Published on Sep. 25, 2024

Updated on Oct. 22, 2024

By Bre’Awna Warren 

Midterms are just around the corner. With some guided support and resources, you can lock in with schoolwork while maintaining your mental health. From advisors to professors to the Student Success Center, you can find comfort in knowing that Mizzou has your back. 

I interviewed Bailey Reeder, a Mizzou staff member who helps manage MU Connect, a tool that staff and faculty at Mizzou use to help students succeed, stay engaged and earn their degrees.  

“I work with faculty, advisors, student support staff, and students to make sure that the process runs smoothly and accomplishes our goal: provide alerts and support to students to ensure success in courses and in their MU careers,” Bailey said. 

Staff members like Bailey are crucial for helping students stay on track throughout the semester. With the help of flags and kudos through MU Connect Early Alert, students can see exactly where they need to improve and what they are doing well.  

Bailey shared her top five ways to stay on top of coursework:  

• Use MU Connect. See the support services available to you, review the kudos and flags you may have received from your instructors, schedule appointments and request help from a variety of support offices. 

• Check your email. It’s important to check your email at least once daily. Set rules to highlight messages from your support team (academic advisor, mentors, important offices, etc.). 

• Reach out to on-campus resources. Take advantage of tutoring and academic coaching from the Learning Center, writing help from the Writing Center, and more! These resources are free and available to everyone, both in-person and online. 

• Schedule regular appointments with your advisors, mentors and others who are in your corner. You might meet with a trusted friend once a week, your advisor a few times during the semester and your mentor once a month. Just make sure you schedule that dedicated time. 

• Figure out when you do your best work and plan for it. Do you work better in the morning? Late at night? After lunch? Try to coordinate your schedule so you can dedicate your best time to the work you need to do outside of class. Different semesters might call for flexibility, so don’t be afraid to try out new methods to keep you on track. 

These five tips may not work the same way for everyone, but test them out to see what works best for you. Planners are another key factor in many students’ daily lives. Writing out assignments and tasks that you need to complete and the day they are due helps with time management and productivity. 

My advice for fellow students is to get to know the resources in the Student Success Center. Asking for help can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to tutoring. When you arrive at the Student Success Center, you will be greeted by a friendly and knowledgeable student worker who will guide you in the direction of whatever help you need. The staff and students in each of the offices understand that many students wish to receive help confidentially and will respect their privacy. For example, the Online Writery (part of the Writing Center) accepts anonymous requests for writing feedback, and NetTutor (a Learning Center service) offers 24/7 online tutoring. 

Here are a few services in the Student Success Center that I want to highlight:  

Writing Center (main level): The Writing Center supports anyone with a pawprint completely free of charge throughout their time at Mizzou. Writers of all levels can expect detailed feedback and revision options focused on “higher order concerns” and “later order concerns” for any stage of the writing process. Make an appointment. 

Tiger Tutors (main level): Tiger Tutors is a Learning Center program that allows students to learn from students who have already taken and earned an A or A- in the course. Check out the list of courses covered by Tiger Tutors. 

Career Center (lower level): Like Tiger Tutors, the Career Center has knowledgeable staff and students providing help with resumes, cover letters, interviews, finding jobs and internships, and more. You can drop in or schedule an appointment.

Zoe Ziesmer is a tutor for the Writing Center. She has seen students boost their confidence in writing and reach out more for help. Zoe offered her advice on how to be comfortable reaching out to the Writing Center for help.  

“I always ensure to tell students that the Writing Center serves as a welcoming place for vulnerability with writing and as a nonjudgemental environment,” Zoe said. “If a student is hesitant, I’d like them to know that all Writing Tutors are more than happy to help! Everyone starts somewhere on their writing journey, and we tutors know that. It doesn’t come easy to everyone, and our goal is to help students build their confidence in their work.” 

About Bre’Awna Warren

Being a first-generation student at the University of Missouri has shaped my drive and passion for higher education. I understand the importance of a college degree and networking with everyone I come across. With that knowledge, I am passionate about getting to know people and telling stories that inspire people to engage with one another.