Oct. 18, 2022

Week 8. Week 8!

A huge thank you to Kaydee Van Flein, director of the Center for Student Rights and Responsibilities, and to Val Gifford, director of Health and Counseling for their pieces the last two weeks. I sure appreciate their insightful and heartfelt works. Here is Kaydee’s piece on Welcome to Week 6! and Val’s piece on Welcome to Week 7! Take a moment to have a look at each one if you missed them. These are two incredible leaders in our community and they are all about serving you.

We are diving into week eight and that means we are over halfway through the semester. How are you doing? How did your midterms go?

This is a good time to check in with yourself. Be real. Are you in your top form? Is it time to check in with some tutoring support? Time to rethink your school/work/family/social balance? This is the only time in your whole life you will have these classes. This is your one opportunity to do your best this term. It is worth taking a moment to reflect and revise your plans for doing your best.

The middle of a long journey, whether it is a race or a stroll, can bring some of the longest miles. You are in that place now. Do you feel it? We are farthest from the beginning, and the end still seems far off. It isn’t. We’ve gotten here quickly and we’ll get to the end just as fast – or faster!

One thing that can be helpful in the middle miles is to check in and ask yourself why you are doing this. What is your goal? If the miles are breezing by, that’s wonderful. Enjoy the ride and look forward to the destination. If the miles are seeming long, hang onto the goal that got you started. Are you doing this for the credential at the end? Because you know that people with college degrees, on average, earn more than three times as much over their lifetimes as those who don’t? Are you doing this for your spouse or for your children? For a parent or a grandparent? For the family you hope to have one day? For the sheer joy of learning? Are you enjoying the journey with your friends? Are you excited about your favorite faculty member or the subjects you are learning? Whatever it is that helped you launch into this term, concentrate on that goal and let it sustain you as you finish. Hang on to that. We will close the book on this term soon enough. Meanwhile, engage in your studies. Engage in all the cool opportunities that life affords – whether here on the Troth Yeddha’ campus, at our Community College Campus, or at one of our Rural College Campuses, or just in your community wherever you are, make the most of this week.

Also, it is a good time to start thinking about next semester. I know that can be difficult when you’re in the middle of this one, but a little planning now can save you a lot more time in the future. Connect with your advisor. It is a great time to chat with them about how you are doing this term and to organize a plan for next term. Identifying a plan for next term will help you with the stress of this term. It is also just a great opportunity to check in with someone who cares about your success and is here to help you attain your goals.

Here are a few dates to keep in mind. Spring registration will open on:

Monday, Nov. 14 for all UAF degree-seeking students

Monday, Nov. 28 for non-degree-seeking students

Are you an athlete, an honors student, an SSS student, or a veteran or military student? If so, early registration for you starts on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022!

See your advisor, select your classes, and register for the spring semester!

As always, fair is fair – if you have any suggestions for me, please don’t hesitate to email me at obguthrie@alaska.edu.

Thank you and have a great week!

— Owen Guthrie, vice chancellor for student affairs and enrollment management