As I come to the midpoint of my senior year, I am realizing how much the resources available to us on campus have tremendously helped me. The Center for Learning Resources, Center for Student Success and the Career Development Center have given me security and reassurance that I can go out into the “real world” and be a productive member of society. I can confidently say I am comfortable with the way that I have been prepared to leave the university and enter the workforce. However, with all things there is a certain amount of give and take and push and pull. All of these resources have a never-ending amount of possibility and opportunity that come out of them, but you have to be willing to make the appointment and utilize them in a way that will benefit you.

I always like to have some type of plan. Even if the plan is to do something last minute, I like to be fully aware of what I am getting myself into. It all began my freshman year. I was taking the hardest English class I have ever taken in my life and about three weeks into the class, I noticed my grades were already way lower than I expected. I am not exactly sure how I found out about the Center for Learning Resources (CLR), but once I started going I saw a vast difference in my grades. I went primarily for a writing tutor to look over my papers and fix tiny things, but it soon became a regular session to enhance my writing. I started doing so much better that I decided to start making more appointments for different classes. The best thing the CLR does is that, every semester when your schedule changes they give you a personalized list of tutor sessions that are tailored to the classes that you are taking that semester. I do not know who is behind that part of the CLR, but it is probably one of the most helpful things when it comes to being able to plan out your study sessions.

Walking into sophomore year I was battling back and forth with being a marketing or a communications major so I decided to visit the Center for Student Success. You can find everything you need to be prepared for graduation in this place. Even now when I walk in there I take a few of the schedule guides, as they make life so much easier. They also have a packet filled with all of the core curricular classes needed in order to graduate. That was probably the thing I used the most between my sophomore and junior year. As for the staff, they are remarkable and really listen to what you have to say. They are like advisors that are not major specific. You can go to them about questions about different careers, advising, and general questions about how to be successful while in college and when you get out. I feel like they are the equivalent of an older sibling in a way; they give you advice in a way that does not make you feel embarrassed or uncomfortable.

Now that I am about seven and a half months away from graduation I visit and exchange emails with the helpful people in the Career Development Center. This should be a mandatory step for all graduating seniors. They can help you with resumes, cover letters, interview attire and etiquette, as well as give career recommendations. The amount of advising is endless. Since freshman year, they have updated and been able to change the charger link website, which is the platform for students and prospective employers to be connected. I think it is vital to post-graduate success to be able to have access to this information and guidance.

As I grow closer and closer to my end of the road here at the University of New Haven, I can gladly say I used my resources to the best of my ability. Yes, there are a numerous amount of valuable resources presented to us on this campus, but these options are my top three that I have been able to benefit from the most within the last few years. Each year it was something different and the guidance was tailored to the mindset I was in at that specific time and place. I am very thankful that there are these amazing people and resources. I would be so lost without them.