Cammie Wilks, Campus Carrier features editor
Bella Patton, Campus Carrier asst. features editor
At times, being a college student can be overwhelming, especially when juggling classes, jobs, family, friends and other commitments. Freshmen who have only been at Berry for a month now are still trying to adjust, while seniors are simultaneously preparing to graduate and enter the ‘real world.’ Navigating current society and finding a place to fit is a very hard process, but luckily, Berry’s student resources are there to lighten the load.
Berry has been up and running for nearly 125 years, and throughout this time, faculty have always been attempting to find new strategies and ideas for aiding the current student body. Whether students need help with academics, advising or even their mental wellbeing, there are many resources Berry offers to help.
The Writing Center is a resource located in the library available to help students with all phases of the writing process. They house peer mentors that are trained to help with any writing coursework, ranging from humanities courses to STEM classes. The Writing Center can be a great place for students to feel comfortable sharing their writing, as engaging with a peer mentor is often less intimidating than doing so with a professor. The Writing Center is open in The Commons from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sophomore Chase Lamey sits with sophomore Joseph Loh, a peer consultant at the Writing Center, to receive critiques on his work.
“Our ultimate goal is that we want to help folks actually grow as writers, not just leave with that piece of writing in good shape,” Melissa King, director of the writing center, said.
Another resource located in the library is the Academic Success Center (ASC). Once the Writing Center closes, the ASC opens in The Commons and offers peer tutoring for all students from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Students are allowed to drop by without making an appointment to study. The ASC also offers individual consultations covering important topics such as time management, test-tasking, note taking, concentration and more. Both the ASC and the Writing Center are great academic resources for those who need help with coursework and wish to receive it from fellow students.
“It’s pretty easy for students to often fall into the concept of perfectionism and feel like their academics are related to their self-worth,” Associate Director of Academic Transitions Kinsey Farmer said. “Sometimes it’s nice to come into a space where other students are engaging in hard concepts or have questions that end up building community.”
The Center for Personal and Professional Development (CPPD) is an office at Berry that also offers a plethora of resources. Though students are already working through the LifeWorks program, eventually everyone graduates and has to find a job outside of Berry. This is why the CPPD is such a valuable resource, because they are there to help students find jobs and internships on and off campus. The CPPD also provides resume critique, cover letter critique, mock interviews, networking opportunities and more. Whether a student needs help designing a resume or wants to simply learn about the opportunities around them, the CPPD is a great office to turn to.
The Commons, pictured here, hosts the Writing Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the ASC from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Another place for students to go is the resources available in the Ladd Center, designed to assist students who need help with their physical and mental well-being. The Ladd Center is divided into two parts, the Health Center and the Counseling Center. Students who are not feeling well or sick can always drop by the Health Center for a free consultation by making an appointment. The Health Center offers testing, referrals, allergy injections and check-ups to students who are feeling sick. Additionally, the Ladd Center houses the Counseling Center. The Counseling Center offers free, in-person therapy sessions to students who feel as if they are struggling with their mental health. Whether a student is coping with anxiety, depression, stress or simply struggling to adjust to college life, they can make an appointment with a counselor to talk about anything and everything.
“College students are adjusting to their adult life for the first time ever on their own and sometimes they need some assistance with that and how to handle that the best,” Office Manager of the Counseling Center Kimberly Barackman said.
Student life can be difficult at times, but there are many programs put in place at Berry to help students cope with their busy schedules and assist them for their next steps in life. There are so many resources available to all types of students, and there is always someone out there wishing to help.
“Services, learning how to build community, making friends, learning to network and making connections with your faculty are all skills that you eventually take and use in the real world,” Farmer said.