Soon, if not already, will be that time of the semester where everybody is burned out because of school, work, family and friends. Students will be turning in papers late, an essence of “transferitis” will begin to manifest, and people will be more careless than they already are.

What is the problem?

When students start slacking off, they either forget all the important resources that can help them through their slacking, or they just get too apathetic to go out and ask for help.

Not just books

In every college there exists some sort of library. Skyline College’s library is not just a place that has books stocked on shelves; it is a place that has all kinds of resources, such as books, encyclopedias, magazines of different genres, computers and, on the computers, special research links.

Aside from what the library has to offer, there are people in the library whose job it is to help students. Right when you walk into the library, you will see an information area where librarians are ready to help anyone.

In the very same building the library resides, you will find The Learning Center. The Learning Center has a comprehensive reading and writing lab, tutorial help, and areas where peers can help each other do their work.

The Learning Center is also accessible to people with learning disabilities. For example, there is a new computer program designed to help students with dyslexia located within The Learning Center.

Another place to do work is the Center for Advanced Learning Technology in building 2. Here, students just need to log into the lab to use the computers provided.

To seek further help, the second floor of building 2 is known as the One Stop Center. Here, you can get help from a counselor, the admissions office, the financial aid office, the nurse’s office, or the transfer and career centers, conveniently all in the same general location.

In other words, the One Stop Center is a great place that can answer any question ranging from where to get academic help to transferring tips or even finding a job.

If you don’t need help, but instead just a quiet place to study by yourself, there are places on campus where you can get your fix. On a non-foggy day, you can sit on the picnic benches to the side of building 2, or if you like the indoor atmosphere, check out the cafeteria or the café in building 1.

With all these places in mind, a student slacking off is halfway to success, but it is up to you to make your own success happen.

…And you shall receive

The most common predicament that students face is the fear of simply asking for help. According to instructional aide Manny Peix from The Learning Center, “The problem with students is that they are too apprehensive.”

Peix also mentions that, “Students think that if you ask for help, you are dumb. But, those who do ask for help are the smart ones.”

Skyline College has many resources upon request, and even offers free tutoring, which not all colleges provide without charge.

“Students in college shouldn’t do things alone,” said Melissa Komadina, counselor for the MESA Program and Honors Transfer Program. “That is why there are resources on campus.”

If students do not need help, Komadina still encourages them to keep on track by seeing their counselors.

Komadina’s promising words before her next counseling session: “It helps to get help; I just don’t want students to give up.”

But most importantly, if you are stuck with your academic work, ask your teacher for help. They assigned the work to you, and they will be able to help you.

So, how does someone avoid mid-semester slacking?

Easy. Use the sources around you, because they will help you in more ways than one.

There are places and people to go to get help. You may not get all the information that you are looking for, but by asking for help, you gain an extra advantage to finding more answers.

“Anybody that needs academic help should be able to get help.” Peix said.

Did you know?There are an estimated 117,859 libraries of all kinds in the United States today. -American Library Association