So you’ve moved away from home, and doing the whole “being independent” thing. Perhaps you go to the store by yourself for the first time, and you realize how expensive avocados are, and you wonder how you’re going to get by. Well, here are some tips from our student office assistants.
As students explore their interests and career goals, it is normal to change majors and minors during the undergraduate years. We advise you to speak with a program counselor throughout this process if you have any questions about your curriculum change, and to consult DegreeWorks to see the requirements for your desired major/minor, as well as your credit progress. (note: if you are incoming freshman and have not started at UP yet, contact the admissions office to change your curriculum).
Half of the challenge in keeping up with college courses is staying organized. With classes having a multitude of information on various platforms it can be difficult to keep it all straight. This post contains a list of some tried and true techniques for note taking and organizing papers and information in college.
1. Choose the best note taking format for you.
There are a lot of different ways to take notes.
Handwritten Notes
There are some professors that will require handwritten notes. In college one scientific study you will hear cited over and over again by profs is the study that shows that student retention of material increases with handwritten notes, and screens in class – even when the student is on task and taking notes – are a distraction to other students. Seriously, I’ve heard this cited at least six times in different classes in my two years at university. So even if you generally type or write digitally, know what hand written note organizational techniques work best for you. Taking notes in class that are difficult to look back on or confusing to re-read are largely a waste of your time. Think of lecture as a built in time to review and study for the upcoming test, and create notes that you can study from a reference later. Try to keep all of the notes for each class in one place, be that in a notebook or a binder. Some students take notes on loose paper and keep those papers in a 3-ring binder. Others have notebooks for each class. These are both good options. Add some color to break up your notes into sections, this helps your eyes skim to important sections later and allows you to find information without rereading everything.
Typed Notes
Typed notes can also be a good option (despite the aversion of many teaching professionals to this format) as it allows for faster writing which can be particularly helpful for slow writers or in classes where a lot of information is covered very quickly. Additionally, some courses rely heavily on slides, and using a computer to take notes directly on slides or to copy and paste images onto notes can create a solid test prep resource. The best computer note taking format I have found is OneNote, which is free to download on Mac, PC, and iOS and has great organization, search ability, and customization.
Note: Learning, much to everyone’s chagrin, does not happen via passive osmosis, so don’t waste your own time and watch YouTube during class. Honestly, the amount of money you waste each class that you don’t actually listen should be enough to at least guilt you, if nothing else, into paying attention.
Digitally Written Notes
This is a great in between of the above two formats! For those that have access to something like an iPad with Apple Pencil or a Surface, this note taking style allows for the benefits of hand written notes along with the search ability and organization of online notebooks. This is the generally more expensive option as most good note taking apps have an associated cost. The apps I recommend are GoodNotes (Mac/iOS $7.99), Notability (Mac/iOS $9.99), and OneNote (Mac/iOS/PC/android FREE).
2. Online resources build up.
I am sure that I do not need to tell you this, but a lot of your work and information will be online! Surprise. Welcome to the 21st century. Although many of you were probably born in the 21st century. Welcome to UP in the 21st century! There are many different places to store and find information online. UP runs on Moodle, the location of online grades, assignments, and readings/syllabi. Things that you download from and turn in via Moodle will be very numerous. It will make your life easier if you organize these things on your computer. Take it from someone who had 16 (?) downloads of her History class’s syllabus on her computer, it’s easier just to have folders or use a Dropbox or Google Drive or any of numerous online file organizing methods.
3. Keep papers organized.
Despite the movement towards having materials available online, you will still receive paper handouts for many of your classes. Please, for the sake of your own sanity, do not just throw these in your back back to be crumpled and lost. You will be given homework, readings, slide printouts, syllabi, test grades, graded essays, and more. Keep these at least until you have received your final grade for the course. Homework provides good practice for tests, syllabi are always handy to know dates, and graded documents are good to have on hand for any potential disputed scores. There are many options for paper storage. Colored folders are an solid options, as long as you can find everything you’re looking for relatively easily – for some they become very messy very fast. If that is the case for you, get something like a 3-ring binder or accordion folder. With a binder you can either invest in a portable three-hole punch (very handy-dandy, but be prepared to have tiny paper circles on and in everything you own) of fill the binder with folders and/or clear paper sleeves and organize papers by course that way. Just keep your papers.
4. Keep track of your assignments and schedule.
A planner! A planner. Seriously. Do not try to keep track of everything in your head. You do not have to buy a really nice personal calendar to make this a reality (although if you want to do that, rock on). There are cost friendly hand-written planner options, or if you are digitally minded there are online calendar/planner apps and sites. I can 100% recommend Google Calendar. They have a task feature that is perfect for putting homework and assignments into your calendar. Keep track of classes, appointments, office hours, and to-dos online accessible anywhere! This is beginning to sound like an ad (#notsponsored), but I can assure you it is simply my zeal for all things Google Calendar. You should also be able to access the Outlook Calendar via your student email and Outlook account that can be used similarly for another solid, free online calendar option.
Your life will be so much easier if you maintain even a basic level of organization in college. Have a rough idea of where those papers are! Know where the syllabus can be found! Have that graded essay so when your professor accidentally plugs in a B- in the grade book you can show them your B+! There are enough stressors in college without having to stress about losing papers of assignments or information from lecture. Wow them with your color-coordinated notes. [Read more…] about Organization & Note Taking
The UP Portal is critical in navigating the academic side of your life here at UP, as well as other parts, too. Utilizing this portal is critical to your success in life on the bluff! Mackenzie, a student office assistant in CAS, will be giving a brief overview of all that the portal has to offer so that you incoming freshman are all set for your first semester.
When you log into your UP Portal, the first screen you will see should look similar to the one below:
We will be going over the functions of all of the programs listed under the “Quick Launch” section. This picture will be a useful reference to return to throughout reading this post, as many of the icons will be referred to. The first icon is the “Mail” icon in the upper left corner. This should bring you straight to the login page for your UP email account, and is an easy way to access that quickly. While we’re on the note of your UP email account, you can also download the Outlook app to make this accessible for yourself on your smartphone.
To the right of the Mail icon is the Moodle icon. Moodle is essential in success in your academics, as all students & faculty have access to it. Professors can upload the course syllabus or assignments to be completed, and students can upload completed assignments and view professor comments. Some professors will also use the grade book feature of Moodle, so that you can keep track of your progress in the course throughout the semester. You will become familiar with Moodle very quickly upon your arrival on the bluff!
To the right of Moodle is the Self Serve Banner. For a more detailed explanation of this, please visit https://sites.up.edu/cas/self-serve-the-basics/. Essentially, all of your personal information can be found through self serve, as well as your financial aid information, student records, employee time sheets, and more.
On the very far upper right, you’ll find a link to the UP Website, where you can find just about any general information you need to find about the University of Portland. Courses and majors offered, the academic calendar, and a directory are just a few of the things you can find on the website.
On the left in the middle row is the Bon Appétit link. Bon Appétit is the company that runs the dining halls, so this is extremely useful in that you can view what’s on the menu for the day, or even 3 days from then. You will also be able to find the nutritional information, as well as allergen lists for the menu here.
Degree Works is located second from the left on the middle row. Clicking on the link should bring you to a page where you enter your login information. You should then have access to seeing information such as your ID number, name, major, class, GPA, advisors, and more. Below that information, you’ll be able to see all of the courses that are required to take and pass for your major. This is extremely helpful in that Degree Works actually sorts what you’ve already taken, what you’re enrolled in, and what you still need to take by color. You can even set up a “What If” page where you can view what your course load would look like with a second major, a minor, changing your major, etc. This is helpful when trying to decide what you want your undergraduate path to look like — what are your focuses and what minors could potentially work well with your major?
Next to Degree Works is Engage. This is where you can find invitations to different events on campus, news, and organizations. This is necessary if you are part of a club or any type of group because invites are typically sent through this.
The Library icon on the far right of the second row will bring you to the Library page of the UP Website. This is where you’ll be able to find books on reserve, which is super helpful when writing a research paper or project of some sort. The Library page is also useful when booking study rooms and such.
On the bottom left, you’ll find the “manage passwords” link. This is pretty self explanatory — this is where you can reset a password, or change a known password.
To the right of this is the Office 365 link. Here is where you’ll have access to Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and more. This all comes for free on your portal. I have found this as very convenient, as I have a MacBook, so using “Pages” and “Sheets” instead of the Microsoft options isn’t always the most efficient when the document ultimately needs to be saved as a Word doc. Definitely utilize this when writing a paper or working on a presentation — it’ll save you a lot of time when you finish!
Lastly, you will find the Student Jobs link on the bottom row. This will bring you to the Student Job Board, where you will be able to find all of the current student job openings. These are constantly changing, so be sure to continue checking this on a regular basis if you are looking for employment, or seeing if there is a position that you are interested in.
On the bottom row, you’ll see a box of three dots. Click on this and it will bring you to a whole page of links that will take you to various different useful places, such as web printing and the patient portal (where you can access your health and counseling info). However, the 11 that you see under “Quick Launch” will typically be the ones you use the most. The others will hopefully be pretty self-explanatory.
Thanks, Mackenzie! If you have any questions about the UP Portal or anything mentioned in this post, send us an email at cas@up.edu
Hear from four of our Student Office Assistants about their favorite “go-to” places in Portland! Whether it be a quick study break, a weekend adventure, or something new to try – Mackenzie, Gaby, Grace, and Sarah have insight on the best places to hit while you’re in Portland.
What you’ll need to be sure to bring:
1. Photos
Photos, although seemingly simple, are a great way to not only decorate your dorm room, but to bring a piece of home with you to school. My closet and walls on my side of the room were covered with photos that I had developed of me with friends and family. It’s a good reminder of all of your support systems (as well as good memories) as you enter the new and exciting, yet daunting phase of your life.
2. Rain Gear
Coming from the Seattle area, I was pretty prepared for the rain that awaited me in Portland. I was ready to go with my rain jackets and rain boots. However, if you aren’t from an area that typically gets a lot of rain, make sure to check that you pack those things! You will not survive the fall, spring…or the winter…….or even the summer, without your rain gear here in Portland.
3. Sweats – and lots of comfy clothes
Your favorite pair of sweats will be a staple item in your wardrobe in college. As soon as I was done with my obligations for the day, such as classes, work, and other activities, I would change into my pair of over-sized Nike sweatpants and be cozy! You won’t want to forget these — they will probably be your most worn clothing item while at college!
4. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks!
You will want to load up on snacks for your dorm room before you start school (especially if you’re someone who likes to constantly eat throughout the day, like me). Luckily, if you have a meal plan, you’ll have Mac’s Market to buy snacks from, but it’s always good to stock up on your favorite bulk snacks before school begins. I brought my favorite crackers from Costco, some trail mix, and some protein bars to start me off. It’s useful to have these snacks because you never know when you’re going to need a study snack, get the midnight munchies, or just be too lazy to walk over to the market.
5. Slippers! (And fuzzy socks)
Slippers — another staple of the college wardrobe! I don’t think I would’ve survived freshman year without my slippers. They would come on as soon as I stepped foot into my dorm room. You don’t need to go buy the newest, most expensive pair of slippers, but get yourself something cozy to be able to slip on when your hanging out in your room! These are also nice to walk around your dorm in — whether you need to go pick up a package at the front desk, walk up to your friends room on the 4th floor, or go switch out your laundry — slippers are the comfiest and easiest shoe to wear!
6. Blankets
If you can’t already tell, I am a fan of comfort and coziness 😊 I think at one point I had four blankets at school with me at once. There’s never enough blankets in my opinion! Not only do I use these for extra insulation when the cold, winter months arrive, but I also like to use them when watching Netflix, or even doing homework. I have this one blanket that I brought from home that now is my favorite blanket — I can’t imagine not having it at school with me now! It also is a little piece of home that I got to bring with me.
7. Any type of poster/messages from friends and family at home
This is obviously optional, as many of these items mentioned are, but I personally enjoyed having these pieces of home. Like the photos, these posters and messages reminded me of special experiences and people in my life. Right above my bed, I hung a poster that I had received after giving a talk on a retreat my senior year of high school. It had the name of the talk on it, as well as messages from peers and teachers who were also present on the retreat surrounding it. I also had little memos and notes from my friends and family hung up above my bed and my desk as well. These may seem simple, but these are the items that you can look at when you’re having a bad day, are sad, or just down in the dumps, and make you feel a lot better.
Things you could probably go without:
1. Your whole closet
I know I’m not the only one who literally brought almost every article of clothing with me to school. I’m going to tell you right now — that is not necessary! Definitely bring what you think you’ll wear, but you’ll have the opportunity during Christmas break (and fall and Thanksgiving break, if you go home for those) to switch out clothes for the different seasons. You don’t need to bring all of your summer and winter clothes at one time. Plus, it’ll save you some space in your closet.
2. Excess of anything, really
When I was packing for school, I was worried about potentially running out of certain things (such as toothpaste, shampoo, etc.). However, it is super easy to restock on this type of stuff. Fred Meyer’s is just slightly over a mile away, so you could walk there to pick up these essential items. You can also restock on these items during breaks (depending on how far away you live). It really isn’t necessary to bring 3 of everything right at the beginning of the year.
3. Any type of large storage
Coming from the girl that brought her entire wardrobe with her to school, I can still say that I did not need any extra storage (other than a small bin for shoes). I had my bed lofted to the first level, so just a bit higher than what your bed at home is probably at. My rule of thumb was that if the storage container can’t fit under my bed, it shouldn’t be in my room. You are sharing a single room with at least one other person (maybe even 2 or 3), so you should try to conserve as much space as possible.
Either you just received your first college schedule (YAY), or you are a college student with lingering questions on how to read your “student detail schedule” on SelfServe. Either way, we are here to help. Here are a few tips to help you read your schedule with ease and expertise:
Textbooks, textbooks, and more textbooks! There are a lot of different textbooks that you might need your freshman year, and a few different ways to get them. Here’s some info from our student office assistants.
Here’s a short post about some tricks and tips for the first week of the semester: when you start receiving your syllabuses.
Everyone has their favorite places around the UP campus. Student office assistants Gaby and Grace went on the ultimate bench tour, and we found some of our favorite benches around campus.