FroshMemo: Archived Issue 37 Fall '21

By Fabian Cruz

As incoming students are preparing for winter orientation for the spring semester, I wanted to provide some helpful tips that helped me during my college entrance:

Get a planner

• There will be a lot of deadlines to keep track of

Check your student emails frequently

• Sounds like a simple task, but I strongly encourage you to keep track of your emails as if your inbox is a social media account! (I once almost missed a research opportunity because I did not have my inbox organized - whoops!)

Follow SF State’s social media accounts

• Helped me keep up to speed on what is happening on campus, including events, workshops, job opportunities, and more!

Here are a few you can start following on Instagram!

• @sanfranciscostate
• @sfsu_nsfp
  • _{Shameless plug and we love it!}
• @sfsudiversity
• @sfsu_csld
• @sfsutransfermentors

Get a head start on reviewing your classes before the registration date

• Not necessary if you are an incoming student, but totally helpful! This site includes the classes offered for the Spring semester! 
• (_{Some classes do reserve spots for incoming students and SF State will open classes when there is a high demand from students. So do not worry too much if spots are filled! Everything will be alright!})
  • https://webapps.sfsu.edu/public/classservices/classsearch

Sign up for orientation! 

• If you haven’t already, I encourage you to sign up! You get an earlier registration date, receive plenty of important resources, connect with (_awesome) orientation leaders, and have a guaranteed spot to speak with an academic advisor
  • https://newstudentprograms.sfsu.edu/new-student-orientation

Check your major website at sfsu.edu

• Some departments offer course pathways for suggested classes to take!
• Provides information on important faculty contact information too!

Begin to get familiarized with your Degree Progress Report (DPR) located at your Student Center on the SF State Gateway/MySFSU

• https://www.sfsu.edu/login.htm
• The DPR provides information and requirements on classes for your major, and provides recommendations for courses to take. Just knowing where that is in your student center is helpful enough! (_{and prevents embarrassing yourself in front of your academic advisor - I totally did not do that! Don’t look at me!})

Check for holds on your student center on the SF State Gateway/MySFSU

• Stay on track on what you need to submit for SF State

These are just a few items that helped me be set for my college entrance. Sounds overwhelming, but that is okay! I felt that way too! But you will be provided with a lot of resources and help at SF State! Just remember to frequently reach out and ask questions!

We are here to help you succeed!

If you do have questions, always reach out to our New Student and Family Programs via phone or email at:

• Email: nsp@sfsu.edu
• Telephone: 415-338-3060

You can also check out our Zoom drop-in office help desk here

We can all agree that the week before finals can be stressful, but it does not necessarily need to be. It is not always about academics, you are allowed to distract or get a break, and today we present you some words of advice; even if studying is what you would like to do with your week before finals that is totally valid, just remember to take breaks in between, just as how professors say, a final grade does not define you. 

Do you work as one of SFSU student leaders? Ask yourself how do you keep track of your hours? Is it working for you? In any case scenario, these are some tips that other student leaders use to keep track of what they have worked on

• Notion (Note-taking & project management software app )
• Google Sheets (Creating and updating a calendar )
• Notes on your phone or computer 
• Physical planer/ journal entry 
• A whiteboard at home/dorm

Perhaps you do not work as a student leader at SFSU yet, and if you are trying to find a job on campus, check out Handshake that offers students many opportunities. Once you find a job on campus or if you already have one check out the December Hourly Staff & Student Payroll Calendar since it will be helpful to understand and keep track of when you are supposed to submit your hours. For the upcoming year, you can find click here for the Hourly Staff & Student Payroll Calendar

In addition, it is good to reflect on the past, and it is great to do self-reflection, and living in the past can sometimes hurt, but look at where you are now, reflect on the semester, on the people you met, on the ones you let go, just know that you are loved and that there is always someone caring for you, even if you feel like everything's falling apart, it is time to be happy again, to love yourself, and tell people you care about that you love them, that you care about them and that things will work out. 

It is also fine to look out for extra help or extra activities to distract yourself and even more that finals week is approaching us quickly. These are some resources that you can look for that extra help or break hour you need: 

• Click here for Counseling & Psychological Services website
• Remember that to book your first appointment you need to give them a call and this can be done so at: (415)-338-2208
• Office hours: Monday - Friday from 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m 

• It’s about to be finals week and are you feeling like dancing but can’t find the exact time to do so? Well, that is completely fine! Here at NSFP, we have created the perfect event for you and your friends, or for you to meet new people. Sign up and look for more details about what this event is about by clicking here.

• Are you a gamer and want to find people to have some matches with? If so, the Rack-n-Cue game room is the one for you! It is located at the Cesar Chavez Student Center, you can ask the front desk where it is located, and feel free to check their website here as well 

• If you are looking for other events, activities, organizations or clubs feel free to check out Gator Xperience.