So you’re a freshman or sophomore who made it to spring quarter. Congratulations! You’re nearly done with a year at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and on your way to graduation. From a junior who has been there and done that, here’s some advice I wish someone had told me when I was going through my first few years.
Take advantage of the “free resources” on campus while you still can
Use the R’Pantry, The Well and Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS). You pay for it, so use it! If you need sexual and menstrual health products, take a trip to The Well and grab a few things. If you’re out of food for the week, R’Pantry does walk-ins on Mondays and Tuesdays and appointments. Organizations on campus often host meetings with free food and other giveaways, so take advantage of those, too. However, if you plan to stick around for the free things, you should be interested in the club.
Sometimes, but not always, the Associated Students Program Board (ASPB) table at Nooners and does giveaways for practical items. I got two bento boxes from a wheel spin and still use them. Get that swag while you can! It also helps to follow as many official UCR program pages on Instagram as possible. So many things are being given away for specific events if you know and go, so stay posted on everything happening on campus.
Go to office hours, seriously.
You should go to office hours for breadth classes if you’re struggling in the class, but this piece of advice is more major-specific. In the lower division classes for your major, going to office hours puts you on the professor’s radar. There’s a high chance they’ll recognize your name in an upper-division course later. This is incredibly helpful when you want research opportunities or a letter of recommendation for graduate school. A good rule of thumb is to go to office hours at least twice per quarter.
Before going to office hours, know what you want to talk about and research the professor’s background. Common sense should inform you of what questions not to ask in office hours, but always be courteous and succinct. You can ask for help with understanding a topic in class, how they became a professor, what inspired them to go into the field or what their current research is about. All of these are straightforward, appropriate questions to slowly build rapport so you’re better prepared when you have a big favor to ask of them.
Your advisor is there to help you (if you put in the work).
Advisors can be hit or miss. You might have a super proactive advisor who guides you through your situation or an advisor who seems to be no help. Do not let this discourage you from seeking academic help. If you’re going to your advisor for any reason, do your research and communicate what you want out of a session. For example, if you wish to take courses at a community college, know the courses you want to take, look at your degree audit and come prepared with everything you want from the session. If you feel your advisor isn’t a helpful resource, you can go to another advisor’s walk-in or drop-in hours.
College is hard enough as it is, so make it easier on yourself! Whatever you take away from this humble student’s rambling, I hope you will change how you approach your professors, advisors or resources.
