College Resources Are Available to Assist in Student Success 

The transition into a college environment is a mix of both excitement and challenges. While there is the promise of new beginnings and personal discovery, there is also the fear of the unknown and the anxiety that comes with it.  

The first-year experience of any college student is very significant because it is the time where the student grows and becomes integrated into this new community. Also, in this first year of college, the tone of the rest of the student’s experience in college is set. 

Beyond this, building strong college connections helps individuals forge long-term relationships which could lead to career success. Outside of academic and professional success, these long-term relationships play a very significant role in the entire success of students both during their college days and post-graduation years.  

A recent study conducted by Daniel A. Cox, director of the Survey Center on American Life Senior Fellow in Polling and Public Opinion), showed that Americans who did not have a college degree experienced greater deterioration of close ties when compared to those who had a college degree. Because of their larger network of friends, college graduates were less likely to feel lonely and had a stronger social support than those who did not attend college. 

While getting the first year right in college is of great importance, there are several challenges students face while navigating their way through this period.  

In an interview with Academic Success Coach, Joy Betz, M.Ed. (joy.betz@tulsacc.edu), she explained that some of the most common issues faced by college students are “personal and family issues, anxiety, time management, finding resources, learning strategies, and communication with faculty.” 

The newfound freedom most first-year college students experience leads to the challenges of managing their schedules as they have never been in contexts that helped prepare them for this phase. In his book, “Making the Most of College,” Richard Light used a study of hundreds of college sophomores to highlight the importance of time management among students. 

Two groups of students were interviewed, one experienced success during their freshman year, while the other group did not. The difference between these two groups was that the first group was aware of the importance of time management and made efforts to manage their time when carrying out tasks. The second group on the other hand was oblivious of this. 

Freshmen may struggle to find and utilize campus resources, especially when they are first-generation students. This is the case for several reasons. Some are accustomed to always fixing things on their own, others may assume that the resources are not an option they can explore, and some others are just not aware of the availability of these resources. 

At TCC, however, there are several resources available to help freshmen get off to a good start and handle the different challenges common to first-year students like time management difficulties, learning struggles, among others. One of those is coaching through Academic Success programming.  

A good place to start exploring this resource is by making an appointment with an Academic Success coach. This can be done on the school’s platform, Starfish. Each student is unique and so is their challenge. The Academic Success coach helps students navigate their way through this very important phase of their college careers.  

Getting into college is a huge step and can be overwhelming. It is during this period that many students decide if they would like to continue their higher education. These resources are easily accessible, and the use of these tools can make the journey much smoother, cutting down on the number of errors students would have otherwise made. 

For more information about college resources, visit the TCC Academic Success Coaching website and see related information from the American Enterprise Institute.  

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