Start the Semester Strong with First Four Weeks

Dear Rams,

We hope you are settling into campus life and discovering your routine as a Ram. You belong here!

The start of fall always is an exciting time at Colorado State University, and it’s not unusual to have some anxiety in navigating a new slate of classes, friends, and experiences. Focusing on a strong start to the semester can help you ease your academic stressors, and help you build a sense of belonging.

Did you know the First Four Weeks of every semester are especially critical to a strong start and your success as a student? How well you are doing in your classes the first four weeks is a good indication of your success for the rest of the semester. Here’s what you can do to best position yourself:

  • Complete assignments, even the low-point assignments, mini-tests, short writing assignments, reading quizzes, and practice tests offered by your instructors. These “low-stake” activities give you feedback about your progress and can improve your performance later as you have assignments and tests worth a greater number of points.
  • Read, review, and learn about Canvas and your assignment rubrics so that you know what is expected. If you are unsure, contact your instructor.
  • Attend your instructor’s office hours. Office hours are a great time to connect with faculty and build relationships, ask questions, and check your understanding of course content.
  • Ask questions in class and share your insights and listen to the insights provided by your peers. This will allow you to check your grasp of the material and it also will likely help your classmates!
  • Set a goal for each class period such as, “I will stay focused and avoid multi-tasking,” or “I will write down/highlight any concept that I need to look at again after class.” Update your goals weekly or bi-weekly.
  • Anticipate challenges that you may have (e.g., childcare, transportation, working a lot of hours, no computer at home, etc.) and ask for help when you need it.

If you need help, tell someone. Talk to your resident assistant, graduate teaching assistant, lab instructor, faculty, or peer mentor. We are all here for you and care about your student experience. See the list of campus resources below.

We hope you join us in looking forward to a great academic year!

Sincerely,

Janice Nerger, Ph.D.
Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Blanche Hughes, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs

CAMPUS RESOURCES

We encourage you to use these campus resources to help you address challenges as they come up:

Student Support Resources: https://studentaffairs.colostate.edu/resource/students/student-support/

TILT Academic and Tutoring Support https://tilt.colostate.edu/undergrad/

Reserve a Study Room at the Library: https://lib.colostate.edu/services/reserve-a-room/group-study-rooms/

CSU Health Network Groups and Workshops: https://health.colostate.edu/groups-and-workshops/

Get Involved with a Student Organization: https://ramlink.campuslabs.com/engage/

Childcare Resources: https://alvs.colostate.edu/student-parent/rkv/

Find a Job or Internship On or Off Campus: https://career.colostate.edu/job-internship-search/