Hello, incoming WVJC students!!!! We are so excited for you to start your educational journey with us here at the WVJC family of schools! To help you on your path, we have made a list of five tips to help you in your classes and foster successful habits in your early days in school!
1. Do Not Procrastinate!
Procrastination causes a lot of stress for college students and is one of the most preventable issues. Just because it is DUE on Sunday does not mean you should DO it on Sunday! You should always look at your assignments on Monday to assess the different expectations for the week. Ask yourself: How long will it take me to complete each assignment? Do I have time to do this right now, or do I need to plan to do this later? How much later, if not right now? Later today, tomorrow, or later in the week? That leads us to the next point…
2. Make a Plan!
Look at what you have each week and plan when you will do your work for school. Be sure to look at your work schedule and the schedule of anyone else in your household, like your spouse, kids, etc. Be sure to make time each day, regardless of time. It can be when you first wake up in the morning or right before bed in the evening but make sure it is the same time each day, and it is consistent to form a routine that works for you.
3. Check and Check Again!
Your assignments not only have to be uploaded but uploaded correctly into Canvas to be graded and get the best grade possible. Our staff wants to help you the best they can, so they regularly check on your weekly submissions. You can help by checking to make sure you upload the correct assignments to the correct classes and by checking to see if your teachers have given any corrections or comments on the work during the week! Therefore, the first check is when you upload an assignment to ensure you uploaded the correct assignments to the correct classes and in the correct format. The second check is to see if your teachers have provided you with feedback to help you as the week progresses.
4. Communication is KEY!
We understand that while planning is great and helps us stay on track, sometimes life happens. When something comes up, it is essential to communicate in advance with your teachers! Communicating confusion about an assignment lets us know how we can best help you. Letting us know in advance if you are having an issue with the technology or meeting deadlines due to a family emergency will help us to make accommodations for you to submit when your issues have been resolved so it is important to let us know! While no one can plan for these events, it is crucial that you reach out as soon as possible. Your teachers will also reach out to you if they notice you are missing assignments to make sure that you are ok but reaching out to your teachers first helps us to help you faster.
5. Who to Contact Explained
We have talked about how important communication is, but now it is time to talk about whom you should communicate with:
| Issue: | Who to Contact: |
| Issues with an Assignment in the Class? | Your Class Instructor |
| Issues with meeting deadlines? | Your Class Instructor |
| Any Technology Issues? | IDT (use the Canvas Help Ticket System) |
| Any Financial Aid issues/questions? | Your Financial Aid Representative |
| Any Program Issues/Questions? | Your Program Director |
I hope these tips will help you make a significant impact in your time with us and help answer some of your questions!