Biological Sciences Scholars

My major concerns are academic related, and doing well, especially about chemistry/Spanish/biology. Also forming good study habits/Effective studying -  This is very understandable and appropriate! My best advice is approach any difficulty early and often, using your academic advisor, instructors, the Younkin Success Center (https://younkinsuccess.osu.edu/), etc. to address any specific concerns right away. Chances are, these people have helped students just like you resolve your issue, and it's easy for them to help you. And remember that the first year in a new environment is always the toughest - it gets easier after this!

Burnout - There are number of factors that contribute to burn out, so to identify where to start, I encourage you to visit the student wellness center (https://swc.osu.edu/), and take the wellness assessment (https://swc.osu.edu/on-demand-services/wellness-assessment). This can help you determine what parts of your life may need more attention and what services that OSU offers to help with those parts. Please don't try and go it alone, especially when there are so many people and tools that can help!

Not overwhelming myself/Work overload/keeping up with classes and work - I definitely recommend an organizational system that helps you plan ahead and allocate your time to top priorities. I use a digital calendar (and require that everyone make appointments) as well as a running 'to do' list. I review my calendar at the beginning of every semester and write in obligations and deadlines and when I see a bunch piling up, I put reminders in early (sometimes with a fake deadline) so I avoid the weeks where everything comes due at once. When things go unexpectedly, I also reach out to people to move deadlines or get extensions. I try not to do this often, but sometimes it's my only option. Each person may have a different system that works for them, so I encourage you to explore your resources and then organize and prioritize!

Time management/Balancing my workload between school work and other activities/making time for more extracurricular activities - Choosing what to do when is hard! I've put some books on the first page of this guide with more information on time management. My best advice is to have a system of organization and prioritization, and change it if it doesn't work as well as you'd like. Eventually you will have a system that works for you. Also, what I wish someone had told me earlier about time management: You can do anything! But you can't do everything :( I have to choose what is important and that means other things won't happen.

Staying organized - There are all sorts of methods of staying organized, from apps to bullet journals, and in my opinion, having any system is better than no system! I've put some resources in answers to other concerns in this box, but also please consider looking into some of the books listed in the first page of this guide. And if you have a method you like, please share with your classmates!

I am concerned with the lack of outside information about the university that does not stem from the university. Do you know where I might be able to find more information on the university criticizing it so that I am not just fed praise from the university from itself? There are many independent sources of information on OSU that may be useful, including the student newspaper, the Lantern (https://www.thelantern.com/), and trade publications, such as The Chronicle of Higher Education and Inside Higher Ed. Additionally, accreditation agencies and federal oversight offices often publish annual reports, as well as reports of inconsistencies on most higher education institutions. For example, the US Office of Research Integrity reports any investigations of research fraud from federal funding and all universities and colleges are required to publish an annual safety report on crime. While these sources of information may not directly criticize OSU, they will detail any wrongdoings or simply provide less-biased data. For instance, the latest safety report from OSU is here: https://dps.osu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/annual_security_fire_safety_report.pdf. 

Keep Learning website: https://keeplearning.osu.edu/