montalvo
4:10 PM on November 27, 2018
One thing I've learned from this semester is that it's extremely important to keep track of all and any deadlines you have in any of your classes. Unlike high school, in college deadlines are not just given to you; there are very few professors who remind you constantly of a deadline so it's up to you to make reminders for yourself and keep track of the assignments that are due. If you don't keep track of your deadlines you're going to end up having to do everything at the last minute and stressing yourself beyond reason.
Reply
Madison Kroum
3:11 PM on November 26, 2018
Get it done asap.
I?ve learned in my first semester here that getting things done asap will save you so much stress. Early in the semester when you don?t have much to do, do the assignments you have access to!! For example, right now I am working on my ?other 20%? for Dr. Howell?s class. We had access to complete a majority of the points we need to finish this task in the first week of the semester!! But, here I am getting my points in the last two weeks. I realized that I should have completed my 200 points while I had no other assignments to worry about or tests to study for. But now I am doing all of these things at the same time while working a 40 hour week!! PLEASE follow this tip and knock out everything you possibly can in the first few weeks of the semester! Procrastination is a killer! Don?t be it?s victim!
I?ve learned in my first semester here that getting things done asap will save you so much stress. Early in the semester when you don?t have much to do, do the assignments you have access to!! For example, right now I am working on my ?other 20%? for Dr. Howell?s class. We had access to complete a majority of the points we need to finish this task in the first week of the semester!! But, here I am getting my points in the last two weeks. I realized that I should have completed my 200 points while I had no other assignments to worry about or tests to study for. But now I am doing all of these things at the same time while working a 40 hour week!! PLEASE follow this tip and knock out everything you possibly can in the first few weeks of the semester! Procrastination is a killer! Don?t be it?s victim!
Reply
Madison Kroum
2:56 PM on November 26, 2018
Parking. That?s it. That?s the post.
Parking is a huge topic of discussion at UTSA. Yes, its awful. But if you?re smart about it, it doesn?t have to be too bad. Be smart about what time you show up. There?s either nobody walking to their cars to leave, or there?s a million students leaving? but a million and a half looking for a spot. I have my first class at 11:30 am and I used to show up at 9 am to give myself time to look for parking. As the semester continued, I learned parking strategies. And the most helpful one I can share is to know what time morning classes are released. I used to show up at 9 am, but now I save myself almost an hour of sleep and show up at 9:50 because that?s when everyone is getting out of class and leaving!! Roll down your window and ask someone where they parked. If it?s near to you, ask if you can have their spot guaranteed. At first it is weird, but as you do it more and more, it becomes human nature. Everyone does it and it will save you so much stress in the morning.
Parking is a huge topic of discussion at UTSA. Yes, its awful. But if you?re smart about it, it doesn?t have to be too bad. Be smart about what time you show up. There?s either nobody walking to their cars to leave, or there?s a million students leaving? but a million and a half looking for a spot. I have my first class at 11:30 am and I used to show up at 9 am to give myself time to look for parking. As the semester continued, I learned parking strategies. And the most helpful one I can share is to know what time morning classes are released. I used to show up at 9 am, but now I save myself almost an hour of sleep and show up at 9:50 because that?s when everyone is getting out of class and leaving!! Roll down your window and ask someone where they parked. If it?s near to you, ask if you can have their spot guaranteed. At first it is weird, but as you do it more and more, it becomes human nature. Everyone does it and it will save you so much stress in the morning.
Reply
Collin
2:13 PM on November 26, 2018
To all the incoming freshman one of the best tips I can give you is to plan ahead. Since childhood I've always had people tell me that college is extremely hard. I will say, its not easy, but with the right work ethic, and knowing what you have to do in advance it will help you out a TON for getting good grades. Don't stress, just plan!
Reply
Shelley Howell
9:38 AM on October 23, 2018
Good advice, Grethel. The library has so many resources students don't realize. You can check out electronics and even complete tutorials that help you learn more about how to access information and evaluate sources.
Grethel Villarreal says...
Hi all!
This is a quick tip for anybody who can?t afford textbooks or still hasn?t received theirs. Always look in the library search page online for your textbook. Most of the time, your textbook will be on reserve at the library which means you can check it out and do your work! It?s a reseouce not many people think of using or forget about, honestly. There have been a few semesters where it?s either difficult to find the book or too expensive to purchase/rent, so I?ve utilized this resource. If I ever have free time in between my classes, I make use to spend that time at the JPL because I?ll check my textbook out, do some work, and eat my lunch. Many people overestimate how incredibly resourceful this building is, but don?t let that slip from your mind. Use this reseouce, and the whole building, to your advantage.
I hope this helps y?all, as much as it has helped me, succeed in your college career!
Reply
Shelley Howell
9:35 AM on October 23, 2018
Great statement about how you can easily go through school without really learning anything. You get out of it what you put into it. As long as you try to learn, you will.
Nicole-Angela Dimartino says...
Hi everyone!
As a transfer student who didn't do very well during her first semester of school, I'd like to share some advice about studying! I was one of those students in high school that crammed right before the test, but somehow always managed to get straight As. In fact, I was in the top ten in high school. Let me tell you, it?s totally possible to be successful in school without learning anything or developing any good study habits. If you were like me, you might be tempted (as I was) to continue with your old study routine. Or lack thereof. Do not do that, I'm telling you. The best approach to college courses is to take notes during the lecture and then go home and review those notes. Don't just let your hard work go to waste! You took those notes, so make sure you use them. Although there is some credence to the idea that the very act of taking notes will help you to remember the content, reviewing the notes right away (not right before your test) will help to solidify the information.
It's best to look at college classes in the very opposite way that a lot of us looked at high school classes. Don't try to just learn information for the test, try to really understand the information. This is especially true for any courses related to your major. If you try to cram the information, you?ll be doing yourself a huge disservice when you take any other major classes that expect you to remember the information. On that note, consider investing in textbooks for classes that you know you will build upon in the future. For example, if you?re a chemistry major, consider investing in a physical copy or Chem 1 textbooks so that you can reference them in Chem 2 and beyond. Also, read your textbooks. Just do it and take your time. An hour for a chapter isn?t unreasonable if you?re really paying attention. I?ll leave you with some advice that my AP eco teacher gave me, which I ignored to my detriment: ?If you?re lazy, doesn?t matter how smart you are, you are not going to do well in college. The students who succeed are the ones who have been struggling since freshman year?they?re the ones that have developed the study habits.?
Reply
Shelley Howell
9:34 AM on October 23, 2018
Excellent advice, Nicole. Those exercises and discussion questions are designed to help you think more deeply about the content. When you skip those, you are doing yourself a disservice.
Nicole-Angela Dimartino says...
In my previous post, I talked a little about the importance of reading your textbook. Now I?m going to share a little about how I read my textbooks and why I think that it?s solid advice. To say that I skimmed my textbooks my first semester of college would perhaps be giving me way too much credit. And trust me, it backfired. However, my second semester I got some advice from an upperclassman and ever since then I do the same thing every time I pop open a textbook. First, and perhaps most importantly, take notes. Not only will writing down the information help you remember (I think we?ve all had that ?What did I just read?? moment), but it will also help you synthesize the information and organize your thoughts. Don?t just write down every vocab word. Read paragraphs or sections, then write down what you?ve learned and whatever vocab words seem important. Stopping to write something down every sentence will a) take longer and b) make it harder to grasp the concept that the textbook is trying to convey. Secondly, don?t just ignore all the supplemental material included in your textbook. Answer those practice questions, go online to any suggested videos, use the glossary. Trust me, it will help! Lastly, don?t be afraid to ask questions about concepts in your textbooks, even if the material wasn?t covered in class. Just because your professor didn?t talk about something, doesn?t mean that you won?t be expected to understand the material.
Reply
Shelley Howell
9:32 AM on October 23, 2018
Great tips, Ethan. Over the years I have found that procrastination is every student's worst enemy.
Ethan Santoyo says...
Procrastination
Yes.... we all suffer from this horrible thing called procrastination. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us, professors, your friends, your family, even the people who always seem to have things down and done. I'm gonna try and convince you that it will happen regardless of what you think, and that you should try your best to get it out of the way.
No matter what, it will happen. So buckle up and prepare for 3 test, 2 essays, and a pile of homework to come hit you one week. But, don't stress. You CAN do this. Take a deep breath, drink some water, have a snack... make sure you get enough rest. You can complete all these assignments that seem impossible. You can do anything you put your mind up to as long as you give it your all. Never give up and feel like you can't talk to anybody because everyone is suffering from the same stuff as you. You have to be committed to success. You have to WANT this more than anyone else, if you fail something who cares. It will make you stronger, as long as YOU DO YOUR BEST. Eventually, I promise.... you will succeed. Procrastination is a killer to us all. We think "oh we can do that tomorrow". Then, tomorrow hits and you have more assignments and family comes down and you get sick. Now what? DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH YOUR TIME THAT YOU SO PRECIOUSLY HAVE. Spend your time wisely, spend it with friends yes, your health yes, but also school work and other activities.
Reply
Shelley Howell
9:31 AM on October 23, 2018
Excellent advice, Daniela! Your suggestion to find a buddy is perfect. It's helpful to have someone to bounce ideas off of and help you see the good and bad in your decisions.
Daniela Trevino says...
How To Find Your Passion?
Hello!
Don't you have a dream job? We all have that niche which is the reason why you wake up in the morning. In order to find your passion, ask yourself what strives you. Find your passion and turn it into an empire. I believe most people don't strive for their dream job because it is far-fetched, or you think it is unattainable. With that being said, I strongly believe that it is no excuse if you haven't worked for what you want, because if you really want it, you would do everything in your power to obtain it.
Have a vision: know what you want to do, research everything you have to know about your passion and how you can create it into an empire. Write down your goals and work towards them everyday!
Find your partner in crime: Find someone that has the same goal and passion, link up and work together. This will allow you to grow together and reach your goals of creating your passion to a reality.
Lastly, no one said it would be easy, but once you find your niche you will work to your best of your abilities to achieve whatever strives you every day.
Reply
Ethan Santoyo
6:03 PM on October 22, 2018
Procrastination
Yes.... we all suffer from this horrible thing called procrastination. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us, professors, your friends, your family, even the people who always seem to have things down and done. I'm gonna try and convince you that it will happen regardless of what you think, and that you should try your best to get it out of the way.
No matter what, it will happen. So buckle up and prepare for 3 test, 2 essays, and a pile of homework to come hit you one week. But, don't stress. You CAN do this. Take a deep breath, drink some water, have a snack... make sure you get enough rest. You can complete all these assignments that seem impossible. You can do anything you put your mind up to as long as you give it your all. Never give up and feel like you can't talk to anybody because everyone is suffering from the same stuff as you. You have to be committed to success. You have to WANT this more than anyone else, if you fail something who cares. It will make you stronger, as long as YOU DO YOUR BEST. Eventually, I promise.... you will succeed. Procrastination is a killer to us all. We think "oh we can do that tomorrow". Then, tomorrow hits and you have more assignments and family comes down and you get sick. Now what? DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH YOUR TIME THAT YOU SO PRECIOUSLY HAVE. Spend your time wisely, spend it with friends yes, your health yes, but also school work and other activities.
Yes.... we all suffer from this horrible thing called procrastination. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us, professors, your friends, your family, even the people who always seem to have things down and done. I'm gonna try and convince you that it will happen regardless of what you think, and that you should try your best to get it out of the way.
No matter what, it will happen. So buckle up and prepare for 3 test, 2 essays, and a pile of homework to come hit you one week. But, don't stress. You CAN do this. Take a deep breath, drink some water, have a snack... make sure you get enough rest. You can complete all these assignments that seem impossible. You can do anything you put your mind up to as long as you give it your all. Never give up and feel like you can't talk to anybody because everyone is suffering from the same stuff as you. You have to be committed to success. You have to WANT this more than anyone else, if you fail something who cares. It will make you stronger, as long as YOU DO YOUR BEST. Eventually, I promise.... you will succeed. Procrastination is a killer to us all. We think "oh we can do that tomorrow". Then, tomorrow hits and you have more assignments and family comes down and you get sick. Now what? DO WHAT YOU CAN WITH YOUR TIME THAT YOU SO PRECIOUSLY HAVE. Spend your time wisely, spend it with friends yes, your health yes, but also school work and other activities.
Reply
Daniela Trevino
9:46 PM on October 16, 2018
How To Find Your Passion?
Hello!
Don't you have a dream job? We all have that niche which is the reason why you wake up in the morning. In order to find your passion, ask yourself what strives you. Find your passion and turn it into an empire. I believe most people don't strive for their dream job because it is far-fetched, or you think it is unattainable. With that being said, I strongly believe that it is no excuse if you haven't worked for what you want, because if you really want it, you would do everything in your power to obtain it.
Have a vision: know what you want to do, research everything you have to know about your passion and how you can create it into an empire. Write down your goals and work towards them everyday!
Find your partner in crime: Find someone that has the same goal and passion, link up and work together. This will allow you to grow together and reach your goals of creating your passion to a reality.
Lastly, no one said it would be easy, but once you find your niche you will work to your best of your abilities to achieve whatever strives you every day.
Hello!
Don't you have a dream job? We all have that niche which is the reason why you wake up in the morning. In order to find your passion, ask yourself what strives you. Find your passion and turn it into an empire. I believe most people don't strive for their dream job because it is far-fetched, or you think it is unattainable. With that being said, I strongly believe that it is no excuse if you haven't worked for what you want, because if you really want it, you would do everything in your power to obtain it.
Have a vision: know what you want to do, research everything you have to know about your passion and how you can create it into an empire. Write down your goals and work towards them everyday!
Find your partner in crime: Find someone that has the same goal and passion, link up and work together. This will allow you to grow together and reach your goals of creating your passion to a reality.
Lastly, no one said it would be easy, but once you find your niche you will work to your best of your abilities to achieve whatever strives you every day.
Reply
Nicole-Angela Dimartino
6:03 PM on September 3, 2018
In my previous post, I talked a little about the importance of reading your textbook. Now I?m going to share a little about how I read my textbooks and why I think that it?s solid advice. To say that I skimmed my textbooks my first semester of college would perhaps be giving me way too much credit. And trust me, it backfired. However, my second semester I got some advice from an upperclassman and ever since then I do the same thing every time I pop open a textbook. First, and perhaps most importantly, take notes. Not only will writing down the information help you remember (I think we?ve all had that ?What did I just read?? moment), but it will also help you synthesize the information and organize your thoughts. Don?t just write down every vocab word. Read paragraphs or sections, then write down what you?ve learned and whatever vocab words seem important. Stopping to write something down every sentence will a) take longer and b) make it harder to grasp the concept that the textbook is trying to convey. Secondly, don?t just ignore all the supplemental material included in your textbook. Answer those practice questions, go online to any suggested videos, use the glossary. Trust me, it will help! Lastly, don?t be afraid to ask questions about concepts in your textbooks, even if the material wasn?t covered in class. Just because your professor didn?t talk about something, doesn?t mean that you won?t be expected to understand the material.
Reply
Nicole-Angela Dimartino
5:45 PM on September 3, 2018
Hi everyone!
As a transfer student who didn't do very well during her first semester of school, I'd like to share some advice about studying! I was one of those students in high school that crammed right before the test, but somehow always managed to get straight As. In fact, I was in the top ten in high school. Let me tell you, it?s totally possible to be successful in school without learning anything or developing any good study habits. If you were like me, you might be tempted (as I was) to continue with your old study routine. Or lack thereof. Do not do that, I'm telling you. The best approach to college courses is to take notes during the lecture and then go home and review those notes. Don't just let your hard work go to waste! You took those notes, so make sure you use them. Although there is some credence to the idea that the very act of taking notes will help you to remember the content, reviewing the notes right away (not right before your test) will help to solidify the information.
It's best to look at college classes in the very opposite way that a lot of us looked at high school classes. Don't try to just learn information for the test, try to really understand the information. This is especially true for any courses related to your major. If you try to cram the information, you?ll be doing yourself a huge disservice when you take any other major classes that expect you to remember the information. On that note, consider investing in textbooks for classes that you know you will build upon in the future. For example, if you?re a chemistry major, consider investing in a physical copy or Chem 1 textbooks so that you can reference them in Chem 2 and beyond. Also, read your textbooks. Just do it and take your time. An hour for a chapter isn?t unreasonable if you?re really paying attention. I?ll leave you with some advice that my AP eco teacher gave me, which I ignored to my detriment: ?If you?re lazy, doesn?t matter how smart you are, you are not going to do well in college. The students who succeed are the ones who have been struggling since freshman year?they?re the ones that have developed the study habits.?
As a transfer student who didn't do very well during her first semester of school, I'd like to share some advice about studying! I was one of those students in high school that crammed right before the test, but somehow always managed to get straight As. In fact, I was in the top ten in high school. Let me tell you, it?s totally possible to be successful in school without learning anything or developing any good study habits. If you were like me, you might be tempted (as I was) to continue with your old study routine. Or lack thereof. Do not do that, I'm telling you. The best approach to college courses is to take notes during the lecture and then go home and review those notes. Don't just let your hard work go to waste! You took those notes, so make sure you use them. Although there is some credence to the idea that the very act of taking notes will help you to remember the content, reviewing the notes right away (not right before your test) will help to solidify the information.
It's best to look at college classes in the very opposite way that a lot of us looked at high school classes. Don't try to just learn information for the test, try to really understand the information. This is especially true for any courses related to your major. If you try to cram the information, you?ll be doing yourself a huge disservice when you take any other major classes that expect you to remember the information. On that note, consider investing in textbooks for classes that you know you will build upon in the future. For example, if you?re a chemistry major, consider investing in a physical copy or Chem 1 textbooks so that you can reference them in Chem 2 and beyond. Also, read your textbooks. Just do it and take your time. An hour for a chapter isn?t unreasonable if you?re really paying attention. I?ll leave you with some advice that my AP eco teacher gave me, which I ignored to my detriment: ?If you?re lazy, doesn?t matter how smart you are, you are not going to do well in college. The students who succeed are the ones who have been struggling since freshman year?they?re the ones that have developed the study habits.?
Reply
Grethel Villarreal
3:07 PM on September 2, 2018
Hi all!
This is a quick tip for anybody who can?t afford textbooks or still hasn?t received theirs. Always look in the library search page online for your textbook. Most of the time, your textbook will be on reserve at the library which means you can check it out and do your work! It?s a reseouce not many people think of using or forget about, honestly. There have been a few semesters where it?s either difficult to find the book or too expensive to purchase/rent, so I?ve utilized this resource. If I ever have free time in between my classes, I make use to spend that time at the JPL because I?ll check my textbook out, do some work, and eat my lunch. Many people overestimate how incredibly resourceful this building is, but don?t let that slip from your mind. Use this reseouce, and the whole building, to your advantage.
I hope this helps y?all, as much as it has helped me, succeed in your college career!
This is a quick tip for anybody who can?t afford textbooks or still hasn?t received theirs. Always look in the library search page online for your textbook. Most of the time, your textbook will be on reserve at the library which means you can check it out and do your work! It?s a reseouce not many people think of using or forget about, honestly. There have been a few semesters where it?s either difficult to find the book or too expensive to purchase/rent, so I?ve utilized this resource. If I ever have free time in between my classes, I make use to spend that time at the JPL because I?ll check my textbook out, do some work, and eat my lunch. Many people overestimate how incredibly resourceful this building is, but don?t let that slip from your mind. Use this reseouce, and the whole building, to your advantage.
I hope this helps y?all, as much as it has helped me, succeed in your college career!
Oops!
Oops, you forgot something.