“If I keep studying, I’ll get it.”
“I’m smart, I’ll figure it out.”
“Only dumb people have tutors.”
“Something must be very wrong if I need that kind of help.”
Do any of these sound familiar? If they do, you’re not alone.
Asking for help can be hard. Sometimes we feel like we should be able to figure things out on our own. Maybe we were always able to solve our own problems in the past. Perhaps things in the past just came easy to us. Maybe we don’t know who to ask, or how to ask. Sometimes we feel embarrassed or self-conscious about asking for help.
If there is one thing that most SpringForward students will tell you, it would be:
“I needed to ask for help sooner.” — Summer 2020 participant
“If I were to do this again, I would reach out for help earlier instead of dealing with the weight of everything by myself.” — Summer 2020 participant
No one gets through college “on their own.” Every student faces some sort of challenge when they are at college. Nobody truly has it all together, even if appearances make it seem otherwise. There are many smart and talented students at Ohio State, and you’re one of them. College level work is very different from what you faced while in high school, and what you did before may not work now.
Asking for help is a skill. It takes practice, and it can be difficult and scary, but it is essential to your ongoing success in all areas of life, not just college. Asking for help allows you to become more confident and secure. It’s a sign of strength and maturity, not weakness. Receiving help allows you to become happier and to live the best possible student life.
Educators expect college students to make use of available help to achieve academic success. Furthermore, they expect you to ask for help early — as soon as the struggle begins — rather than waiting to say something until it is too late. It’s important to ask for help early before your issue gets too big to solve.
Ohio State has so many free resources to help you live your best student life. Not sure what resource you need, or how to access it? Talk to us: springforward@osu.edu We’re here to help you! Student success is our first priority and we enjoy the chance to be helpful.