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.
Our wednesday mornings have been going great so far this year at Manhattan Beach Middle School. We want to welcome tutor Tommy to our Wednesday morning tutoring sessions. Ashley has to go student teaching now so we have recruited Tommy to help us out!
We have had a great turnout these past two weeks and have been getting a lot of good press from the school!
The last two times we have been at the Middle School we had 20-30 students show up both times which is better than the turnout from last year.
We are in a new room this year on the 2nd floor and have a lot of space for the students.
We have three tutors that attend the Wednesday morning tutoring to help the students out in any subject that they need.
We have two teacher aids that sit with us in the classroom to help out and facilitate the morning.
The students love coming to eat doughnuts since we bring doughnuts in the morning to get the students pumped up and excited to come to Wednesday morning tutoring.
We will be there every Wednesday at 8am to help students during late start and we hope to see a lot of students there!
If more students start to show up we may extend into another classroom to make sure that we have enough room for all the students!
Many of the students there on Wednesday worked on math and Social Studies.
Only a few of the students who come into the Wednesday morning at students at the Study Hut, so we have enjoyed meeting new students and hoping that they will come to the Study Hut as well!
So far we’ve had a great turn out and MBMS has been great to work with and have worked with us during every step.
Let us know if you have any questions or you can call our Manhattan office at (310)546-2408 with any questions or inquiries that you have!
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.
This month will be one of the busiest weeks for our offices!! PV takes finals this week, followed by Torrance and Manhattan Beach and then Redondo Beach!
We are in communication with RUEF about doing preparation for finals week so e-mail the principal with your support!
This weekend we will be going to both West (Friday 3 to 6pm) and West (Saturday 9am to 12noon) for free Finals Tutoring.
We hope our 7th grade students are having fun at science camp this week.
We were at Peninsula High and at Palos Verdes High for about 5 hours! This past weekend the Study Hut went to both Peninsula High and Palos Verdes High to work with their AVID programs. We had about 10 tutors that volunteered to help out and tutor in all different subjects.
The Study Hut will be open on Monday January 20st – Martin Luther King Jr Day – since schools have off that day.
Please contact the correct branch to schedule appointments with us. Redondo Beach (310)540-5888, Manhattan Beach (310)546-2408, El Segundo, and Newport Beach.
All our students have worked very hard this semester and we are anxious to know how everyone does on finals!
Once finals are over the students in Manhattan can start to prepare for Ski Week the 2nd week of February!
El Segundo Office: (310) 648-8526 – Office Manager Adam – Adam@studyhut.com
The High Schools around the area have been holding registration and students have been preparing for their new classes/schedule for the Fall.
We have had many students here at the Study Hut gearing up for the new year and getting some refresher courses before the school year begins.
For students going to Mira Costa High School, school starts on the 28th of August.. one week and counting. For students attending Redondo Union High School and schools in Palos Verdes, they start school on Tuesday August 27th.
Here are the Study Hut we are closed Monday September 2nd for Labor Day and Wednesday September 5th for Yom Kippur.
On another note, we are also getting back into SAT and ACT training. The first exam of the year takes place in October which many students are signed up for.
We have diagnostic tests every other week on Saturdays at 8am for SAT/ACT/HSPT/ISEE. We had one on Saturday August 17th and the next one we have is on Saturday August 31st.
We have had many students in here for consultations with our co-owner Rob going over scores and getting prepared for their prep.
All our diagnostic tests are free as well as our consultations with Rob.
Past events and/or events coming up:
Our staff went to Parris Middle School for the week to help with registration Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8-12noon.
We helped hand out schedules, assign lockers, and distribute agendas
– We have 15 tutors going to training for AVID on Monday. It is for the AVID programs at Palos Verdes and Peninsula High Schools – teaming up so the whole mountain is on the same page
Today we say goodbye to one of our assistant managers, Rita. Rita has worked here for years between here time in college and getting her masters – both at University of California San Diego (UCSD).
Rita received her masters in Pacific International Affairs – Economic Development and Nonprofit Management | Latin America.
Rita is born and raised in Manhattan Beach and has been through the MBUSD system. Rita attended UCSD for both her undergrad and graduate programs.
Interesting facts about Rita:
– Rita studied abroad/lived in Paris for 6 months.
– She loves Yoga and baking
– Her dream job is to travel around the world.
Rita’s memorable experiences here at the Study Hut:
– The Christmas Party, our Game Nights, and dressing up for Halloween.
Rita will be going to Hawaii this week before she moves to San Francisco to begin her new life and job.
We will miss you! Don’t be a stranger here at the Study Hut!
You might think that Study Hut during the summer would be a desolate place. This notion couldn’t be farther from the truth. While some students head to the beach or to a summer job, many are actually getting ahead by taking geometry over the summer.
Every day, we have geometry students at The Hut cramming their brains with theorems, postulates, and angle relationships. Mr. Hughes is teaching geometry this summer at Mira Costa and his class definitely moves a fast pace. Both our students and tutors can attest to this! The key to staying afloat in geometry over the summer and landing a decent grade is, first, knowing what to practice, and second, actually practicing again and again. Doing more math problems after five grueling hours of class may seem tedious, but our experience as tutors and more importantly, as students, has showed us that this approach leads to success.
It can be overwhelming to decipher what’s important in geometry and what types of problems to practice. This is where Study Hut can help. Not only do our tutors know the geometry course at Mira Costa better than the back their hands, they can also assess your strengths and weaknesses. At Study Hut, we will keep you organized to use your precious time efficiently. In an accelerated summer geometry course, nothing is more important than time management to prevent you from falling behind.
Here are three tips for success in geometry over the summer:
1) Try your best to pay attention in class. Five hours of class is a long time, but you will be in much better shape if you take an interest in the subject and will spend less time at home trying to figure out what the heck you were supposed to learn that day.
2) It is not unusual for a student to occasionally feel overwhelmed and lost in geometry. Trust us, you are not alone! Get help from an experienced tutor at Study Hut. Often times, a second explanation or a different approach will turn a few light bulbs on.
3) Know your postulates and theorems! In order to do proofs, you need to know and understand all of the postulates and theorems in your book. You will commit these to memory more easily by making an ongoing list of postulates and theorems as you learn each chapter. Put this list in front of you every time you do your homework. If you do this, these fundamental concepts will begin to take root in your brain and you will not have to shuffle through your book.
The year is finally over! Congrats to everyone who finished their finals this week and are officially on summer vacation! We have had a great Spring semester and hope to see many of you during the summer here at the Study Hut.
The schools around the neighborhood have all held their commencements and we want to congratulate all the students!! To those going from 8th grade to High School or those going from High School to College, have a wonderful summer and we know you will continue to do well and succeed!
Here are the schools that have held graduation in the area:
Redondo Union High School: Friday June 14th @ 2pm
Mira Costa High School: Thursday June 20th @ 5-6pm at Waller Stadium
Palos Verdes High School: 2pm Graduation on Wednesday June 5th
Palos Verdes Peninsula High School: Wednesday June 12th
Manhattan Beach Middle School: Wednesday June 19th @6:30pm-9pm at the Gym/MPR
For those starting summer school – Keep in mind:
Besides our normal $45/hr tutoring and our SAT tutoring… we have 4 different programs you can sign up for. We have an Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry and summer reading class!
We have many great summer programs that we are offering this summer so here is all the important information you need to know! If you don’t need to sign up for a class – we also have normal one-on-one tutoring for summer school.
The summer courses all take place between July 8th and August 8th – it’s a 5 week program – 20 hours a week – and it costs $495.
We are going to cap the classes at 10 students each so sign up now to make sure you get a spot!
The Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Geometry classes are prep classes to help students prepare for the course that they’re taking in the fall. These classes will be taught by our same tutors that work here, and will either take place on Monday/Wednesday or Tuesday/Thursday.
For the summer reading, get ahead this summer! We have experienced tutors for all the reading levels and for every book on the summer reading lists! Learn to annotate and analyze literature and practice quizzes included!!
If you are interested, you can call the Study Hut!
For Manhattan Beach Location:
Manhattan Beach: (310)546-2408 or you can e-mail: Samantha@studyhut.com
For Redondo Beach Location:
Redondo Beach: (310)540-5888 or you can e-mail: Justin@studyhut.com
The Study Hut is having a bonding night tonight and we can’t wait! We have decided to take a trip to Hollywood together so we can hang out and relax outside of work!
Our tutors always plan fun days and events for the rest of our tutors to participate in! On Thursdays, we always enjoy going to Trivia Night on Thursdays at Hennesseys in Manhattan Beach to have dinner and test our knowledge!!
Tonight we will be caravaning to Hollywood to hang out on the town and have a lot of fun!!
On June 20th, we will be having our end of the year party since school is out and summer is upon us! We want to celebrate each other’s achievements and have a celebration with all our offices for the end of a great year!!
For our end of the year party, we are going to put on our own mini Scholar Quiz – and see who comes out as the winner on top!
Many of our tutors are going on to grad school or going on to other jobs for the summer! We will be sad to see them go – but know that they will do great in the future!
Many other fun events that we have done this semester include:
Rock climbing, camping, road tripping, trivia nights, barbeques, kick backs, fun dinners or lunches, trips to Hollywood, Salsa Dancing, Scuba Diving and many more!
We not only work together but we all friends outside of work as well!! Even though some of us live farther than others, we try our best to get together and hang out outside of work!
So for the end of the year.. for those leaving (tutors and students going off to college): Goodbye and goodluck! We will miss you! Stay in touch and come back in visit! Don’t be strangers!
EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT! All day today our Study Hut Foundation will be holding a fundraiser a CPK (California Pizza Kitchen) in Manhattan Beach in the Manhattan Beach Village Mall Parking – to raise money for our Study Hut Foundation! If you bring in a flier, 20% of each receipt goes to the Study Hut Foundation!
Nestled on a quiet corner in Lomita, directly across the street from the Lomita Public Library, the Study Hut Foundation is perfectly located to conveniently serve the students of Nathaniel Narbonne High School. The Foundation offers the same tutoring and college prep services that the Study Hut offers at its for-profit locations, but it offers them free of charge to the students who qualify to receive a tutoring scholarship. The Study Hut Foundation offers a bright and comfortable spot for students to complete homework, study for exams, and prepare for college. Our young, experienced tutors offer personalized tutoring on all subjects in the elementary through high school curriculum. They are smart, fun, and dedicated to helping students reach their academic potential.
Hours:
Monday – Friday
3PM – 8PM
The Study Hut Foundation aims to provide the same tutoring and test-prep services, which our students in Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach, Newport Beach, and El Segundo have become accustomed to, free of cost to students who could otherwise not afford them.
Afford hard working, motivated students the opportunity to reach their highest academic potential and achieve their goal of attending college.
Improve our community by supporting the good work of committed students.
How Funding Will Be Used:
The goal of the Study Hut Foundation is to support the education of students, in Lomita and neighboring communities, who could not otherwise afford to receive tutoring. As such, the primary function of the funding that the Study Hut Foundation receives will be used to fund scholarships for students who meet Study Hut Foundation qualifications. The scholarships offset the costs of tutoring, including the tutor’s time and the materials used during the session.
