Although Salisbury University students and staff may be miles from campus, SU is still providing the support students need to succeed.
This article highlights the resources that SU provides to its students ensuring that they can still get the help they need regarding academic and mental health support.
Dr. Lilian Odera, the director of SU’s Counseling Center, shared multiple online resources students can access via the SU counseling website.
"There are resources for coping with the pandemic, crisis resources, self-help resources and apps and resources for finding off-campus providers,” Odera said.
Odera also acknowledged that the COVID-19 epidemic is a time in which students may be falling into not-so-great habits such as:
“…unhealthy patterns such as neglecting academic responsibilities, poor sleep hygiene such as staying up late and/or oversleeping, poor eating habits, social isolation, using alcohol and other drugs excessively and poor physical hygiene.”
To counter these negative habits, Odera also addressed the vitality of optimism, especially regarding student academics.
“It is important for students to maintain a positive outlook about their learning experience during this stressful time,” Odera said.
Although SU’s online learning experience may not feel as though class is in session, students are still in school, and academics still matter.
Luckily, students need look no further than the Center for Student Achievement’s website for academic support.
Heather Holmes, the director of the Center for Student Achievement, discussed a few resources students can use when partaking in online learning.
The CSA has worked to provide students with the academic support they need during the COVID-19 pandemic, including resources such as academic coaching, supplemental instruction, tutoring and numerous online workshops.
These resources were created to help students succeed, Holmes stated while addressing the additional challenges students face with online learning.
“… [students are being] pulled in a lot of directions and being ask to do thing they wouldn’t be asked to do because they’re at home," Holmes said.
Due to the numerous distractions that home-based learning may pose, the CSA has created accessible videos that work to regain students’ focus, structure and organization.
Seth Endicott, assistant director of the CSA and the creator of the "Strategies to Be Successful in Online Courses" video, hopes that this initiative will assist students in creating productive study habits.
“I think the biggest thing is to keep a routine. If students go off the routine for a couple days, it’s going to be hard to get back on."
In addition to students keeping themselves on track, Endicott recommended that they share routines and schedules with those around them to eliminate any outside distractions.
“…letting their support system know what times they are studying. Following through by writing their assignments down and blocking out times to study for each class," Endicott said.
In addition to these helpful tips, Endicott also pressed the need for students to stay optimistic and motivated in their studies.
“Stay positive, work together, communicate early and often. Get help and seek out information proactively," Endicott said.
Listed below are the links to both the Counseling Center and CSA websites. These resources have been made available to benefit SU students during their online learning journey.
If you are struggling, do not hesitate to visit these sites and use them to your advantage. Whether you’re at school or at home, it’s obvious: SU cares.
Counseling Center link: https://www.salisbury.edu/administration/student-affairs/counseling-center/
Center for Student Achievement link: https://www.salisbury.edu/administration/student-affairs/center-for-student-achievement/
By OLIVIA BALLMANN
Staff writer
Featured photo from Salisbury University.
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