Campus Resources Students Should Start Using (2024)

When you’re a college student, some experiences will be a given. Eating in the dining hall and screaming from the stands at a big game are standard rites of passage. Ditto for the dorm party and the all-night study session. But did you know you could be missing out on fantastic events, opportunities, and services because you just didn’t know they were available? We can’t let that happen. So, we invite you to explore campus resources students like you should start using right away to make the most of your once-in-a-lifetime college experience.

Although none of these underutilized campus resources would fall into the category of essential, they’re the kind of perks that will provide tangible benefits to your education, either because they ease your stress, improve your quality of campus life, enhance your health, pump up your GPA, or make you smarter (yes, smarter). Ready to become master of the underappreciated good stuff on your campus?

Campus Resources Students Should Start Using (1)

For Your GPA

Extra Academic Support

This is one of those campus perks you might not seek out until you find yourself in a deep academic hole. Our advice: Don’t wait until your grade takes a dive before you take advantage of academic support. It’s usually free and it’s proven to help your grades.

  • Writing Center: Make an appointment and get help to solve your grammar and structure issues. Don’t expect a rewrite (you have to do the work), but consultants, such as the editors at USF’s Writing Studio, can help you polish your draft in 45 minutes or less.
  • Tutoring: You will find at least one subject a little tricky (or a lot tricky), so take full advantage of campus tutoring services. USF’s Academic Success Center can help you with a specific subject or simply your time management skills. Consider a peer tutoring program, too, which studies show can be highly effective.
  • Librarians: Often the most underrated educators on campus, college librarians are an amazing resource for the million grade-saving tools, indexes, references, and publications not available on the internet (and some that are, but you won’t have access without a librarian’s assistance).

For Your Convenience

Handy Printing Services

You’re a digital native, so your “papers” have always been submitted electronically, but in college, some projects require a hard copy. Not to worry. Most colleges have printers located around campus, offering free or super cheap printing for even big documents like blueprints and posters, as well as a professional print shop where you can produce bound reports and signs — an on-campus miracle when you’re racing a deadline. At USF, your options include 3-D printing.

Campus Resources Students Should Start Using (2)

For Your Well-Being

Intramural Sports

Get your competitive juices flowing, make new friends, and keep in shape by joining an intramural sport or club sport team. Your IM options at USF range from flag football to Ultimate Frisbee.

Cheap Gear Rentals

No outdoorsy college student ever marveled at the storage space the dorm provides for their camping gear. That’s why colleges like USF offer inexpensive equipment rentals, everything from bikes to tents to kayaks. Another reason to get out there: It just might make you smarter.

Group Excursions

College is the time to explore your world, so many schools offer adventuring programs. These short-term, low-cost trips are usually a quick bus ride from campus, but sometimes the destination is a faraway cave or ski town. It’s a healthy way to blow off steam and make fun-loving friends. USF’s recent adventure trips took students whitewater rafting in Georgia, urban roaming in Miami, and bioluminescent kayaking around Merritt Island.

For Your Spirit

Diverse Religious Services

Adventure trips provide one kind of exploration, religious experiences another. College presents many opportunities to discover new faith traditions, as well as learn more about your own. USF is host to several ministries and all three of its campuses are located in culturally rich metropolitan areas where students can explore many viewpoints, rituals, and expressions of faith.

Life-Changing Service Learning

Call it co-curricular learning, experiential education, or volunteering, the benefits of doing good begin with the warm fuzzies of making a difference, but they often end up providing résumé highlights and a deeper sense of purpose. If you’re ready to engage yourself intellectually, physically, and soulfully, check out USF’s service learning toolkit.

For Your Amusem*nt

Almost Endless Campus Events

At no other time in your life will you have the chance to participate in or appreciate such a wide array of concerts, poetry readings, ballets, art shows, and comedy sketches right outside your door. Check the old-school bulletin boards on campus for colorful flyers announcing upcoming events or keep tabs on campus performances, lectures, races, tournaments, and street parties on your school’s online activities calendar.

Campus Resources Students Should Start Using (3)

For Your Academic Future

High-Impact Undergraduate Research

Too few undergraduate students pursue the opportunity to do important academic research with their professors. Here’s why you should: Undergraduate research will make you a better student, expand your understanding of the subject, and potentially help you get into graduate school. USF’s P.U.R.E. program (Preeminent Undergraduate Research Experience) provides a forum for undergraduates to complete research and share their results through presentation and publication.

Graduate School Test Prep

If you plan to take the GRE, GMAT, MCAT, or LSAT exam in the future, what better way to prepare than taking a test-prep course on your own campus? It’s local, familiar, and often less expensive for students than commercial programs (USF offers a 10 percent discount to students and alumni for its test-prep programs).

In addition to these student “extras,” USF offers other outstanding campus resources for career planning, academic advising, and aid for students with disabilities, to name just a few. If you want to know more about USF’s campus resources, the Office of Admissions is ready to answer your questions. Contact us online, or reach us by phone at 813-974-3350.

Campus Resources Students Should Start Using (2024)

FAQs

Why is it important for students to utilize campus resources? ›

Utilize Resources

Colleges offer these resources to help their students navigate and cope with different challenges they may be facing while also staying on top of their education. If you are a student in need of these services, do not hesitate to reach out to your college to learn how to access different resources.

Which campus resource should you use if you are looking for help deciding on a major? ›

Academic Advisors

Academic advisors help with planning your courses throughout college. They help you determine which classes you need to take, which major best suits you, and how you can stay on track to graduate.

What are two campus resources other than the welcome center and academic advising that you can use as a bellevue college student and? ›

Bellevue College Resources
  • Academic Success Center.
  • Academic Advising.
  • Benefits Hub.
  • Center for Career Connections.
  • Counseling Center.
  • Disability Resource Center.
  • Financial Aid Office.
  • Multicultural Services.

What resources would you use to assist you as you find time to study read and write? ›

Amazing Study Resources For College Students
  • Grammarly. You'll spend a great deal of your college life honing your writing skills, so you'll want an app that helps you spot errors and weak writing. ...
  • Hemingway. ...
  • Evernote. ...
  • Google Drive. ...
  • Headspace. ...
  • Brain.fm. ...
  • Google Keep. ...
  • Brainscape: Making digital flashcards.
Jan 18, 2024

Why don t students use campus resources? ›

Some are used to 'taking care of things' themselves, and some may assume services aren't an option for them. Others may not realize the resource even exists, and some may worry about the stigma of asking for help. Many students are just overwhelmed with a deluge of information during their first few months of college.

What are the advantages of using learning resources in classrooms? ›

Here are other benefits of using engaging learning materials in teaching.
  • Apply Concept. Applying the idea that the students learned in school to a real situation is the best outcome their learning could achieve. ...
  • Increase Motivation. ...
  • Easiest to Learn. ...
  • Promotes Critical and Creative Thinking. ...
  • Fun Learning.
Apr 10, 2018

What resources do students need? ›

Learning resources might include any of the following:
  • Textbooks.
  • Software.
  • Relevant reading materials.
  • Videos.
  • Recordings.

What strategies or resources will you use to succeed in college? ›

Top Tips for College Success
  • Participate and Engage in Class.
  • Organize and Use Time Wisely.
  • Get involved.
  • Meet with a counselor for personal and career counseling.
  • Set, Seek and Meet Goals.
  • Take Effective Notes.
  • Study Effectively.
  • Develop Self-Awareness, Self-Management, and Self-Discipline.

What are the most important five factors to consider when choosing a college? ›

  • Academics. Academics should be one of the most important aspects to consider when choosing a university to attend. ...
  • Cost. The cost of attendance is a pivotal aspect of the college selection process. ...
  • School Culture. ...
  • Housing. ...
  • Opportunities. ...
  • Admissions. ...
  • Study Abroad.
Jun 24, 2022

What are some great ways for students to prepare for an advising meeting? ›

Strategies for Ensuring a Successful Meeting
  • Plan meetings ahead of time, so you're ready before decisions need to be made.
  • Come prepared to share your academic hopes.
  • Consider bringing questions to ask your advisor.
  • Review your academic requirements, plan, and advising notes from previous meetings.
Nov 23, 2020

What is one resource on your college campus that you would recommend to an incoming freshman? ›

DO: USE CAMPUS RESOURCES. Various student resources are available on most college campuses, including writing centers, librarians, tutors, study groups, health services, and counselors. If you need help navigating available resources, check in with your residential advisor or the student affairs office.

What are the three most economical ways to get around campus? ›

College Transportation: 4 Options for Students on a Budget
  • Carpool. One of the most affordable ways to get to school on a budget is to carpool with your friends or other classmates. ...
  • Buy a Car. Although buying a car may sound expensive, it doesn't have to be. ...
  • Local Bus/Train Line. ...
  • Rideshare.
Feb 8, 2018

What are the resource that helps to provide effective learning? ›

These resources include materials for students, such as the School Journal, and materials for teachers, such as the support materials that accompany the School Journal, 'handbooks' like Effective Literacy Practice, and online resources, such as Assessment Online.

What resources could you use to help handle a student's academic struggles? ›

Mapping out ideas using pictures and charts is especially effective with struggling students. Strategies that involve memorizing phrases help students remember concepts longer. When students use all their senses, they remember the material better.

How can I improve my academic skills? ›

  1. Motivation and Goal Setting.
  2. Effective Studying.
  3. Time Management.
  4. Listening and Note-Taking.
  5. Memory and Learning Styles.
  6. Textbook Reading Strategies.
  7. Memory Tips.
  8. Test-Taking Strategies.

Why is campus sustainability important? ›

Initiatives for sustainability on college campuses have grown rapidly in the past few decades due to the increasing concern of climate change and environmental degradation. However, the COVID-19 pandemic generated many setbacks and obstacles for institutions to address health and environmental concerns.

What is the purpose of classroom resources? ›

Classroom resources are a brilliant and effective way to help to teach and learn in a hassle-free easy process. Resources can be for teachers and children such as tools to help with marking or learning tools to help children understand subjects and get the most out of their learning.

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