Lessons in Leadership Webinar: "No Quit Zone" with Crystal Jackson

Looking to develop your personal leadership skills? Participate in our Lessons in Leadership webinar series this spring semester! Our first webinar will be Wednesday, February 26th from 7-8 pm!

On behalf of Black History Month and National Engineering Week, this leadership webinar topic will be presented by Crystal Jackson, featuring her presentation “No Quit Zone.” Here is a little bit more info about her program:

Students are faced with being campus leaders, dealing with peer pressures, combating all the new issues that face them daily, all the while they are trying to balance it all. This keynote helps to equip them with the tools they can use to handle daily pressures, identify triggers that cause them to want to quit, and how to stay connected to their goals. To learn more about our speaker , please visit http://noquitzone.net

Students can register here.

*Attendance raffle prizes will also be awarded to select participants  

We hope to see you there!

ELI Open House - Tuesday, January 28th

ELI will be hosting an Open House on Tuesday, January 28th from   5:30 – 7pm at our office in Fairfax.

Drop in for a great opportunity to meet faculty, staff and fellow students while learning information about support services available to help you successfully complete your online course(s).

Stay for a hands-on tutorial on tips to navigate Blackboard throughout your semester.  Food and raffle prizes will be provided! For more information, please contact elistulife@nvcc.edu. 

The first 50 people to RSVP will receive an ELI prize pack. RSVP here.

We hope to see you there!

Promoting Your Success: Treasure Chest of ELI Resources

If you are searching for resources to help you achieve your academic goals, look no more!  As an ELI Student, you have access to a ‘treasure chest’ of free resources to help promote your academic and career goals!  Some of our popular resources include:

ELI Student Success Coaches:  Your ELI Success Coach can help you with any questions or concerns you may have as an ELI student.  They can also provide referrals to academic resources as well as assistance with Blackboard navigation and help with time management concerns.  If you are experiencing any challenges with study skills, complex assignments, communicating with your instructor or have any other concerns, promote your academic success by contacting your ELI Success Coach at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or call 703.764.5076

Smarthinking: Online tutoring offered 24/7 exclusively to ELI students. Log in and set up an appointment today for your one-on-one online tutoring session. You can even receive feedback on your papers through their online writing lab. The online writing lab provides students with the ability to receive a detailed, personalized critique of any written assignment. Be sure to take advantage of this service throughout your academic journey at ELI. If you prefer one-on-one tutoring, ELI students are also eligible to take advantage of free tutoring on our campuses.

Student Lingo: Short online/on-demand workshops, available 24/7, on time management, test taking/test anxiety, study skills, job interviews, stress management, and more – just click and learn!  These online workshops are an excellent resource to promote your college study skills.

ELI Webinars: If you need help with time management, getting started in an ELI online course or experience math anxiety, sign up for an ELI Webinar today.

ELI Counselors: Need help with Academic Advising, Academic Counseling and Career Counseling.  Contact our counselors at, Elicounselors@nvcc.edu or 703.323.2425.

Library Assistance: Need help locating a book or research article?  Contact the ELI Librarian today. She is here to help with your questions!

Quizlet: This study aid is sure to help you get that A on your exam.  Students love it!  Create your own flashcards and practice tests or use study aids already created on the website or via their app. Click here to visit the Quizlet website.

ELife Blogs:  The ELife Blog provides timely information on ELI and College policies, resources and upcoming events.  It also contains excellent study and success tips, stress buster recommendations, helpful academic resources, and more. Become a regular reader today!

The Success Coaches invite you to contact them anytime.  They are here to help you experience a successful academic journey.

Back to School Tips for Staying Balanced

If you are juggling multiple responsibilities and demands in the midst of returning to school, as most students are, lightening the stress load early can best prepare you for achieving academic success while finding time for the social and personal time that you need to stay balanced.   Below are some tips for keeping a low stress level while you strive to do your best to meet your academic goals:

• Avoid taking too many courses.  Don’t overload yourself by taking the maximum amount of credits; instead, look at your schedule and assess your job and family responsibilities to determine a realistic courseload so that you don’t get too overwhelmed.  It is important that you have enough time to take breaks to keep you feeling focused. If necessary, speak to an ELI Counselor (elicounselors@nvc.edu), if you need further guidance with this.

• Take regular breaks in between study periods to avoid burnout.  Use the time to go on a relaxing walk and take in all of the fall scenery surrounding you.  As you are walking, renew your senses as you take in the bright colors of the changing leaves and the crisp fall air.   Or, use that time to take a short nap or relax and imagine a relaxing place so that when you return to your coursework, it’s like you are coming back feeling rejuvenated from a relaxing mental vacation.

• Participate in community groups or college clubs.  Identify an interest that you are wanting to learn more about and join a club related to it.  Additionally, check out volunteer opportunities or consider a Meetup Group as a way of staying connected to the larger community - you can easily get caught up in your day to day responsibilities and forget how necessary it is to socialize with others.

• For courses required for general education requirements or those related to your major, take the ones that interest you the least first to get them out of the way.  If it is a subject that you frequently struggle with, taking it early is a good idea as it will give you the incentive that once those courses are behind you, you will have the ones that interest and energize you to look forward to.  (If you need help developing such a schedule, please contact the ELI Counselors at elicounselors@nvcc.edu.  They will be happy to assist you.)

• Enjoy the learning process as it relates to your overall time management skills and creating optimum social-personal-academic balance in your life.  Once you master a routine that works in juggling academic, family and social responsibilities, it will empower you to approach future semesters and/or situations that require extensive multi-tasking and planning.  In addition, seek to integrate your social experiences and those related to personal growth into your academic goals in terms of what activities energize you and provide motivation as well as life balance.  For example, if exercising with a group energizes you, plan a walking group and coordinate a time to walk a few hours before you attack your homework. 

For more information on this topic, please check out this link. 

ELI Student Post: Be Inspired and "Go For It"!

ELife would like to thank ELI student, Shauna, for today's blog contribution.

When I first started college, I was taking on-campus classes and the thought of taking an online class made me fall asleep. Then, I started to have to work, to pay for school. That pretty much took over my life, now 3 years later I am back in school but only online courses, to compliment my work schedule. 

I have always wondered what it would be like to take an online course and still continue to work. Well, this past summer I was able to experience my first online course and I must say it was great. This course was an 8-week course so everything was pretty fast paced but at the same time easy to follow, thanks to the syllabus and good time management skills.  

Now I must admit, at first, I was a little overwhelmed while working and logging in to do my assignments because just looking at anything school related made me a little nervous but the best way to deal with school anxiety is to just take your time and prioritize everything in order to get everything done on time. Also some other good advice is to ask your instructors anything you might have a question about especially being an online student in a condensed course. Another thing to try not to do is PROCRASTINATE.  I know it is really hard not to but in order to succeed in school or anything for that matter, I would suggest you don’t procrastinate. 

All these strategies I used for my class and it worked wonders for me. So this post is just to motivate all the people out there who think just because you have been out of school for awhile does not mean you cannot go back.  So go for it!=) 

ELife would like to thank Shauna for today's blog contribution.  We invite our ELI students, faculty/staff to contribute to the ELife blog. Please send your submissions to ELISuccess@nvcc.edu.

ELI Orientation Webinars – Getting Your Semester off to a Good Start!

Welcome to the Summer Semester! If you have not participated in an ELI Orientation Webinar, we encourage you to sign up now!  Whether you are a new or seasoned ELI Student, Orientation will help promote your academic success as an online student.  

The ELI Orientation webinar is a live, one hour online instruction session that focuses on getting started in your courses, navigating your Blackboard course site, and identifying tips for success and student support services. During the webinar, you will have the opportunity to ask questions, by typing them into the question box and submitting.   You can participate in a webinar from any computer with Internet access.    

Participation in all webinars offered through ELI is free, but registration is required.  To register, please click here.  Next, click on the session date that fits your schedule, enter the requested information and submit (please be sure to enter your complete NOVA email address).  Once you have registered for the Orientation webinar, you will receive an email with more information about how to join the webinar live.   

For additional information to help get your semester off to a good start, please click here. If you have additional questions, the ELI Success Coaching Team is here to assist you.  We are here to partner with you and provide assistance and resources to promote your academic success.  ELI offers resources and tips through our NovaElife social media channels.  For links to our informational blogs, academic resources, Facebook and Twitter, please click here.  We invite you to contact us throughout the semester at elisuccess@nvcc.edu or 703.764.0120.
   

Congratulations Graduates: NOVA’s 2013 Commencement Ceremony

The Extended Learning Institute would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our 2013 graduates!  We take great pride in recognizing your accomplishments and invite you to attend the College Commencement Ceremony on May 19, 2013, 2:00pm, at the Patriot Center, Fairfax, VA. 

NOVA’s Commencement is an excellent opportunity to create memories and celebrate your achievements with your family, friends and professors! Guest tickets are not required and graduates are welcome to invite unlimited guests.

Although attendance is voluntary, we hope to celebrate your accomplishment, hard work and dedication at NOVA’s 2013 Commencement Ceremony.  To participate, graduates must be dressed in the appropriate cap and gown and must arrive by 1:00pm.  For additional information to include FAQ’s and a brochure please click here.

We wish you much continued success in your future endeavors! 

Success in Class and in the Workplace: What We Need to Have a Good Day in Class and at Work

A survey conducted by Red Balloon for Corporate revealed that praise is the number one element employees desire to experience a good day at work!  Although the survey was directed at professionals in the workplace, the outcomes can also be applied to the elements of a good day/experience in college.

Who can argue ‘praise’ as the number one element of experiencing a good day at work or college? Praise serves to motivate and encourage!  Who does not love to get back an assignment with a comment stating, ‘excellent work’ or ‘you have an excellent understanding of the material we’ve been covering’?  Likewise, we also feel proud and motivated when our supervisor provides praise for a job well done! 

The survey went on to suggest ‘better managers’ as the number two element of experiencing a good day at work. As a student, you may be able to parallel the role of a supervisor to the role of your professor.  When we have a caring professor that provides plenty of praise and encouragement and takes time to ensure that new concepts and theories are clearly understood, we are motivated and inspired to study and do our best. Alternatively, if you have a professor or supervisor that promotes a culture of criticism, fails to provide direction and does not recognize your efforts and contributions, you will feel frustrated and may become apathetic in your class or job. 

The number three element identifies, ‘more time with friends and family’ as important to workplace happiness and avoiding burnout.   As employees and students, we all appreciate flexibility and opportunities to attend to family and friends.  Likewise, if an emergency arises, we appreciate having a professor or supervisor that will be sensitive to our needs when emergency situations require our time. (To that end, as employees and students, we also have a responsibiity to stay on top of assignments and work deadlines so that when a need arises, we are prepared.)

Lastly, ‘greater trust’ is recognized as an important element to a good work experience.  As a student, trust is also an extremely important factor to experiencing success and happiness.  Recognizing that our instructor trusts our opinions and contributions also builds confidence and respect.

Do you experience these elements in your class?  As we see the parallel, we can begin to appreciate how college can prepare us with experiences to transition from life as a student to the life of a professional. Along with theories and content, life lessons can be learned in the classroom. When a professor (or supervisor) fails to promote the elements referenced in this survey; you must believe in yourself and make the best of your environment so that you can bloom where you are planted!  When you do experience these elements, learn from them and begin to live them out to encourage others!

For complete results of the survey, please refer to, Red Balloon’s blog, “Four things we need to have a ‘good’ day at work”.

What do I want to be when I grow up?

 

 

Every student is faced with the heavy task of choosing a major.  Although it is a big decision it doesn’t have to be a stressful one.  In fact, many students spend the first two years of their education taking general education classes to help ease the process and grow through their studies.  Here are some ideas and questions you can think about to get you started in that decision process.

• Think about the present

What do you enjoy most about your daily routine? Are you more energized in the morning or do you feel your best at night? Do you enjoy talking to others during your morning coffee stop or are you happier reading the morning paper while waiting for your coffee? Are you comfortable driving around while doing errands or would you rather utilize a computer and internet for all your needs?

•  Keep in mind your interests

In your free time, what do you find yourself doing? Are you outside in your garden or in your kitchen trying your hand at a new recipe? Do you enjoy volunteering or are you at the gym lifting weights and taking yoga classes? Is fixing up your vehicle exciting or do you like reading about the newest fashion trends? Perhaps you frequent the movie theater or visit the dog park often.

• Consider the future

Do you see yourself living in the same state and town or are you in a new setting with different cultures around you? Are you in the process of raising a family or entertaining friends with drinks and catered appetizers every Friday night? Is the airport a familiar place to you due to your monthly travels or are you content in your local commute? Do you have a graduate degree underway?

 

These are just a few questions and thoughts to use when considering your path of study and more importantly your career.  Keep in mind this decision is about you.  No one wants to wake up every morning dreading work.  After all the more engaged you are in your major the happier you’ll be in your education and future career. 

If you’d like to take a quiz to find a major that’s right you, go to www.MyMajors.com   



Five Essential Friends

With all of the curveballs life can throw at us, it’s no surprise that you can never have enough friends; given the variety of challenges we face every day from personal to social to academic to job-related, the more diverse friends we have, the better! How would you describe your closest friends and what they bring to your life? Are they all different and do they enhance your life in different ways or do they have similar personalities? How would you best describe your friendship style? Below are five essential friends that everyone should have, so if you are looking to add some other types to your friend arsenal, look for these traits:

The "Counselor" Type – This person is known for his/her excellent listening skills. He/she may not dole out advice at the drop of a hat, but will listen with their eyes, ears and heart and reinforce that you are being heard and understood. This type of friend is ideal for when you are needing to solve a major problem or when facing a startling dilemma that leaves you unable to cope. The Counselor type can help you put things in perspective; by rephrasing what is really going on, you will see that the issue you are dealing with may be larger than life.

The Encourager – This person is known to be brimming with encouragement and positive messages. When you are about to undertake a major challenge, they are there to remind you of your strengths and that you will pull through. This type of friend is the optimist that will give you that positive boost the next time you are feeling hopeless about a difficult situation or if you are nervous about a new challenge such as a job interview for a position that you have never done before.

The "Tell It Like It Is Friend" – Every now and then, we need someone to tell it like it is and show us the reality of a situation when we aren’t willing to accept it ourselves. Maybe we are not setting priorities effectively; maybe we are contemplating a situation that isn’t in our best interests. Every now and then, we need someone to spell it out for us to either go for an opportunity or turn down something that isn’t right for us.

The Friend that Inspires – Maybe you want to take up a new hobby or sport. This friend is adventurous and lighthearted; at times, a Renaissance man or woman. No task or activity is too difficult or out of reach. So, if you wanted to try parachuting, this type of friend (along with the Cheerleader) would enable you to embody the courage necessary to go beyond your boundaries and think outside the box. A friend in this category is not afraid to try new things and already has taken on a variety of exploratory projects and new endeavors.

The “Relaxation” Friend – I call this the “Relaxation” friend because he/she is characterized by someone who enjoy being with just for the sake of being with them. There doesn’t have to be a special occasion or an emergency conflict to warrant spending time with a friend like this. You are just happy being in this person’s company. This is the friend that you call just to have a relaxing lunch on a Sunday afternoon and talk about nothing or everything. Or, if you are just in the mood for some company for no particular reason, this is the friend you turn to.

Overall, we all need a variety of friends, even if your buddies to fit into all of these categories. Regardless, point out their positive qualities to them every now and then; let them know what they bring to your life as a means of keeping your friendships strong and intact.

For more information on this topic, visit this link.

The Power of Proactive Thinking

Imagine you are about to submit an online assignment at 7:30 a.m. on Monday morning. Your computer crashes and you must submit it from another computer. You decide to drive to the library. However, it is pouring down rain, traffic is moving at a bumper-to-bumper pace and the clock is ticking. If you do not submit the assignment by 8:00, you will not receive credit. What are some of the feelings that you would experience if you were in this scenario and how would you typically respond? Think physiology: racing heart, nausea, indigestion or tense muscles.

The feelings of worry and stress that hinder our thought processes can often times interfere with our ability to make informed decisions and take strategic action while in crisis mode. In these unpredictable times, we can’t always control our external circumstances; however, we can control our response to them and how we strategize to overcome physical and mental stress in preparation for the next time we are faced with a similar situation.

Stephen R. Covey said it best when he commented, “There is a gap between stimulus and response, and the key to both our growth and happiness is how we use that space.” Once you are in a calmer place, you can better strategize about your next plan of action such as calling the professor or someone in the academic department and letting him/her know of the situation, rather than letting the stress response control your actions.

Some suggestions for stopping the stress response:

• Be your own cheerleader – “There’s no problem that I can’t conquer; “it’s not anxiety, it’s excitement!” “I can handle this.”
• Breathing techniques – If you are inclined to take rapid, shallow breaths, practice taking in slower deep breaths to combat the stress response.
• Think of a calm relaxing scene such as a tranquil, sandy beach with the peaceful sound of ocean waves in the background or whatever scene helps you feel at peace (you may want to practice this in your spare time so that you can return to this scene when circumstances warrant it).
• Listen to relaxing music. Easy listening music is proven to help bring people a sense of peace and calm.

By now, you are thinking clearly and rationally enough to take the right steps in handling the situation such as contacting the professor or department to let him/her know of the situation rather than letting your naturally reactive response control your thoughts.

In short, you can invent a host of ways to proactively respond to a stressful situation, rather than react and surrender to the stress surrounding it. Finally, evaluating (via journal or diary) how the strategy helped you, and ways to modify it in the future will help you take a more proactive approach to life’s future curveballs and challenges!

Covey. F. (2004). Introduction to the 7 Habits of Hightly Effective College Students Workbook.

Seven Tips to Help with First Day Jitters

The first day of an online course can bring just as many nerves as heading to campus for your first day. It’s hard to know what the first day of any new adventure will bring. Whether you are going back to college, taking an online course for the first time or are a continuing student, you may still have some nervousness about what to expect. Here are 7 tips on getting rid of those first day jitters.

1. Breathe. Take a deep breath and relax. After a few deep breaths and you will feel more relaxed and confident.
2. Enroll in an ELI Orientation webinar. This webinar is beneficial to students who are new to distance learning, or who are returning to NOVA and/or distance learning and would like a refresher course. This one hour webinar for students enrolled in courses offered through the Extended Learning Institute (ELI) will focus on getting started in your courses, navigating in your Blackboard course site, and identifying tips for success, financial aid resources, and student support services. Click here for dates, times and to sign up!
3. Ask your professor, a counselor or success coach any questions you have. Take advantage of the knowledge of all of your professors, counselors and success coaches.  They are here to help. You should have access to Blackboard on the first day your class is scheduled.  Direct course specific questions to your professor. General ELI questions can be answered by contacting a staff member through the Hotline or Live Chat. Visit the ELI website for contact information.  
4. Be prepared. You should receive a Quick Start Syllabus for each ELI course in the postal mail before your course(s) begin. This has general information about ELI courses as well as your professor’s contact information. You will receive a full syllabus for your course(s) when you gain access to Blackboard on the day your course is scheduled to begin. The more prepared you are, the more confident you will feel!  
5. Make a Term Planner. Use what works for you and stick with it throughout the semester. Whether this is the calendar on your computer, or your planner that you write due dates in, know what works for you! Write down important ELI dates (webinar dates, inactive student drop date, etc) as well as course specific dates (midterm, finals, etc.). Remember, ELI dates are not necessarily the same as campus dates, so make yourself familiar with ELI’s schedule.
6. Talk to those who understand. ELI has several social media sites which are available to help you connect with other online students. Explore the ELI website, facebook page, twitter and this blog to get some advice from fellow students, faculty and staff about succeeding in distance learning.
7. Get a good night's rest. A good night’s rest can help calm the nerves you may have about a new day. This will help clear your mind and prepare you for a new experience.

Good luck to everyone who is taking ELI courses this summer. Does anyone have tips to share?

A Quote to Inspire Your Day

Just wanted to share with you a quote that I stumbled across today. I found this to be particularly inspirational and uplifting.

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint on the clouds of doubt,
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar.
So, stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things go wrong that you mustn't quit.
—Unknown

For more information on this topic, visit: http://www.beliefnet.com/Inspiration/Inspiration-Quotes.aspx

Surviving Discouragment

Last week I missed a deadline in my class because I locked myself out of BOTH my house and my car at a critical time. I felt incredibly stressed because of the event already, and that stress became much more intense as I then had to search for a place to scan my receipt from the locksmith so I could attach it to my email with my request for an extension. The next day, I received a failing grade on an assignment in another class that I thought I had done really well on. By that point I was seriously thinking about just giving up and starting over next semester.

What made the difference between continuing in my classes rather than quitting was support from my friends and family—my support network. My best friend listened patiently as I recounted the events of my really bad day. My husband reminded me that I often learn a lot from the first few assignments in a class and that that always helps me do better on later assignments and tests. My sister reminded me of the reasons I gave when I shared with her that I was going to take college classes while working full time

It is often support from the people around us that makes it possible for us to push through challenges and frustrations to succeed in our classes. If my husband had been discouraging and confirmed my gripes that I would never recover from those first poor assignments—If my sister had said “I told you that you shouldn’t have taken classes while working” instead of reminding me of my hopes and dreams—If my friend hadn’t had time to listen to my troubles and help me calm down from them, then the outcome could have been very different.

Sometimes, healthy support networks like this just pop up around you. Sometimes, though, you have to build and cultivate them deliberately to increase your chances of succeeding. For the next several weeks, I’m going to blog about how to develop a healthy support network.

In the meantime, I would love to hear examples of how your friends and family have made a difference in either helping you or hindering you in reaching your goals. What do you do when someone around you is discouraging?

What causes Success?

I came across this quote today and it really struck a chord with me. I hope it is encouraging to you also…

“I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” - Michael Jordan

It reminds me that most of the people who succeed in the world are not necessarily the ones who start out the smartest, or richest, or luckiest. More often, the people who succeed are the ones who just keep trying.