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10 things to know before going to college

February 26th, 2014

1. You Probably Shouldn’t Take Your Whole Closet

Dorm storage space is one thing that many incoming freshman overestimate. Depending on the size of your wardrobe, it might be a good idea to consider leaving everything but the necessities at home. Besides, you might find you don’t need as many clothes as you think–most college laundry facilities are easy and inexpensive. Many colleges even offer free use of washers and dryers. It’s a good idea to do some research before you start school to see whether or not you need to stock up on quarters. Some colleges even have high-tech laundry services that will text you once your clothes are ready. Be sure to do a little research into your college’s laundry facilities before you pack for college.

2. Every College Has Different Rules on What You Can Bring

It is essential that you check the list of approved and prohibited items from your college before you move in. Rules vary from school to school, and you may want to hold off on buying that mini-fridge/microwave combo until you make sure you can have them in your dorm. Even things you might not think about, such as power strips or halogen lamps, might be prohibited by your university.

3. You Might Not Like Your First Roommate (And That’s Not the End of the World)

For your first semester of college, odds are you’ll have a randomly picked roommate. And while it’s completely possible that you will be the best of friends, it’s also possible that you might not get along. This can be uncomfortable, but remember that with classes, clubs, and other campus events, you probably won’t be in your room very much anyway. By the time the semester is over, you’ll most likely have found a friend to room with for the next term.

4. First Semester Classes Might Not Be That Great (But They’ll Get Better)

For your first semester, you’re probably taking a first-year seminar, some gen-ed classes, and perhaps a big lecture hall 101 type course. Some of the big, mostly first-year classes aren’t the most engaging, and first-year students are frequently taught by graduate students rather than the college’s professors. If your classes aren’t what you had hoped for, keep in mind that you will soon be in smaller, more specialized classes. Once you pick your major, you can start with the major-specific classes as well. Even if you’re undecided, you’ll have a wide range of classes to choose from, with everything from upper-level science courses to creative fine art studios. Just remember to register as soon as you can before the classes fill up!

5. Know Where You Can Get Good Food

Food is an important part of the campus experience. Most colleges have multiple dining options, and it’s a good idea to try them all your first semester. If you want to know the best place to eat, or if you need vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-free options, you can always check the college’s website, or just ask your fellow students. Don’t forget to try outside the college, too–college towns almost always have good, cheap food.

6. You Might Not Be Able To Bring a Car (And You Probably Won’t Need One)

Whether or not you can have a car on campus your first semester depends entirely on the college. Some colleges allow them freshman year, some won’t allow them until sophomore year, and some won’t allow them at all. You’ll want to check with your school before you end up with a parking ticket. The good news is that if you’re not allowed to bring a car, you probably don’t need one. Many schools offer public transportation, such as a shuttle or taxi, or a bicycle rental service. If all else fails, most campuses are designed to provide everything a student needs within walking distance.

7. The IT Help Desk Is a Wonderful Place

Some of the most helpful people on a college campus can be found behind the IT Help Desk. Whether you need help connecting to the internet, getting set up with any professor’s assignment drop box, figuring out how to find and connect to a printer, or recovering a lost document, the IT Help Desk is an excellent resource. It is also a good spot to go if your roommate accidentally spills coffee on your laptop. There’s no guarantee the IT folks can fix everything, but it’s a great place to start.

8. There Are Tons of Things to Do (And It’s Pretty Easy to Find Them)

The last thing anyone should be worried about is being bored on campus. Almost every college has a host of student clubs and organizations, frequent campus events, and other activities. They’re not hard to find, either. Colleges usually have a list of registered student organizations, and there are often fliers and posters all around campus for things to do and clubs to join. Some clubs even have their own social media sites, which could help you not only learn about the clubs, but also contact current members.

9. Plan Out Your Academic Career Early (But Don’t Be Afraid to Change It)

In order to make sure you have all the credits you need to graduate on time, it’s a good idea to plan out your courses early. Don’t forget to plan for general education requirements and classes you need for your major. But keep in mind that your plan won’t be written in stone. Most students change their majors at least once during their college careers. So, while it’s a good idea to have a plan for your academic career, keep in mind that you’ll probably end up changing it.

10. You Can Get Good Grades and Have Fun

A common fear when starting college is that there will be time for either studying or having fun, but not both. The truth is that with good time management, it is possible to get good grades in all your classes and still have time to be in clubs and go have fun. If you manage your schedule well, you may even get a decent amount of sleep, too.

Things to Keep in Mind for the New Semester

February 5th, 2013

Finals are Over!  Some Things to Keep in Mind for the New Semester!

We here at the Hut are proud of all of our students for conquering the recent wave of finals. It was a wild week for all of us, but we made it!

While all of you students have earned the right to relax a bit, we wanted to remind you of the academic opportunities a fresh semester brings about. Remember that time you had to scramble before a final exam to land that awesome grade you wanted? With your grades resetting, now is the perfect time to make your next finals a breeze. A clean slate means you can quickly grab and hang on to that ‘A’ you want. The work at the beginning of the semester is much easier than at the end. If you keep yourself diligent with homework and early assignments, you’ll have a much easier time come finals. Just think: wouldn’t it be nice to go into your math final knowing that the grade you get on it couldn’t drop you to a ‘B’ even if you lit it on fire?

The passing of finals also offers us the opportunity to assess the strengths and weaknesses we had the semester before. Even if you didn’t get that grade you wanted in that tough class, you’ll be able to learn from the experience. Now, you can adjust your study habits to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

All of this is the perfect opportunity to make sure that you keep those stress levels low by the time finals pop back around. It’s about always learning, even from our shortcomings. As always, we’re here to help.

 

 

FINALS SEASON

January 16th, 2013

It’s that time of the year again… that cliche statement.. “the most wonderful time of the year”… Ok, not really… but it is FINALS SEASON.

Today is one of the busiest days for the RB Study Hut since PV high are taking their first two final exams today! Good luck to all the students today!!

This past weekend the Study Hut went to both Peninsula High and Palos Verdes High to work with their AVID programs.

We were at Peninsula High for 3 hours and at Palos Verdes High for 5 hours.

This weekend we will be going to both South (Saturday) and West (Sunday) for free Finals Tutoring.

The Study Hut will be open on Monday January 21st – Martin Luther King Jr Day – since schools have off that day.

All our students have worked very hard this semester and we are hyped up for what next semester is going to bring!

 

Investing in Education

July 30th, 2012

Just a couple weeks ago, we were all waiting in anticipation for our long overdue summer break. Now, summer is at its peak, and while we do enjoy our vacations and coffee breaks, the academic semester is just around the corner, and it is time to start investing in what matters by taking initiative. Instead of waking up to a sluggish summer hangover, why not buckle up before the academic storm hits and start preparing for your semester courses? Study Hut’s tutors are not only available to help you cram for midterms and term papers. We are also here to help you gear up for SATs, APs, or even Geometry. Take advantage of the last couple weeks of summer to get ahead of your peers. When you go shopping for your back-to-school supplies, remember that learning is merely facilitated
by textbooks, paper, and pencil. — your actual success in school will depend on your attitude, preparation, and dedication to your studies.A couple of hours every week goes a long way in preparing you for the coming academic semester — choose to sacrifice a couple hours of this fading summer for a significant head start on your courses at school.
We at Study Hut call this ‘investing in education’.

Adelia’s Summer Enrichment

July 25th, 2012

This summer, as manager, I have been presented with the opportunity to actually tutor! Normally, the hustle and bustle of the Hut prevents me from my real passion, teaching. One of my regular and favorite students in here over the summer is Adelia. She has diligently come in twice a week throughout the summer to study Spanish and Geometry. I admire her confidence and motivation to get ahead of the game and become prepared for the classes she will endure in the fall.
Starting out with Spanish 5/6 in the fall she went ahead and bought the book that her high school, Mira Costa, uses so that I can start teaching her the material. Once fall comes she will be prepared with the vocabulary and will be strong with the grammar. Throughout the course of these few weeks she has already improved in both her retention of vocabulary and her ability to speak and comprehend the language. Last year, I tutored another student in Spanish in preparation for Spanish 2. He excelled in his Spanish class receiving a high B opposed to D+ he received the semester prior. A little elbow grease in the summer goes a long way when it comes to learning a language. I have the confidence that Adelia will be able to start and finish this year strong.
Similarly, math skills are just as important to maintain during the summer. Adelia already has a solid understanding of the primary concepts in Geometry and will have gone through the first few chapters of the Mira Costa Geometry book by the time summer has ended.
Most kids are resistant to summer tutoring and believe that it will take up their entire summer. Adelia, however, is extremely active. She owns a horse is Palos Verdes and rides him every day. She is extremely happy with her progress she has made this summer at Study Hut.
Not only can we provide enrichment for math and Spanish, but also French, English, reading comprehension, physics, history, biology, chemistry and whatever else, you name it, we have a tutor for it! Bring it on fall semester!

Ski Week

February 13th, 2012

Ski-Week is upon us! Time to goof off, watch TV, and do nothing, right? WRONG! Ski week is an opportunity, my friends, and one that I suggest you ALL take. We suggest to ALL of our students (regardless of GPA) to come to their regular appointments during Ski-Week, because this is the time that can prepare you for the rest of the year. The Manhattan Beach Study Hut is open and ready to help!

Don’t get me wrong, you should absolutely use this week as a chance to relax, decompress, and recharge the batteries. Just not for the whole week. As the semester goes on, more and more information and work will be piled onto you. And understanding most of this material will be dependent on understanding the material that came before it (most importantly, the information from the very beginning of the semester). If you miss out on even a single lesson, you can find yourself losing points all over the board, and missing out on understanding entire chapters.

That’s where this week comes in. Ski-Week is a wonderful opportunity to make sure that you’re foundations are firm for the rest of the semester, thus giving you a better chance of success. This is what you should do:

1.) Make a list of all of your classes, and organize any graded material.
2.) Go through all of the graded material, and correct all mistakes.
3.) Find out what material you don’t understand, and bring it to one of the tutors here, so you can relearn the material.

If the final semester of the year is a barren, desolate, scorching desert, then Ski-Week is the oasis in the middle. It’s your opportunity to gather the resources, energy, and support you’ll need to cross that haunting wastleland. So, in short, find out your problem areas, come in and SOLVE those problem areas, and then go off and enjoy your well-deserved vacation. Happy Ski-Week, y’all!