Category: Tips & Resources

Free Apps for Students to Download:

Here are some smartphone apps that will aid you in getting the most out of your college experience. 

Academics:

• Canvas:
  I myself did not realize there was a Canvas app until my 3rd year of college and let me tell you, this app is one of the only I have that sends me notifications. It is super helpful to see when announcements are made, be able to double-check assignments and due dates, and keep track of everything when you’re on the go and don’t have a computer open and on you.
• Chipper:
  Not a fan of planners or want to save the trees one piece of paper at a time? Chipper is an electronic planner that you can sync up directly with your calendar to keep track of assignments, classes, work, and your personal life all in one place. While the initial start-up of the app takes a little bit of time to input all of your classes, work schedules, and such it is a life saver. Most of us have our phones connected to us 24/7 already, so why not make sure you’re staying up to date on everything going in your hectic schedule.
• DuoMobile:
  This app helps a ton, as we have DuoSecurity integrated throughout all of our systems and applications for the university. With this app installed you will get the acceptance prompts right away to your phone, so you can then log in to whatever campus program needed, whether it be for the Michigan Tech app or for Canvas.
• Google Applications:
  If you are a google person, these apps and others are great to have with you on the go. You can quick check-up on things like your email or a shared doc for a group assignment. While the apple calendar is good, we already have a Gmail for our school accounts, so why not just link everything together?
  • Google Calendar
  • Google Drive
  • Gmail
• Michigan Tech App *only for Apple:
  With the new provisions enforced on campus this app is a game changer. Offering the MTU Flex Portal in their main drop-down menu, you no longer have to go click through a bunch of pages to find it. This app also includes your courses, any holds, your “Tech Express”, and all News sources based on campus. Having these things in one place, makes your day just a little bit easier.
• Zoom:
  We all have become quite familiar with Zoom over the last few months of quarantine and school from home. One thing that has been helpful especially this semester, is downloading the zoom app for phones. When you are rushing between online classes at home and in-person class and only have a few minutes to spare, you can switch your online class over to your phone so you can still be present, but book-it to your class on campus.

Career/Job Search:

• Career Fair Plus:
  This is what you need for fall and spring career fair. All of the companies coming in are located on this app, allowing you to book times with them (now with the new age of Zoom being our life), and get a feel for what they do and what they are looking for. When the career fair goes back to “in-person”, a map will be located on the app, to show where specifically you will find each company’s booth.
• Handshake:
  This app is a lifesaver during Career Fair and can be used as a platform for finding jobs. Created by two MTU students, it can connect you to alumni, put you in contact with recruiters, and give you career options geared towards your degree and interests listed on your profile. So, not only is it great during Career Fair, but also at any other point in your life.
• LinkedIn:
  This is a great resource for connecting with others in the job field. It will automatically refer you with others at the university and people who you might be interested in within your field. You can also access it online through a desktop version, but if you’re at career fair and want to connect with a recruiter or someone you meet right away, you can pull up the app and get it done then and there. 

Food/Delivery:

• DoorDash:
  The Houghton area now has DoorDash! Looking to order in one evening, so you don’t have to go out in the elements? You can now order from select restaurants around town, such as the Ambassador and Baby E’s BBQ.
• JoyRun:
  Looking to grab some t-bell, but you don’t have a car? Request a runner who’s already out and about to go pick something up for you! JoyRun allows you to either request or pick up things for other users in the immediate area. If you’re stuck in quarantine and are running low on toothpaste and shampoo you can see if anyone on the app is heading to Walmart for their daily grocery haul and able to pick up a few things for you. Or if you’re out and about taking a cruise and want to make a few extra bucks, let others know you’re able to be a runner for them and be available to make some pit stops while you’re out and about.

Mindfulness:

• #Mindful – Daily Motivation:
  While most meditation and mindfulness apps require you to pay for a subscription, I haven’t found this one to. It allows you to set up times during the day when you would like a motivational message and a reminder to check your breathing.
• Health *only for Apple:
  I believe that this app is already installed on Apple products when you purchase them, but I personally didn’t realize the amount of resources it has. While you can track your steps or activity, there is also the ability to look at your sleep and mindfulness. Both are great resources at the touch of a button, that are free to use without any subscription or further download. 

Director of Programming for the Roszā, Mary Jennings answered the following questions about self-care:

• What do you like to do after a long day to relax?

Sleep! If it’s been a long day, I’m usually wiped out. The thought of adding anything to my to-do list, even in the name of self-care, is unappealing when I’m mentally or physically exhausted. On those days, the kindest thing I can do for myself is prioritize sleep.

• Do you have any favorite books/podcasts/music that helps you get in the right headspace?

Listening to music, all kinds, is so cathartic. I’ve been listening to a lot of Lianne La Havas and Florence and the Machine lately. Before that I was listening to a lot of jazz. Spotify is a treasure trove and there is so much good music out there to discover. Mixing up what you listen to is a great way to shift into a new headspace.

• How do you listen to your body? What signs tell you that it’s time to take a breather or let yourself recharge?

Start by feeling your breath – feeling it in your nose, in your chest, and in your ribs as you breathe in and out. Pause and concentrate on how it physically feels as you breathe. Then expand your awareness to notice whether you are clenching your jaw, or holding tension in your hands or neck or anywhere else in your body.

Listening to your body can also mean noticing your aches and pains, or paying attention to your emotions. For me, minor aches are usually reminders that I need to drink more water. Making sure your body is adequately hydrated is an often overlooked self care practice.

• What do you like to do to recharge?

My first priority is making sure my most basic needs are met – nutritious food, enough water, enough sleep. If I’m still feeling a little drained or crispy I try to prioritize some alone time. This can look like taking yourself for a walk, reading a book, doing some yoga or simply laying on the floor staring out the window.

• Do you have any advice for setting intentions or creating routines?

Start small and commit. The discipline of following through with your intention or goal can be uncomfortable, but also, know that you can do it. See setbacks as opportunities to resolve to keep at it, to try again next time. For instance, if your intention is to wake up 15 minutes earlier each day, but you happen to sleep in one morning, that’s okay. You can still wake up 15 minutes earlier tomorrow, you don’t have to throw out your goal because you didn’t make a permanent change immediately. Or maybe your intention is to be mindful of negative self-talk, or to gossip less. When you eventually get caught in a negative thought about yourself, or you notice that you are fixating on other people instead of yourself, don’t beat yourself up over the slip. Instead, can you acknowledge that your ability to be aware of the slip is a sign that you’re making progress? This can help you stay motivated and keep going.

• Are there any spaces on campus that are nice and quiet, that allow for clearing one’s mind?

Yes, the Tech Trails! We are so lucky to have beautiful, spacious trails right here on campus. Being in nature is proven to reduce stress, and there are so many mental and physical health benefits to getting outside.

• Do you have any advice for people who are new to yoga or mindfulness/meditation practices?

You’re off to a good start simply because you’re open to trying something new. When you’re just starting to meditate, do yoga or practice other forms of self care you might feel unsure if it’s “working.” Making time to tend to your physical and mental health is so important and patience is key when you’re first starting out. Be patient with your body by not stretching yourself too far too fast, and be patient with your mind if you find you’re constantly getting distracted or losing focus.

• What do you wish you’d known or done in college that you know now? Or, what’s a piece of advice you have for your college-self?

It feels like you’re crazy busy (and you are) but this phase of life goes by so fast. Enjoy your friendships and make new ones frequently. Learn to be a beginner by trying new things often – you won’t be good at all of them and that is part of the fun (it’s also a really valuable lesson to learn – how to be okay with being bad at new things). Learn who you are, what you care about and what you value. This is a time to discover yourself.

Making friends in college is daunting to say the least. As a freshman, I remember life in the dorms and being intimidated by all that was available. I was even nervous and confused on how to approach others in my hall. With the vast ability to do whatever and whenever and being a semi-shy individual at the time, it was hard to find what I wanted my niche to be or know who I even was. One part of me would like to think it’s easier to make friends now, but I think that I’m still in the same boat; I just know how to navigate the playing field a little better.

I advocate highly for creating a relationship with your roommate(s). I know that sometimes things don’t always work out, but they are the person that you will always see at the end of the day and be there when you wake up in the morning. You don’t have to try to be someone you’re not, they’ll already see the real you by being in such close proximity, which can be nice in a way. You don’t have to break down any barriers or walls, you’re already being your authentic self in your very little space you now call home.

My Aunt Kim, who works at Northern (I know, I know, it’s our rival), has always given the best advice for making friend’s while in college. She always had something to say, as this is something she deals with quite often in her line of work on campus. “Don’t wait for an experience to come to you or for a great experience to happen. You need to make it happen.” This has been ingrained in my mind since day one of college. Constantly participating and putting yourself out there per se in terms of joining orgs. and attending events is crucial. How are you going to make friends by sitting in your dorm all the time? Which is funny to say, because that’s the boat we’re all in right now!

Despite being stuck inside due to the global pandemic, the university and all of the different orgs. have been really proactive in finding ways to still stay connected. It’s also nice, because everyone is in the same boat. We’re all figuring this out together, which has been making relationships even stronger, from what I’ve noticed. While you can’t physically go out and meet others, there are still zoom events and different orgs. on social networking platforms to connect with. There’s also E-sports, which I always forget about due to being busy with school and work, but I have only heard great things about it thus far. If you’re into video or computer games, that would probably be something really neat to check-out. I also know that Greek life is still doing recruitment at a safe distance, if that is something you’re interested in.

All in all, the message is – we hear you. It’s tough enough to make friends without the presence of a global pandemic putting a damper on just about everything face-to-face. In the meantime, give it all you got and attend all the zooms and introduce yourself to everyone. It might be terrifying to put yourself out there, but I promise you that the relationships you will create will be some of your most treasured. Thus far, I can say that the friendships I’ve gotten to make in college are ones that I know will be lifelong despite distance, pandemics, and time-zones.

Welcome to a new age of school! Many of us are going back to school by staying right at home. I know that for myself, it can be so hard to stay focused and get work done when my bed is calling my name for a nap or my phone reminds me that Netflix just released a new season of my favorite show. I have had to implement new habits into my life to be successful in school, and I want to share those with you.

Pick a spot that isn’t your bed (or the couch)

I know how tempting it is to pick the comfiest spot in your home to get work done. But the bed is for sleeping, and you might be tempted to do so if you pick that spot for studying. The same goes for a couch. It can be far too easy to sink into the couch and get lost in your favorite TV show.

Insted, pick a spot where you have to sit upright, just like you would if you were attending class in person. Perhaps you already have a desk, a vanity, or even a kitchen island. The regular old kitchen table works well too! By sitting in a spot that mimics regular school, your mind will subconsciously prepare itself for learning better than it would in bed.

Make sure the area is decluttered and distractions are minimal

Take just a few minutes to clean up the area you will be working. With a clean space, your mind can be more clear and you have maximum space to work. It won’t be very helpful if you can’t put down your laptop or notebook down flat. By having a clean work space, you can also spread all of your resources out in front of you so it is all easily accessible. It takes up a lot of time to constantly be flipping and shuffling through everything that you need to be learning the material.

Additionally, by removing distractions, you can stay focused for longer. I beg of you, move your Nintendo Switch out of your line of sight, you will be far less tempted to play Animal Crossing that way. This also includes other objects such as fidget toys, footballs, yoyos, and any other random things you may have obtained over the years.

Find a time ratio that works for you

There are a lot of time ratios for studying and taking breaks. If you can work for hours without taking a break, that’s fantastic and we’re all jealous of you. If you are not that person, a very popular time ratio is 25 minutes of work, with a 5 minute break. Maybe you function better on a 50/50 split. Maybe you can work for 45 minutes and only need a 10-15 minute break. Just make sure you hold yourself to the restricted break time. Remember, the sooner you get your work done, the sooner you can truly relax (or take a nap).

Additionally, get competitive with yourself. When you set that timer, challenge yourself to see how much you can get done in the time-frame you’ve chosen. That’s how I clean my room so quickly. It is also how I stay on track and hold myself accountable.

Now that you’re actually ready, set goals for yourself

There are two main ways to set goals: qualitatively and quantitatively. Setting a qualitative goal mean you’re setting goals that have to do with improvement, and quantitative goals are goals that you want to get a certain amount of something done. It is also possible to have a combination of these goals.

Some examples of qualitative goals would be: editing the paper you wrote, reviewing your notes, understanding the learning objectives from the chapter. With goals like these, you aren’t necessarily getting a set amount done, but rather doing a task that improves your recollection of the information or improves the quality of the work you did.

Quantitative goal examples include: doing 1, 2, 3… or even 10 more problems on your homework (or just finishing it). Reading a set amount of a chapter, and completing a certain number of paragraphs for that paper you have been putting off.

Music isn’t the best, but…

If you need music and simply can’t get work done without it, I understand your struggle. However, if I may, I have a few suggestions to improve your work ethic.

Try and pick music without lyrics. Whether you know the words or not, your brain wants to focus on what it’s hearing and it will jumble up the words your reading or writing with what you are listening to. There are plenty of instrumental playlists and channels are various services such as Youtube, Pandora, and of course, Spotify. I sometimes find instrumental music to be far too sleepy. Additionally, if it is the instrumental version of a song I already know, I find myself singing along anyways, so my personal recommendation is the genre lofi. It is free of lyrics, but also upbeat. It helps me tune out the outside world, but doesn’t put me to sleep.

Test yourself, again and again

It has been proven through many studies that testing your knowledge helps you learn and remember the important information better. There’s four easy ways to go about this, among many others. Those four easy ways are learning objectives, end of chapter review questions, example problems, and practice exams. Very often, teachers will provide learning objectives for the course material, or they will be laid out in the beginning of a chapter. Most textbooks have questions at the end, and you can copy problems like math equations with new numbers. Some teachers provide practice exams before the real deal. By the time you get done working on notes and homework, quiz yourself!

If you can effectively explain a concept or define something (bonus if you can do it without referring to your notes), then you likely have a deeper understanding of what the chapter was referring to. Ever hear “teaching something is the best way to learn it” – it’s so true! Practice explaining things to friends or even to an imaginary student. For problems such as math or chemistry, testing your abilities repetitively will help reinforce the steps to solving the problem. Both end of chapter questions and practice exams are direct ways of testing your knowledge of definitive answers. And practice exams are great on their own because they are a direct example of what your teacher’s exams look like.