Tutela a guiding influence

When I was a first-year undergraduate at the University of Missouri, I began my quest to graduate with a 4.0. I wasn't a partier, and my high school had prepared me well, so my goal was attainable. I focused on my studies as completely as I could; I even finished papers early so I could discuss the drafts with my professors. Before finals week, I reviewed every single note, every book, and planned out the essays I'd write on the finals in humanities courses. I did all the physics problems I could find. During the actual finals, I felt confident, prepared and calmer than most of my peers. I didn't feel that stressed.

The day I arrived home, my dad and brother and I watched a comedian on HBO. I was sitting on a footstool in the middle of the living room, trying to figure out what to do with myself for the summer, idly listening to the comedian. He said, "They put me in a mental institution for four years after high school." He paused. I thought, "Man, that stinks! I hate the way teenagers get forced into places they don't want to go! We need more control over our own lives!" I was in hyperdrive from finals, and I'm a political analysis kind of woman anyway. So my brain was running and running until he saidÉ "Oh sure, they called it college!"

I snorted, then grew hysterical. I laughed 'til I couldn't laugh any more. I laughed so hard that I flipped backwards off the footstool and landed on the floor like a helpless bug, laughing the whole time.

When I finally stopped, my dad and 10-year-old brother had these looks on their faces. They had no idea why I had been laughing so hard. Easy, Mike and Dad. STRESS.

End-of-the-semester stress creates a palpable tension in the air on campus. People look down more as they walk more quickly; either work out harder or drop their work-outs completely; frantically go through weeks without once pausing to take a deep breath or notice the light through the trees. When it's all over, the entire town breathes a sigh of relief and says, "Ah, it's BREAK!" But tests, finals, papers, group projects, and who knows what else still await us at this point in the semester.

A completely stress-free life, however, would be useless and foolish. Here at NDIL, we'd like this issue of Tutela to help you avoid hardening into an armadillo's shell during the semester and collapsing into a gelatinous mass when finals are over. In other words, we want to help you keep some balance in your lives. To this end, we've provided an array of tips on dealing with stressed-out students and dealing with your own stress. We also introduce our new Academic Planning Counselor and let some experts tell you how they deal with stress. Finally, Rey Sandoval and Regina Hatcher suggest some reading that will help you take your mind off your own stresses as you get swept up in other worlds.

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With this issue of Tutela, we say goodbye to one Academic Planning Counselor and hello to a new one. Brian Wissink, who worked as an APC for four and a half years, left in October to pursue a new life in Rochester, Minnesota. Brian, who was our senior counselor, is planning to enjoy the outdoor recreation opportunities in Minnesota as well as his new life as a married man. Congratulations, Brian!

Our new Academic Planning Counselor is Pam Bhalla. Pam, who has worked in the Office of Affirmative Action and whose daughters attended the University of Iowa, came aboard October 9th. She has taken over Brian's caseload in the sciences and business, and is a welcome addition to our staff. Welcome, Pam!

Pam Bhalla, New SSP Academic Planning Counselor

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The end is near, but not near enough. As students begin the long freaked-out trek toward finals, Roger Child, director of NDIL, and Dr. Emmanuel Enekwechi, senior staff psychologist from University Counseling Services, remind us of the many resources NDIL and UCS offer and give stress-busting tips of their own--tips for us as tutors and as students.

According to Child, it's common for tutors to get frustrated with their students, especially if midterms pummeled the students' grades and self-confidence. "We don't offer hazard pay for that kind of frustration, but we offer many resources, like books in the NDIL library and Academic Planning Counselors," he said. Sometimes it's not the material that students struggle with as much as the learning methods and organizational skills. "If a tutor recognizes a student needs better time management or study skills, Terry Ishitani, the NDIL Learning Coordinator or an APC is a good resource to tap. A tutor can visit Terry and not even identify a student, although if the tutor does, Terry can tailor his response to the specific student and steer the tutor in the right direction," Child said.

Child was quick to remind tutors that there are often underlying issues that hamper progress--issues that trained counselors can help with. "We don't expect tutors to take on the role of counselor, but there are things a tutor can do, like emphasizing progress and just getting a student to breathe and relax a little," he added. According to Child, tutors and students alike often overlook the opportunity to talk to someone at NDIL about the bigger issues. "We're not licensed psychologists," he reminded, "but we're good listeners."

Sometimes a student is indeed so overwhelmed that he or she should visit a licensed psychologist, like Dr. Emmanuel Enekwechi from University Counseling Services (UCS). UCS is a service included in the student fee structure, so it's free for students. Students might feel that visiting a counselor or psychologist is frightening, but Enekwechi explained the process clearly. He said that although each case is unique, the first thing he would do for a stressed student is to uncover the real source of the stress.

"Is it because they aren't doing well on tests, they have too heavy a load, poor time management skills, outside pressure too demanding?" he said, "I ask this, then uncover how they've been coping. They usually have coping strengths Ð which we want to retain Ð but we also brainstorm how we'll change their unadaptive coping mechanisms, or what just doesn't work."

It's important that the counselor and student work together because the student needs to feel a sense of ownership of the strategies, he said. "Even if I have tons of ideas for coping, I don't just throw them in people's faces. I want them to come to conclusions on their own; I guide them and offer suggestions when they need them," he explained. He may send a severely stressed student to Student Health for further help and possibly medication; they may have a panic disorder, anxiety attacks or a depressive disorder, Enekwechi said. "If you go to class, take good notes, reread texts and notes, maybe even have a study group and your heart is still jumping into your throat three days before a test, something is wrong. You are prepared and should feel prepared," he said. Dr. Enekwechi pointed out that anxiety is not in and of itself an awful thing. "It's a motivating factor. It only becomes a problem when it's overwhelming," he added.

What about a tutor getting overwhelmed with a student? As discouraging as tutoring sessions may become, Child cautioned against taking things too personally. "If a student becomes irresponsible about keeping appointments, for example, tutors can feel it's because the student doesn't like them, but it's usually completely unrelated. Your student is not there to give you a test. "Tutors would like to feel their students will learn to the maximum capacity, but that's an unfair expectation. There are many possible issues at work, and you should never assume it reflects directly on you," he said.

Dr. Enekwechi and Child had their own ways of dealing with stress in college. Enekwechi said he objectively looked at his schedule as a whole. "By developing in my mind a bird's eye view of my requirements, I planned my time so I was on top of things," he said.

Child chuckled, folded his hands in his lap and leaned back in his chair. "I wasn't good at dealing with stress as a student," he said. "I tried to tough it out on my own, which is not the best plan." Now, Child advises students to develop diverse interests and find something that offers a legal and healthy escape. "I turn to gardening now. I find it relaxing to work outdoors and pull weeds," he said, miming a yanking motion in the air. "Finding something completely different from school is good, but remember it doesn't make the cause of stress go away. You still need to talk to someone, either someone here or an outside counselor."

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Little Girls in Pretty Boxes, by Joan Ryan

Welcome to the real world of women's gymnastics and figure skating--the real world that happens away from the camera: at the training camps and in the private lives of these talented teenage competitors. From starvation diets and debilitating injuries to the brutal tactics of tyrannical gymnastics guru Bela Karolyi, this book portrays the horrors endured by girls at the hands of their coaches--and, often, their own families.

Rey Sandoval, Tutor and Peer Assistant

The Harry Potter series

Currently, there are four books in the Harry Potter series. Written by J.K. Rowling, this series depicts the life of a teenage boy. Harry Potter is no normal boy, however. He is known throughout the wizarding world for his part in the demise of the evil Lord Voldemort, who killed his parents just before the infant Harry vanquished Voldemort. Because Harry was sent to live with non-magical relatives (like every non-magical person, they are known as Muggles to the wizards), he remained unaware of the truth until his tenth birthday, when the first book begins. On his birthday, he receives an invitation to attend the Hogwarts School of Wizardry, and the adventures begin.

When Rowling is finished, the series will consist of seven books, each depicting a year of Harry's education at Hogwarts. If you're stressed, you might want to pick up the first book and join Harry in his journey of self-discovery. You'll get caught up in the coursework like Potions and Magical Creatures and find some relief in the fast-paced Quidditch games as you lose yourself in the wizarding world.

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Whew, the end of the semester sure can be challenging! Stress affects all of us at this time of the year, and often we worry too much, get angry too often, and procrastinate too much.

Stress is not all in your head. It has a significant effect on your body. Sometimes, this can be coped with by altering your physical routine. For example, you can develop good eating habits or get some exercise or improve your sleep. Although you can't turn away stress simply by putting a smile on your face, improving your overall attitude can also have a powerful impact on the outcome of your stressful situations. One way to improve your mental attitude is to control your time.

"How can I do this when I'm already stressed and don't know what to do?," you might ask. The key to success for getting things done is to set up plans using aids such as planners or spreadsheets. Then stick to your plans, and devote yourself to completing the task during a given time period. If you're not sure how to prioritize, my suggestions are:

1. Clarify your goals

2. Set up due dates and time estimates for your study plans

3. Record and analyze how you spend your time

4. Reward yourself for completing your goals and tasks.

If you're a procrastinator, you might need to look into the reason(s) behind your procrastination. Sometimes you have so much work you can't figure out where to begin. In this case, you may be able to break down the difficult tasks into smaller, easier tasks. You can also find a task that is easy and quick to get you started. Then you may want to give yourself a reward for getting the task done, such as talking to your friends, watching TV, or reading a fun book (see Book Nook for some recommendations).

I hope that my suggestions here are of some help for the end of the semester. As experienced students, you have developed your own ways to handle stress. Please share your ideas with your students, who are struggling to manage their stress.

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You know who they are, and you probably don't like them--the students who are still calm after the wrath of midterms and the impending attack of final tests and projects. But you also know that they annoy you mainly because you're freaking out, feeling behind and dreading finals more than the next political campaign. Thankfully, you can always rely on Tutela to uncover the secrets of these superstar students, such as Keita Kashiwagi.

Kashiwagi is a graduate student of secondary science education and, of course, an NDIL tutor. He said that he always does well at the end of the semester and that he only needs three days to prepare for a test. But he wasn't always this on top of things. "My junior year, when I looked at my University progress report, I thought, 'Oh my God, my grades are terrible.' At that moment, I knew I had to shape up. Some people need others to push them, but I think it works better if you come to that conclusion on your own," he said.

Kashiwagi described the tricks and methods he uses to prepare for big assignments and exams:

Make a to-do list --"If I feel overloaded and don't know where to start, I write down everything I need to do and put it on the corner of my desk. Before I go out on Friday night, I write down all I have to do the next week. When you put it on paper it doesn't seem that bad," he said.

Write down important dates right away -- "I immediately write down test dates and when I need to start studying for them. I need three days to get an A. If I have two tests on the same day, I block off six days, three days straight for each," Kashiwagi said.

Focus on one subject at a time -- "I don't like mixing subjects," he said, "I'll sit down and do eight hours at a time of one subject, taking short breaks when I need them."

Don't study when you're tired -- "Even if I have a lot to do, I don't do it if I'm tired. I've gotten good at taking catnaps. It's a super-useful tool if you can take one to two hour naps, but I find that any longer than that will drain you. "If it's 1 a.m. and I still have two hours of studying left, I have three choices: I can blow it off, stay up till three, or go to sleep and get up early. I'd rather get up early and then feel refreshed when I study," he said.

Give yourself a pre-reward -- "If I know I have a lot to do, I'll give myself a reward, like ordering pizza, before I start. That way I've already taken my prize, and it forces me to do the work so that I've earned it," Kashiwagi said.

Exercise to relieve stress -- "When I'm stressed, I get jittery and feel like I'm jumping off the walls," he said, "so I exercise to keep things in perspective and calm down."

Of course Kashiwagi's tips won't work for everyone, but his ideas can help us all remember to relax and focus, instead of spending the last six weeks of the semester running on empty.

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Diane Finnerty, diversity resources coordinator in the Office of Affirmative Action, presented the October 10 tutor workshop on Diversity and Cultural Competency. We first played a rousing game of Diversity Bingo, then talked about the implications of this game. Many of us--especially those of us who grew up in the U.S. educational system--are raised with a Euro-centric education, Finnerty explained. Hence, we are often unaware of other cultures and our assumptions about them, she said. Finnerty used questions such as "How many Asian-American historical figures can you name?" to illustrate her point.

According to Finnerty, as a tutor, you should ask yourself questions to raise your consciousness level; for example, what do you assume about your students and what do your students assume about you? She also presented different stages in cultural identity development such as passive or active acceptance and passive or active resistance for both majority and minority groups. She asked tutors to explore what stage they're in and how that might affect the tutor/student relationship.

Sophomore Sean McEvoy said, "Diane was an excellent presenter. As a student from a rural background, I'm concerned about diversity awareness. I found the workshop to be insightful and reassuring."

Damaris Castro, a graduate student, agreed, "The information was very useful, not only for tutoring but for life in general."

If you're interested in learning more about the identity stages and cultural competency, Finnerty's packet of handouts is available in Suzi's office in 310 Calvin.

The NDIL Program Coordinator, Dr. Johnnie Sims recommended two books on diversity that tutors might find challenging and informative. They are Valuing Diversity on Campus: A Multicultural Approach, edited by Cynthia Woolbright, and Multicultural Relations on Campus: A Personal Growth Approach, by Woodrow Parker, James Archer Jr. and James Scott.

Sims explained that tutors could get together with friends to try some of the exercises in these books. She said that tutors would have fun and "find activities that challenge you to move outside your comfort zone about race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and sexual orientation."

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You have one pumpkin pie for the holiday dinner. Everyone would like a piece. What is the maximum number of guests you can serve by making only four straight cuts with your knife?

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