Support Your Student!

You may be wondering how you can support your student as they prepare to finish the semester strong. Although many students experience a heightened sense of stress as finals approach, there are many things you can do to help! 

Remind your student of how hard they’ve worked and how proud of them you are. Encourage them to create a distraction-free designated study space where they can be productive. Send them a care package with healthy snacks and a note reminding them to stay active and get plenty of sleep so they can stay mentally focused and healthy.

Study schedules can help students break up studying into more manageable parts. Your student can schedule an appointment with a Learning Specialist who can help them prioritize their studying and teach them tips on how to prepare for finals.

For help with the content material of their courses, encourage students to book a tutoring session with one of our Camner Center Peer Tutors.

Best of luck to all your students and remember we’re here to help!

3 Tips for Enrollment and Billing Success

Here are 3 tips from the ’Canes Central team to help your continuing students prepare for Spring 2023 and beyond: 

1. Swap vs. Waitlist: Because enrollment can affect billing and financial aid, its highly recommended students enroll in a full schedule of courses that will fulfill their degree requirements and then use the Swap feature to adjust their schedules as needed. | Learn more
2. Spring Billing Dates: Although subject to change, the Spring 2023 bill is slated to be released on Monday, December 12, 2022, and to be due on Thursday, January 12, 2023.  A notice will be sent to students and verified proxies via email when it’s ready. | Click here to prepare
3. FAFSA Priority Deadline for Next Year: The priority deadline for the 2023-2024 FAFSA is February 1, 2023, and all you need are your 2021 taxes to submit.  This process is quick and easy when you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool as it directly imports your tax information. | Understand the importance of this deadline and submit today

Semester Ending

As the semester comes to a close, you may be looking for the best way to look after your child in this stressful time. Final exams are a great time to show your students some extra encouragement and offer the support they need to maintain every dimension of their health and well-being.

Here are a few ideas to help support your student, and promote a happy and healthy final exam season:

• Stop the spread. Stress can inhibit immune system function, and the last thing your student needs during exam season is to be struck with a preventable illness. If they haven’t already, encourage your student to visit Student Health to get their flu shot.
• Show your encouragement. A care package with healthy brain food like nuts or dried fruit can help your student feel appreciated and cared for as they encounter final exams.
• Be an active listener. Sometimes, your student may need an escape from studying and planning. A conversation about leisurely topics such as their winter break plans could make a big difference.
• Don’t overdo it. Check in, but not too often. Keep in mind that your child is busy and might not have time to respond right away.

Finally, remind your student that there are plenty of support resources here on campus, especially during finals season. Encourage your them to take advantage of things like the Counselling Center or the Camner Center for Academic Resources, and remind them that the University is also here to support them.

Aidan Wells is a Health Educator with the Department of Wellness and Recreation. Her goal is to promote a healthier campus community by educating students on the health topics most important to them, and connecting them with well-being resources on campus.

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

A Note from Dr. Whitely

It is exciting to be at this point in the semester. Our students have accomplished much already. Now the must follow through on all of what they have worked on this semester. Students are hard at work preparing for final exams, projects, or assignments. It is important to remind them to take care of themselves while they are spending so much time studying, preparing, and working on completing the semester. There are many resources available for our students through our well-being website. I would like to highlight that our Counseling Center does have an after-hours line that will connect any student to a licensed mental health provider even if they need help at 2 in the morning.

As noted in this edition, Housing and Residential Life has announced the sign-up process for living on campus next academic year. It may seem as if the fall of 2023 is a long way off, but it is important to start thinking about where your student will live for the next academic year. Of all the suggestions or tips I can provide as Senior Vice President, the most important recommendation I have is for your student to participate in the tutorial to use the housing sign up system prior to their assigned time. Many virtual systems are intuitive, particularly for our digital native students, but we have seen students stumble when completing sign up. Please encourage them to attend the information sessions, the first one is on December 20, and, most importantly, to participate in the system tutorial. Information will be made available on the Housing and Residential Life website.

For those families with students who graduate this fall semester, congratulations! We are excited to celebrate our fall graduates during Commencement on Friday, December 16. As we approach the new year, I wish you and your family good health and happiness. Thank you for the many ways you support your UM student. Happy Holidays! We are always here to help if your student ever needs assistance.

Basketball and Hitting the Books!

With the start of a new promising season, students have been lining up to attend ‘Canes Basketball games. Attending the games is just a quick walk on campus to the Watsco Center and a great way to destress. As finals approaches, finding ways to decompress and give your brain a break becomes more important.

Finals is a stressful time so it can be good to have something to look forward to. The end of the fall semester also marks for many, the beginning of the holidays and a much needed break. During the holidays, it’s important to just take a break and reconnect with family and friends back home. Whether that be a “self-care day” or just a fun outing, the winter break gives us an opportunity to reflect and rest before the spring semester. Before we know it, we will be back on campus and hitting the books!

Tatiana Alvarado is a senior majoring in Business Law and Political Science. She is a commuter student from Miami, FL. On-campus she serves as an Orientation Program Coordinator, Student Government Treasurer and as an active member of Hurricane Productions, the Homecoming Executive committee, the Association of Commuter Students and as a Teaching Assistant for Business Technology.