So, you’ve found yourself deep in your studies, but then you come upon a problem that you need help solving. Sounds familiar, right?
Well, there’s good news, as this is nothing to fret over. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find college students today who need a bit of extra help when it comes to studying and sharing information with classmates and colleagues.
Thankfully, there are plenty of tools at your disposal that can assist you in your studies, and many that can be a fun experience as well.
We live in a world with an abundance of technology. And, all of this technology leads to an easier way of learning, socializing, and interacting with one another, even outside of a classroom setting.
Here, we’ll explore a few of the tools that can assist you in your academic pursuits.
Usenet
If you’ve never heard of Usenet before, that’s probably because it’s been overshadowed by it’s younger cousin, the Internet.
Usenet was developed by academics, for academics. Though its user base has changed tremendously since its development in 1979, Usenet is still frequented by academics of all backgrounds for professional reasons.
Usenet exists independently from the Internet, but you can access it using the Internet via a Usenet service provider. From there, it’s simply a matter of finding a Usenet plan that meets your needs.
What Usenet allows you to do is to chat with others within a specific newsgroup, securely download files, and share information. You can think of these newsgroups as forums or online discussion boards.
Within a newsgroup you’ll find discussions on various topics as each newsgroup is organized by topic. And, these topics range widely and include everything from modern or classical philosophy to computer science technology.
Tutors
It’s not the easiest thing to ask for help, especially if you don’t know anyone with any expertise in the field you’re studying. This is where hiring a tutor, or seeking out a school-sponsored tutoring program can greatly assist you academically.
Tutors are experts in a specific field, and often these individuals are teachers or grad students. By studying with a tutor, you’ll be able to have extra assistance with difficult subject matter. And, as not all college professors have time to assist each and every student, a tutor can help with keeping you up to speed on anything you might not understand.
There’s no shame in hiring a tutor. In fact, this is common with difficult subject material such as with complex mathematics and science classes, many of which are core requirements in order to complete a specific degree program.
Campus Discussion Groups
In many classes on college campuses today, especially in online classes, discussion groups are held to better enable students to understand difficult subject matter. These discussions also open the floor to opinions on topics, and allows students to offer differing perspectives on a range of issues.
While you might have active discussions going on in a specific class, there are also many campus discussion groups (or meeting groups) which meet in person or online every week, sometimes multiple times a week.
These groups exist for your benefit, and they can greatly enhance your learning experience. In fact, there are even discussion groups on campuses devoted to mental health and the like. Regardless, by relaying and exploring ideas, and discussing these concepts with like minds, you’re better able to visualize concepts and understand difficult subject matter.
And, the best part is, you can start a discussion group on your own if one doesn’t exist on a particular subject. Organizing a discussion group might actually bring others in who are also looking for help in a particular area of academics.
Throughout your college career, you’ll often come across difficult subjects, and many of these might even surprise you. It’s not uncommon for a student to enroll in a class thinking it will be easy and then ultimately find out that it’s much more difficult than they thought.
When this happens, turn to the resources that you have available, and you’ll be surprised how fast you can learn the material.
