Academic Resources
- Use the Research and Writing Center on campus to help you compose and edit your papers before you turn them in. The Writing Center is located on the main floor of the library in room 3322. Their website (where you can set up an appointment) is writingcenter.byu.edu.
- Need help choosing a major? Or putting together your schedule? The University Advisement Center has counselors that can help you with scheduling issues, major requirements, graduation plans, and overall academic help. It's just inside the west doors of the Wilkinson Student Center (2500 WSC). You can find out more or schedule an appointment with them on their website: universityadvisement.byu.edu.
- The Career and Academic Success Center offers awesome workshops on topics such as time management, textbook reading strategies, test skills, note taking, and more. The can also help you with cover letters, resumes, and interview skills to help you get great student jobs and (eventually) full-time jobs. They are located in 2590 in the Wilkinson Center and their website is casc.byu.edu.
- Get the freshman planner (you'll receive one during orientation) and USE IT! Use different colored highlighters to show when papers, tests, etc. are due and to keep track of all your fun activities. Also these planners have coupons and a helpful campus map—take advantage of them!
Personal Resources
- BYU has an excellent Counseling Center for personal counseling. These services are free for BYU students (as long as you are taking at least 9 credits during Fall/Winter). They have professional, PhD-level psychologists who are very helpful. There are individual, group, and marital therapy options. Seriously-- use the Counseling Center for anything (school stress, relationship problems, loneliness/homesickness, anything)! A lot more people use it than you may think-- sometimes it's just nice to have someone to talk to and bounce ideas off of. The Counseling Center is located in room 1500 in the basement of the Wilkinson Center, and their website (where you can make appointments) is caps.byu.edu
- If you have any sort of physical or mental (anxiety, depression) concerns use the Accessibility Center to make sure you have what you need to succeed at school. Also make sure to talk to your professors about it. They are very helpful, and if you tell them upfront they will be more willing to work with you if problems come up. The Accessibility Center is in room 2170 in the Wilkinson Center and their website is uac.byu.edu
- BYU Women's Services is a support source for women on campus. They have workshops, group meetings, and personal counseling sessions available for those female students who may need extra support or someone to listen. They work largely on a peer-mentoring basis so you can connect to people who have had similar experiences as you. Learn more at wsr.byu.edu
Library Resources
The library serves as an excellent study spot during your college years. Even if you have a quiet apartment and studious roommates, chances are you'll be more focused and productive if you study on campus, and the library has more study space than any other building on campus. Normally the main floor (the third floor) is the loudest, so if you like studying with lots of background noise, stay there. Otherwise, going up or down a level or two will help you find a secluded, quiet place to focus. Some specialized study areas include the snack zone on the third floor (which allows non-messy, non-smelly foods) and the music area at the south end of the second floor (which plays classical background music).
- The library is open from 7:00am-12:00pm on weekdays, 8:00am-12:00pm on Saturdays, and is closed on Sunday. Check the website for holiday hours. (The library also has extended hours during the last weeks of the semester, so you can get your last-minute cramming in.)
- Most library books can be checked out for 6 weeks. You can renew items twice online, and then again if you bring the item to the Circulation Desk. If you need a book that someone else has checked out, you can place a hold on it through the library website, and when its returned the library will send you an email and have it ready for you at the circulation desk. You can have up to fifty items checked out at a time!
- Many people use the library for computer access. While the computers in the Learning Commons area (across from the Circulation Desk on the third floor) are the most accessible, those computers can fill up quickly. There are large labs in the Media Center (on the fourth floor) and in Periodicals (on the second floor) that almost always have open computers. These labs are also more quiet that the Learning Commons lab.
- You can reserve rooms in the library for study groups. Almost all of these rooms have whiteboards, and many of them have also been equipped with wall-mounted computers, so you can pull up online study materials. Reserve rooms at groupstudy.lib.byu.edu/. You can reserve rooms up to a week in advance, and many of the most popular rooms go fast, so be sure to get your study space reserved early.
- If you're working on a paper and need help tracking down sources, Subject Librarians are the people to talk to. These librarians have degrees in their subject areas and are extremely knowledgeable about the library's resources. To find a subject librarian for a particular field, go to personnel.lib.byu.edu, and then under Browse by Subject on the left-hand side, click the drop-down menu and select your desired subject.
- The Media Center on the fourth floor is packed with useful resources. In addition to having tons of computers available for use (both Macs and PCs), they offer movie checkouts (3-day rentals for some, 4-hour rentals for more popular films), viewing rooms (which can be reserved at mediaviewrooms.lib.byu.edu), and various technology checkouts (cameras, video cameras, tripods, audio recorders).
Other Resources
- You can call the BYU information desk and receive answers to pretty much any BYU-related question. Their number is (801) 422-INFO
- Find the open access computer labs on campus (Wilkinson Center basement, SWKT, JFSB)—knowing these will help when you need to quickly print something or if you need a computer and the library is full.
- If you get tired of hauling stuff around with you, consider renting a locker on campus. Many of the buildings have lockers you can use to store books/instruments/clothes. Some buildings (especially the HFAC) have large lockers that fit things like canvases and poster boards. Go to this link to rent one (it costs $10/semester, but it’s well worth it).
- The campus Lost and Found is located in the basement of the Wilkinson Center (room 1055). If you are trying to find a lost possession make sure you have a good description of the item (especially if it is something common like a water bottle because they have a million of those). Sometimes it takes a few days, but anything lost on campus (in any building) will eventually end up at this Lost and Found in the Wilkinson Center-- so keep checking back if it isn't there right away.
- The Center for Service and Learning coordinates service opportunities in the local community for BYU students. They offer many different programs that cater to many different interests and time commitments. Service is a great way to get involved and break up the monotony of the school day while also helping those in need. Find out information about specific programs or events at yserve.byu.edu or in their office (room 2330 in the Wilkinson Center)