7 Places to Go for Help at MPTC

“No man is an island” nor are we marooned on an island. So, why then do we act like we should do everything by ourselves without any help? Why do we act like we are all alone when, in fact, we are not? We are not stranded here in college as individuals with just a volleyball named Wilson to keep us company while we drown under the pressures of college life.

Moraine Park is filled with people and resources to help you get through your academic challenges, career needs, and life as a student. Think of them as your little Arm Floaties that will keep you from sinking. Here’s a list of places I, or my MPTC friends, have gone to when we’ve needed help:

7. Go to the discussion boards

Many of my courses use an online class portal on eCollege to house information about the class. Some instructors set up a specific discussion board where students can post questions. Other students or the instructor can answer your questions by responding to your post.

6. Email the instructor

If you don’t understand the assignment, you can email the instructor for clarification. However, make sure you’re starting the assignment well before it is due. You can’t expect an instructor to email you back at 11:30 at night the day before it’s due.

5. Meet with a counselor

No matter our situations, we’re all juggling things. Students have families, jobs, extracurricular activities, and class work. The counselors at MPTC are here to listen. They will let you vent out your feelings, and you won’t have to worry about unloading all your stress on your friends or family.

4. Get a tutor

Moraine Park offers free student tutors if you need a little extra help with your classes. If you don’t need help and you are, in fact, doing exceptionally well in a class, become a tutor. You can help out your classmates and earn a little extra cash.

3. Visit the career center

If you’re getting ready to look for a job, stop in the career center first. They can look over your resume and cover letter and give you constructive feedback. They can also provide you with job search resources. If you’re nowhere near graduating yet and need some direction, they have information about potential careers. You can even take an aptitude or interest test to find the right career fit.

2. Use additional resources

My instructors have provided links to helpful web pages, recommended books, or suggested video tutorials about topics we’ve discussed in class. On eCollege, links to additional resources can usually be found in the Webliography section.

1. Go to bed

Your brain can only handle so much. Take breaks. Take naps. If you’re stuck on an assignment and it’s 12 a.m., just go to bed. I’ve always been better off going to bed at a decent time and waking up early to work on something difficult. Start your assignments early so you never have to pull an all-nighter.

Computer Literacy Class

This past Wednesday I began my one-credit Computer Literacy class. It is half a semester long. In this class we learn how to use Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel. If you recall from my previous blogs, I am in the Web Designer/Developer program. You may wonder why Moraine Park Technical College wants me to take such a basic class if I’m already familiar with computers? Well, it turns out that not everyone knows all those programs well, even if they use them occasionally. These programs are used in so many business settings, it’s important you know how to use them. What if your boss wants you to create a spreadsheet or a graph?

I’ve used these programs before, some less frequently. However, I learned a few new things and some quick tips about Microsoft Word the very first night. We learned a little bit about networks as well. Computers on the three Moraine Park campuses are all connected to a network so they can communicate and share files. I learned that we have an “O” drive on the school’s computers. Here, students can save their work and the instructor can go into the folder and view it. This drive can also be accessed remotely (off-campus) through My MPTC portal by clicking on the file icon (blue folder). This is different from the “I” drive I’ve been using.

The “I” drive is another places where students can save their work and access it remotely. However, only that student can access their account, not the instructors. It’s a great backup place in case something happens to your flash drive!

My advice to those who are taking general education classes is, don’t be annoyed with those few required classes that everyone has to take. It’s far less than most four-year universities. You are asked to take them for a reason. They are required to prepare you for your future job. Pay attention in class and you might learn something new like a new shortcut that will make your job faster or easier. If you are more advanced in something than your fellow classmates, help them out. Share what you know in class. You could even sign up to be a tutor and get paid for it.

To learn more about Moraine Park’s tutoring service or to become a tutor, visit http://www.morainepark.edu/services/student-resources/tutoring/#student-resources