Guides: Help Yourself Campaign @ UCM Library: Adjusting to College

Locate books with these subjects and call numbers James C. Kirkpatrick Library in the 3rd Floor Stacks or in our Online Resources.

Student Success (Studying, Reading, Tests, Etc.)

LB 1049 - LB 3610
LC 208.8 - LC 2781.7

Fraternities and Sororities

LJ 31 - 145

Student Success Videos

College Transition
There’s a lot more to college than going to class and studying! A Student’s Guide to College Transition highlights the range of opportunities available to students outside the classroom and underscores why it’s so important to take part in at least some of these activities. Cultivating new experiences and developing diverse skill sets not only enriches the overall college experience but makes students better prepared for employment opportunities. Grounded in research, but also accessible, this video will help students increase their understanding of the best opportunities for students to pursue outside the classroom to ensure skill development, increased knowledge, and overall personal growth. Closed Captioning Available.
Changing Relationships
While in high school, students, their parents, teachers and guidance counselors all tend to focus on the process of getting students into college. And while SAT prep, essay writing, and the college search process are important, what’s equally important is helping students prepare for the choices and decisions they will make while they are IN college. This video reviews important life skills and knowledge development including time management, conflict management, self-advocacy, personal safety, and drug and alcohol use – which are ALL as important as academic preparation in order to be successful in college. Closed Captioning Available.
Positive Habit Building
Habits are small decisions and actions taken day after day, and account for about 40 percent of our behaviors on any given day. Just as good habits can be formed over time, bad habits can be eliminated over time as well. For students entering college it’s important to form habits that will positively affect their success in school. Habits such as what to eat, how much to sleep, how active to be, how to get along with others, as well as the ability to set goals and follow-up on those goals. This video looks at a few areas where every student can improve their habit building skills and create great routines for success in college. Closed Captioning Available.
Conquering Test Anxiety
Students entering college will discover that much has changed from their familiar high school setting. More will be demanded of them; they will be required to be better organized, take more and better notes, absorb more knowledge in a shorter period of time and take tests that may be far more difficult than the tests they took in high school. This higher level of assessment required for college students can lead many to feel what’s called ‘test anxiety’. For some, test anxiety can be so intense it can negatively affect academic success. But there are strategies to help! In this video you will learn how to recognize test anxiety, and how to develop strategies for reducing it. Closed Captioning Available.

Campus Resources

Learning Commons
The Learning Commons provides tutoring and supplemental instruction for difficult courses. It is also home to the Writing Center.
Subject Librarians
Subject librarians can assist you with navigating library resources, managing your research, and proper citations in your paper.
Student Organizations
Join student organizations that appeal to your interests and meet others who share similar interests.

Year-One College Behavior Profile Course

This is a quick self-assessment about attitudes and behaviors concerning alcohol and other drugs. It will give you non-judgmental feedback, as well as resources at UCM and in the community to get more information and receive support.

The course takes about 15 minutes and must be completed in one sitting.

Year-One College Behavior Profile Course

UCM Accessibility Services

The Office of Accessibility Services provides accommodation to students including:

In the Classroom:

Alternative seating
Calculator for math classes or activities
Closed caption and/or descriptive audio for videos or films
Extended time for in-class projects
May need to move, stand, or leave the room during class
Note taker

For Studying and Exams:

Copy of instructor's notes
Spell check/grammar check for essay exams
Reader and/or scribe for exams
Extended time for tests
Distraction-reduced testing environment
Text in alternative format such as data audio, Braille, large print, etc.

In Campus Housing:

Wheelchair or mobility accessibility
Registered emotional support animal or service animal
Private room

Around Campus:

Elevator access including daily use and/or upper level classrooms moved if elevator out of order for a lengthy period
Public Safety needed in exiting a UCM building in time of emergency
Sign language interpreter for UCM-sponsored events
Wheelchair/scooter/mobility accessibility for class field trips, internships, etc.
Accessible parking

UCM Accessibility Services

Collection Highlights

Student Cheating and Plagiarism in the Internet Era by Ann Lathrop; Kathleen E. Foss
Call Number: LB3609 L28 2000
ISBN: 0585318891
Publication Date: 2000-01-01
The Internet, high-tech calculators, and other technological advances have made student cheating easier and more common than ever before. This book helps you put a stop to high-tech and more traditional low-tech forms of cheating and plagiarism. Learn to recognize the danger signs for cheating and how to identify material that has been copied. Sample policies for developing academic integrity, reproducible lessons for students and faculty, and lists of helpful online and print resources are just some of the features of this important guide. A must read for concerned educators, administrators, and parents.
College Belonging by Lisa M. Nunn
Call Number: Electronic Resource
ISBN: 9781978809536
Publication Date: 2021-02-12
College Belonging reveals how colleges' and universities' efforts to foster a sense of belonging in their students are misguided. Colleges bombard new students with the message to "get out there!" and "find your place" by joining student organizations, sports teams, clubs and the like. Nunn shows that this reflects a flawed understanding of what belonging is and how it works. Drawing on the sociological theories of Emile Durkheim, College Belonging shows that belonging is something that members of a community offer to each other. It is something that must be given, like a gift. Individuals cannot simply walk up to a group or community and demand belonging. That's not how it works. The group must extend a sense of belonging to each and every member. It happens by making a person feel welcome, to feel that their presence matters to the group, that they would be missed if they were gone. This critical insight helps us understand why colleges' push for students simply to "get out there!" does not always work.
Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond by C. M. Gill
Call Number: PE1408 .G55837 2014
ISBN: 9781599637594
Publication Date: 2014-04-15
Now with new material on inclusive language, peer review, sample essay prompts, and more, this indispensable guide helps you hone your writing skills for success in college and in life. Every student knows that writing a successful college paper is no small undertaking. To make the grade, you need to express your ideas clearly and concisely. So how do you do it? Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond offers practical strategies to help you: - Write any type of college paper, including term papers, essays, creative assignments, and more - Improve your writing through the process of brainstorming and organizing ideas, researching like a pro, structuring and drafting your paper, and polishing your writing - Master the nuts and bolts by avoiding common mistakes in grammar, spelling, and punctuation - Stay organized and on-schedule with timelines tailored to a variety of papers - Take it to the next level with advice on writing effectively after graduation and on the job College writing may seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. No matter what your major or field of study, Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond helps you take charge of your writing, your grades, and your path to success.