Workshops

We have all been there. It’s the beginning of a semester. You have all the important deadlines you have to meet. You tell yourself you will not fall behind and will get a head start on assignments. But time slips away and you find yourself scrambling to finish an important paper or cramming for final exams. In this workshop from the Dennis Learning Center, you will explore your reasons for procrastination and work to identify what’s really going on when you procrastinate. You will also be introduced to a plan aimed to minimize procrastination using proven techniques to better manage your time and motivation.

Reading in graduate and professional school can be overwhelming, like drinking from a firehose. In this workshop, you will learn how to stay on top of your reading list by reading smarter, not harder. We will share strategies for efficient reading, , developing an organized system for note-taking, and making a weekly reading and writing schedule.

You successfully made it to Ohio State as the first in your family to go to college, and that is no small feat! But college is a new learning environment with different expectations from high school. In this interactive workshop from the Dennis Learning Center, we will discuss common concerns for first-generation students and strategies you can use address these concerns, including combating imposter syndrome, strategies for studying more effectively and managing your time, and learning how to create your success team in college. Join us to connect with other first-generation students and share strategies for success.

There is no magic bullet that will help you successfully manage higher education. It takes a number of strategies and hard work that will put you on the proper path to college success. This workshop from the Dennis Learning Center will help you understand what it really takes to succeed in college. In this workshop, you will learn strategies for managing your time, learning from readings and lectures, and preparing for exams that will help you thrive in the context of a university. Start your semester with healthy, proactive habits will make your transition from high school to college more manageable!

Have you ever struggled with planning for a large midterm? So where do you start in preparing for a massive test like the GRE? This workshop introduces you to all the skills and techniques necessary, from developing a roadmap and finding test resources to forming techniques in maintaining motivation.

Working well with others to achieve a common goal is essential to your success professionally and personally. As a college student, one way you can improve your studying in through forming study groups. This workshop from the Dennis Learning Center will show you how to plan for success and get the most out of a study group. In this workshop you will learn why some study groups are successful while others end with disappointment. You’ll also be taught the four stages of group development and how to choose compatible study group members. Finally, you will learn some team study strategies that your study group can use to stay on track. Invite your friends to join you at this workshop so you plan your effective study group!

If you have ever been in a lecture where the teacher was speaking too quickly or just very monotone, you may have wondered how to best take class notes. If you worry about keeping up or just are not sure what to write down at all, this workshop is for you! Being an engaged listener and taking effective notes is not always easy. In this workshop from the Dennis Learning Center, you will lern strategies for recognizing important information, how to organize your notes, and tips for being more efficient. This workshop can help you build your speed and skill to have A+ notes!

Exams can be a stressful experience. You have to learn the material, take a test in a finite time, and wait for your grade to post. But if you are strategic about how you prepare for your exams, you can be confident any exam you take will turn out just fine. In this workshop from the Dennis Learning Center, you will learn the optimal ways to prepare for your exams and the best strategies to take different types of tests. You’ll create an effective plan for mid-terms or finals week and learn how you can use this plan to be more confident going into exams.

Writing papers is an essential skill for a college student. In this workshop learn how to combat writer’s block, avoid plagiarism and procrastination, and craft a paper that you can be proud of!

There are lots of reasons why students may retake a class, but the goal is the same – improve your learning and performance the second time around. In this workshop, we will discuss the reactions, actions, and interactions that you can take to make your second attempt a success!

Stress is an inevitable part of life. Each of us deals with it differently. But being able to manage stress and create academic goals will help you build confidence and resilience to handle any of the challenges college throws at you. This workshop from the Dennis Learning Center is perfect for students who are looking for strategies to manage stress and techniques that will help you quickly bounce back from adversity. Additionally, you will uncover the importance of thoughts, identify self-talk, and learn how to create manageable goals.

Being a transfer student can make you feel like a bit of an outsider on a big campus. To help you feel more comfortable and confident at Ohio State, the Dennis Learning Center (DLC) is offering the Insider’s Guide Workshop to help transfer students find their place and meet each other. In this session, undergraduate Academic Coaches from the DLC will share their tips and tricks for navigating this big campus and recommend useful campus resources that you can use for free.

Teamwork makes the dream work! But group projects can be challenging unless you have the skills and mindset to work together. In this workshop, you will learn the roles of group members, the process of group formation, and practical tips for improving your group project experience.

Are you struggling with college science or math? You’re not alone. Fortunately, there are strategies anyone can use to be more successful in these classes. This workshop from the Dennis Learning Center focuses on a variety of specific strategies that can be applied in a range of classes, including calc, chem, bio, and physics. It also goes through real examples from university exams in order to practice skill application. Join us to explore some of the keys to success in science and math, and tackle your classes with renewed confidence.

As a college student, you have a lot going on: classes, studying, work, extracurriculars, social events, and more! In this workshop by the Dennis Learning Center, you will learn tips and tools for managing your time effectively. Create a weekly schedule to plan in adequate study time, and learn about ways to use your time effectively by managing distractions.

Your brain is a powerful tool that can learn and retain all kinds of information. Retaining the information you learn in college is not only relevant to your studies now but also is important to build on as you move into a professional career. Improving your memory is a skill that will benefit you throughout life. In this workshop from the Dennis Learning Center, you will learn about the different types of memory and the factors that affect it, how to build meaningful learning, and how to solidify that meaning for the long-term. By the end of the workshop, you will understand what it takes to not just study new information but to do so in ways to help you to truly retain it for both the day of the exam and long after.

Every college student has those days where they just can’t seem to focus. But if it starts to become a frequent issue, lack of focus can start to negatively impact academic performance. Luckily for you, the DLC can give you strategies to help before it becomes an issue! In this workshop, you will learn strategies to help you focus at will and sustain your concentration.

The Dennis Learning Center is a resource for all Ohio State students. We are here to help you study smarter. In this workshop, a DLC coach or staff member will provide an overview of the services we offer, as well as how and when to use them. This workshop can be adjusted to be 10 to 30 minutes long. We are happy to present this workshop for students, but we also can give a DLC Overview to those who may refer other students to the DLC, including student employees (e.g., peer mentors), graduate students or TAs, instructors, faculty, or staff. Request a DLC Overview for your next team meeting!

If you are interested in a topic not listed above, you may request a Custom Workshop for your student group. Custom workshops require more preparation time, so we request a minimum of one month to prepare. Custom workshops are subject to a nominal fee to support the DLC. Email DLC@osu.edu for more details.