First Generation Celebration Week 

First Generation Celebration Week is coming up! Students identifying as FGLI (first generation and limited income) have the opportunity to participate in a mentorship program, attend a graduate school application Q&A, and receive free swag this week! Here’s a rundown of the events happening during First Gen Celebration Week:

FGLI Mentorship Program Kick Off Luncheon 

November 6

12pm 

Sadler Center, Tidewater AB

First Gen Day Celebration 

November 8 

Sadler Terrace 

Free cookies and swag 

FGLI Graduate School Application Q&A Panel

November 8

7:15 – 8:15 pm

Boswell 342

Learn more here: https://events.wm.edu/event/view/wm/354969

Course Registration 

Course registration for the Spring 2024 semester is right around the corner! Starting November 10th, returning students will have a designated day and time to pick their courses for next semester. This process can be stressful, but there are many things you can do ahead of time that will make you more prepared. Here are three tips to a successful and stress-free registration!

  1. Know what classes you’re going for

This one is a given, but have your list of classes you want to take. Make sure to check your major requirements as well as the general college requirements. 

  1. Have backups in case your classes are full

Since a lot of classes at W&M are smaller, around 30 students, the possibility of a class becoming full is a potential obstacle. Having backups of classes that would fit with your schedule and maybe satisfy the same requirements as your preferred classes can be a good thing to have on hand. 

  1. Copy the CRNs to a document

The easiest and fastest way to add classes during registration is through the CRNs. CRNs or Course Registration Numbers, can be found on the open course list or Banner’s course list next to the class number and name. Adding all of your CRNs to a document allows for easy copy and pasting to batch register for all of your classes at one time. 

Good luck! 

Learn more about course registration here: https://www.wm.edu/offices/registrar/studentsandalumni/registration/whentoregister/spring/

Tips For Balancing Work And Academic Life 

From someone who currently works two jobs while also a full time student, there are times where it can be overwhelming to balance everything all at once. Here are a few things that I do to keep myself from burning out that might be helpful to those with similar schedules. 

Planning 

  • Each Sunday I like to look over my week to be aware of important events, tasks, and anything else that needs to be done. This way I have an overview of what my week will look like and an awareness of some tasks that I need to complete by the end of the week. 

Prioritization 

  • Recognizing what needs to get done each day and the ranking of importance of each task is extremely helpful for staying on track with limited time 
  • I developed a Need, Want, Can system to rank the importance of completing each task on a given day
  • For example, if my chem homework is tomorrow, I would categorize that as a need task for that day
  • If I have an essay due two weeks I could work on it if I finish all of my need tasks for the day, therefore it would be categorized as a Can task

Time management 

  • I like to insert blocks into my schedule that are dedicated to a specific task or topic. For example, if I have a lot of schoolwork to do, I’ll block 2 hours into parts of my day to complete as many tasks as possible. This can be helpful to ensure you’re making time for everything that needs to be done. 
  • Also, being aware of how long certain tasks take can be helpful for considering time blocking and prioritization of tasks 

Dedicate time for yourself away from work

  • One of the most important aspects of balancing both work and academics is dedicating time for yourself. It can be easy to get wrapped up in all the things that need to be done, but it’s crucial to set boundaries for your physical and mental health

Next Week’s Events Roundup 

Family Weekend 

October 27-29 

Explore special programs and events for W&M families!

The Great Williamsburg Adventure Race

October 28, 10:00am – 12:30pm

Martha Wren Briggs Amphitheatre 

Teams of either 2 or 4 race around Williamsburg to solve codes and complete tasks and challenges.  

Study Abroad Fair

October 28, 11am – 12pm

Unity Hall

Explore the semester, summer, and winter study abroad opportunities and learn more about scholarships and financial aid for studying abroad. 

FGLI Family Fuelup

October 28, 12:30pm – 2:30pm

Campus Living Center Patio

Stop by for a beverage and a baked good to learn more about upcoming activities and resources. 

Costuming Club Halloween Costume Contest & Karaoke 

October 28, 7pm – 9pm 

Sadler Center Lodge 1 

Participate in a costume contest with the opportunity to win a monetary prize!

University Ring Ceremony 

October 29, 1:00pm – 2:30pm 

Wren Courtyard 

Celebrate academic achievement during family weekend at the University Ring Ceremony and reception.

Pumpkins for Patients 

October 29, 2pm – 4pm 

Sorority Court

Enjoy a live band, fall treats, and pumpkins to support St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital

Flu Shot Clinic

October 30, 11am – 4pm 

Wellness Center Studio B

Last chance to get your flu shot on campus!

Pumpkin Painting on Sadler Terrace with Auxiliary Services 

October 31, 11am – 1pm 

Sadler Terrace

Paint pumpkins and enter yours into a contest for a chance to win W&M swag

geoLab Information Session

November 1, 7pm – 8pm

ISC

Interested in national security, data science, and GIS? Learn about the opportunities in the geoLab! 

Crash Course: Explore Your Career Options

November 2, 12:00pm – 12:30pm 

Cohen Career Center Presentation Room

Learn how to use resources pertaining to career exploration and research 

Diversity and Inclusion Lunch and Learn 

November 2, 12:00pm – 1:30pm 

Sadler Center 

Explore themes of personal identity through an art making exercise led by Art Therapist Sarah Balascio 

W&M Lingo

Here at William and Mary we often use acronyms to describe things around campus. Here is a list of possible lingo you might encounter and what they actually mean:

Bot – Botetourt Complex 

Botetourt is one of W&M’s freshman residence hall complexes. 

Caf – Refers to Commons dining hall 

Commons dining hall is the dining hall closest to most freshman residence halls. 

CLC – Campus Living Center

The CLC is home to Residence Life and STEP

CSD – Center for Student Diversity 

Located inside the Sadler Center, the Center for Student Diversity 

CW – Colonial Williamsburg 

William & Mary is located on the outskirts of Colonial Williamsburg, the world’s largest living history museum!

GGV – Green and Gold Village 

One of W&M’s freshman residence complexes 

ISC – Integrated Science Center 

Where the sciences of W&M are located! Right now ISC 4 is under construction! 

LDOC – Last day of classes

Last day of classes of the semester! 

OTOD – One Tribe One Day

Day for the W&M community to gather and support the people, places, and programs at the university. 

STEP – Office of Student Transition Engagement Programs 

Provides services, outreach, and support to students throughout their experience at W&M!

SA – Student Assembly 

Student government organization and student union

SAS – Student Accessibility Services 

Offers accessibility accommodations upon request

TWAMP – Typical William and Mary Student 

A term used to describe students at William & Mary! 

Unconventional Study Methods

We’re mid-way through the semester already and students are studying more now than ever. Caffeine fueled all nighters and flashcards often leave students bored and unmotivated to study. With these unconventional study methods, you’ll find new and inspiring ways to tackle your tasks. The goal of these techniques is to make studying a more enjoyable and engaging experience.

  1. Study Games 

Gamifying your study experience can help maintain focus. Try converting your flashcards into a game with rewards. Including that element of fun makes the overall process of studying more enjoyable

  1. Mind Mapping 

Changing your note-taking style from linear to diagram can help you visualize the connections between topics in your material, almost like a guide to your thought process!

  1. Podcast it

Creating a podcast of you explaining your material forces you to think of the most important information and how to relay it as if others were listening. This method combines the idea of teaching someone else with audio recordings which you can listen to when studying for an exam!

  1. Smells 

It’s been scientifically hypothesized that using the same smells when studying and taking an exam can help your memory. 

  1. Study roulette 

Not sure what to study? Try writing all of your tasks on a wheel and spinning for an element of unpredictability in your study session.

Making The Most Of Swem Library 

Swem Library is packed with resources from physical books, study rooms, the writing center, makerspace, and so much more. Below is a list of some of the most helpful resources Swem has to offer! 

Printing – There are printers on all floors of Swem. Print using your TribeCard! You can aso find copiers and scanners throughout the first floor of Swem. 

Study rooms – One of the most utilized resources of Swem are the study rooms. Swem offers many individual and group study rooms on all floors. Perfect for students looking for a quiet spot to study or those working on group projects!

Online catalog – Swem is a huge library and sometimes it can be difficult to find what you are looking for. Swem’s online catalog can help you locate a book from either their physical or online collections!

Online databases – Swem also has a large list of online databases that are a great resource for research! The databases can be organized by subject, type, and popularity.  

Reeder Media Center  – Reeder Media Center offers reservable spaces for video and audio creation! Supplied with state of the art equipment that can either be used in these studios or taken beyond the library, the Reeder Media Center offers help to those working on either academic or personal photo/video/audio projects. 

Special Collections – The first floor of Swem is home to the Special Collections Research Center. These collections contain original documents, rare books, maps, and more!

Research guides – Swem librarians curated special guides that are subject and class-specific to help students with research. 

Makerspace – The Swem Makerspace contains 3D printers, 3D scanners, a vinyl cutter, stitching machines, a pin-back button machine, and more! After a short amount of training, students, faculty, and staff can utilize these machines. 

Williamsburg Fall Festivities 

Walking around the beautiful fall campus

William & Mary is beautiful throughout all seasons, but fall brings orange and yellow hues to the trees that make for a picture perfect walk around campus!

Williamsburg Farmers Market 

Every Saturday from 8-12, the Williamsburg Farmers Market emerges in Colonial Williamsburg. Pick up some pastries, fall bouquet, fresh fruit and veggies, and more!

Autumn Artisan Market – Outlets

October 8th, the 60 local artists and craftsmen will be vending a fall artisan market at the Williamsburg Premium Outlets. 

Williamsburg Fall Festival – Midtown Row

On November 11th from 1-5pm, Midtown Row is hosting a fall festival with live music, a mechanical bull, petting zoo, games, and various vendors.  

Howl-O-Scream

Busch Gardens Williamsburg is open Thursday through Sunday with Howl-O-Scream  beginning at 6pm. Enjoy 4 shows, 5 scare zones, and 5 haunted houses.

Ghost Tour

On the spookier side of fall, Colonial Williamsburg offers different ghost tours around the town. One includes a ghost tour of campus! 

Debunking Transfer Myths 

Being a transfer student can lead to misconceptions about the transfer process and transition experience. As a transfer student myself, I understand the uncertainty surrounding the transfer process. This blog post is dedicated to debunking transfer myths.  

Myth 1: It will be difficult to make friends 

It’s a common misconception that transferring to a new school makes it more difficult to find a friend group. Coming into William & Mary as a new student, regardless of a freshman or transfer status, you’re enrolled in orientation during your first few days at the university. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and make new friends! Some of my best friends are from my orientation group! Additionally, talking with other students in your classes and joining clubs are great ways to meet new people that share similar interests with you! 

Myth 2: You’ll be behind 

It can be easy to think that you’ll be behind if you’re coming in later than the norm. However, setting up meetings with your academic advisor, attending office hours, and engaging with clubs can all help you stay on track! 

Myth 3: Academic offerings will be limited

Academic offerings never stop at William & Mary! Emails, TribeLink, Professors, and more are great resources for finding new academic offerings! There are many options for introductory experiences if you look for it!

Myth 4 – Its unusual to transfer colleges

No matter the reason, students transfer colleges all the time. While it’s not the absolute norm, transferring is still a very common option for college students! 

William & Mary’s 7 Core Values

Belonging, curiosity, excellence, flourishing, integrity, respect, and service. These 7 core values are those that William & Mary embodies before, during, and after your experience at the university.  

Belonging

William & Mary is a kind and welcoming community of all unique perspectives and interests.  Students, faculty, and staff are here to help you thrive and create a home away from home. 

Curiosity 

College is a place for trying new things, finding new interests, and diving deeper into your existing ones. At William & Mary, curiosity is fostered by the multitude of academic and extracurricular offerings that help students develop new advancements of knowledge.   

Excellence

Students, faculty, and staff at William & Mary uphold the university’s high standards of excellence. The university encourages ambitious and innovative goals of students, so they can accomplish personal and professional growth.

Flourishing 

Just as William & Mary upholds excellence, the university strives to help students flourish throughout their time and beyond university. Helping students thrive in their time at William & Mary leads to individuals who thrive outside of the classroom. 

Integrity

William & Mary demonstrates full commitment to holistic integrity, equity, and high moral standards. 

Respect 

Students, staff, and faculty practice mutual respect and acknowledge and preserve the inherent dignity and value of every individual.

Service 

Students are given the opportunity to give back to the surrounding community and support the well-being of humanity.