What’s next after registering for classes? New and returning students alike may face challenges throughout the incoming semester. Many Sinclair students balance their academic endeavors with full-time jobs and caring for their families.
Karla Knepper, Sinclair’s director of academic advising, offers five pieces of advice for all students to ensure academic success throughout the fall semester.
Attend class.
The first step to acing a class is showing up and taking a seat. Log into eLearn weekly, starting at the beginning of the semester, and communicate with your instructor in case of missed classes.
“Sinclair faculty are amazing,” Knepper said. They are always available to support students and will be your guide to catching up on any in-class assignments that have been missed in case of an absence.
Manage your time.
Understanding one’s schedule is a key component to setting up academic success.
“It’s really important for students to look at their whole week and look at, like, when do you have classes? When do you work, when do you have childcare?” said Knepper.
Self-awareness is key to figuring out what balance looks like. Step back, look at the upcoming week and work out priorities.
Always work proactively on assignments; Knepper emphasized the importance of turning in assignments in a timely manner and not minutes before they are due.
Keep reminders.
Knepper explained that keeping a visual schedule and handwritten notes around her home have helped her to work more efficiently and continue to leave a lasting impact on Sinclair’s student body.
Filling in time blocks, keeping a calendar, or leaving post-it notes on frequently used areas like the bathroom mirror can improve focus on assignments. This can also help track any obstacles students may face during the semester.
Communicate with advisors and classmates.
“Find a friend,” said Knepper. Communicate with instructors and advisors, and find a classmates to collaborate with, keep you accountable, and help you catch up if you missed class.
Knepper recommends talking with your advisor about which classes you are taking and what they can offer for your long-term goals.
She also stressed the resources available on campus. Sinclair offers services through their writing, math and biology labs; tutoring center; counseling and various student accommodations.
“We are a very, very lucky school in that we’ve got lots of student support services, so use those resources,” she said.
Find your “why” and remember it.
Sinclair hosts countless success stories, which extend beyond the years spent in school. “It is amazing to see how students leave campus and immediately give back to the community,” Knepper said.
Knepper recounted times when she has watched students make their way through the graduation tunnel and how each journey was unique. Some students were the caretakers of their families, other students were in their sixties and seventies, while others were still in their teenage years. Every student has a “why.”
She noted that challenges along the way should be embraced. “It’s supposed to be hard, and the ‘hard’ is kind of what makes it great,” she said.
A sense of purpose can be vital in making it to the end of the graduation tunnel. Students who find their “why” and allow it to carry them forward may be pleasantly surprised by their academic success.
Josofine Addison, reporter
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