Resource Guide

 Ten Tips for Getting Along with Your Roommate

  1. Be clear from the beginning. Let your roommate know what to expect out of you from the beginning.
  2. Address things when they are little. It is easier to talk to your roommate when things are still small rather than letting issues get bigger.
  3. Respect your roommate’s stuff. Ask for permission.
  4. Be careful of who you bring in the room and how often. Make sure to communicate this prior to bringing people over.
  5. Lock the door and windows. Keep you, your roommate, and each other’s belongings safe on campus.
  6. Be friendly without expecting to be best friends. You may not be best friends with them but you still need to respect one another’s space and life.
  7. Be open to new things. Don’t shoot things down if you have not tried them before.
  8. Be open to change. As the seasons change, so can the relationship with your roommate. Revisit rules and adapt to your changing environment .
  9. Address things when they are big. If something changes and things become an issue, confront the issues. Confrontation is never fun but it is necessary for a successful roommate relationship.
  10. If nothing else, follow the Golden Rule. Treat your roommate like you would want to be treated.

 

Mediation Rules

  1. We agree to take turns speaking and not interrupt each other.
  2. We agree to call each other by our first names, not "he" or "she."
  3. We agree to not blame, attack, or engage in put-downs and will ask questions of each other for the purposes of gaining clarity and understanding.
  4. We agree to stay away from establishing hard positions and express ourselves in terms of our personal needs and interests and the outcomes that we wish to realize.
  5. We agree to listen respectfully and sincerely try to understand the other person's needs and interests.
  6. We recognize that, even if we do not agree with it, each of us is entitled to our own perspective.
  7. We will not dwell on things that did not work in the past, but instead will focus on the future we would like to create.
  8. We agree to make a conscious, sincere effort to refrain from unproductive arguing, venting, or narration, and agree to use our time in mediation to work toward what we perceive to be our fairest and most constructive agreement possible.
  9. We will speak up if something is not working for us in mediation.
  10. We will request a break when we need to.
  11. We will point out if we feel the mediator is not being impartial as to person and neutral as to result.

 

Stress Management

Tips for Self-Care

The best ways to manage stress in hard times are through self-care:

  • Avoid drugs and alcohol. They may seem to be a temporary fix to feel better, but in the long run they can create more problems and add to your stress—instead of take it away.
  • Find support. Seek help from a partner, family member, friend, counselor, doctor, or clergyperson. Having a sympathetic, listening ear and sharing about your problems and stress really can lighten the burden.
  • Connect socially. After a stressful event, it is easy to isolate yourself. Make sure that you are spending time with loved ones. Consider planning fun activities with your partner or friends around campus.
  • Take care of yourself.
    • Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet in Thomson or at Markley’s
    • Exercise regularly. (Ex: Play Racquetball in the West Center)
    • Get plenty of sleep
    • Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out—for example, explore different areas of campus or go visit a friend in another residence hall.
    • Maintain a normal routine

Stay active. You can take your mind off your problems by giving— helping a neighbor, volunteering in the community, even taking a long walk around Winthrop. These can be positive ways to channel your feelings.

According to  www.cdc.gov

 

How to set S.M.A.R.T. goals

S-Specific

Specific goals are simplistically written and clearly define what you are going to do. This is the what, why and how of the goal. For example, these include time frames, specific quantities, and real tangible results.

M-Measurable

Goals should be measurable so there is tangible evidence that you have accomplished the goal.

How will you know you have measured the goal you have set for your self?

A-Achievable

Goals should be achievable but should also challenge you.

They should also be defined well enough so you know that you have achieved it. You must possess the appropriate knowledge, skills and abilities needed to meet your goal. Do not make an unachievable goal.

R-Results-focused

Goals should measure outcomes not activities.

They should measure results and not effort. This goes back to your goal being specific and not vague. How will you know you have met your goal?

T-Time-Bound

Goals should be linked to a timeframe.

Without a time table, there is no sense of urgency nor motivation to achieve the goal itself. Make sure to set a reasonable amount of time for a goal to be completed.

 

Financial Aid Lingo

Remember the old saying that, “free is always best?” It works in college financial aid, too, but what it means in this situation is that you always want to maximize the amount of aid that does not have to be repaid. College financial aid comes in several forms:

  • Grants and Scholarships: Grants are amounts of money that are applied directly to the costs of college attendance. They do not have to be repaid. Grants may come from the federal government, the state where you live, or the college itself. Scholarships include money that is awarded to a student which can be used in any way deemed appropriate. They may be awarded based on merit, affiliation, athletic capability, or many other criteria. Students and parents should constantly seek to obtain as many scholarships as possible.
  • Work-Study Jobs: Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student’s course of study.
  • Student Loans: These are loans which will need to be repaid once the student graduates or stops attending college. They may be provided by the federal government or private lenders.

Advice: Refunds can be used to get ahead on student loans…

Do you know how you are paying for college?

Contact Financial Aid at finaid@winthrop.edu or visit them at the Sykes House, across Oakland Ave. from the Tillman loop!

 

Time Management

Here are few tips for staying on top of your schedule using time management:

  • Stay focused on your long-term goals. List long-term goals and develop a plan to obtain them. It’s difficult to get where you want without a plan.
  • Make sure to schedule everything. Use a day planner to keep track of assignment due dates, tests, group study sessions, and other important events. Plan ahead for scheduled tests and due dates months in advance.
  • Start planning for tomorrow at the end of today. Develop detailed plans for each day, including when you plan to wake up. Set aside time to attend class, eat, study, and relax.
  • Once you have plan in place stick with it. It’s impossible to plan for daily interruptions. Avoid being sidetracked by distractions that can morph into hours of wasted time. Stick to your plan as closely as possible. Don’t ignore emergencies, but refrain from wasting time on tasks that can be dealt with later. If your plan changes, be sure to reschedule planned tasks.
  • Start with the hard project and then move to the easier stuff. Complete difficult projects before moving on to easier ones. You’ll be less stressed and well-prepared for tests. If you are unsure of where to begin, save time by completing simple projects.
  • Break large projects down into several simpler projects. Breaking larger projects into chunks simplifies the scheduling process. In addition to saving time, there is a psychological component to this strategy. Students who see results improve confidence and usually do not waver from goals.
  • Develop a flexible schedule. Create flexible schedules. Schedule breaks and plan for interruptions. It’s important to schedule recreational breaks to reduce stress.
  • If your plan isn’t working out right today there’s always tomorrow. Time management skills are developed through trial and error. Most schedules never go as planned. Don’t give up if you have bad days.