The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning is offering a series of hands-on, active, and process-focused workshops in which students learn and apply strategies designed expressly for the highly demanding Princeton University context. Led by McGraw's Associate Director, Nic Voge, the emphasis is on advanced and innovative techniques for purposeful and efficient learning. Students apply the strategies to their own course materials whenever possible during the workshops and, ideally, make a one-to-one follow-up appointment in The McGraw Center which builds upon what they learned in the workshop.

The strategies introduced emerge from a common core of research-based learning principles and comprise an integrated strategic approach. While each workshop can stand alone, the series is designed to build on itself and thus reinforce the core principles, and yet is sequenced to be responsive to the current demands of the semester (e.g. midterms).

Balance academics with everything else Princeton has to offer. Learn about the biggest organizational and time management challenges from Princeton upperclassmen—so you can overcome them. Try out proven practical techniques and tools. Find out about fundamental principles of time management and self-management that allow you to adapt to new, unexpected situations. Prevent procrastination before it prevents you from getting things done!

Bring to the workshop the syllabi from each of your courses and leave with a useful toolkit for:

• Efficiently schedule your whole semester
  
• Manage time on a daily and weekly basis
  
• Getting more out of your study time
  
• Using to-do lists more effectively
  

This is an active, hands-on workshop in which you will apply strategies to YOUR own courses. Individualized follow-up appointments with staff in the McGraw Center in Frist can be arranged.

Friday, Feb. 8, 1:30-3:00 p.m.,  330 Frist
Wednesday, Feb. 13, 8:30-10:00 p.m., Butler D 028
Tuesday, Feb. 19, 7:30-9:00 p.m., Butler D 028

Want to learn some methods for managing the large amounts of information assigned in your courses?

Learn how to "blueprint" your courses so that you can read, take lecture notes, and study more purposefully and efficiently.

The Blueprinting Approach--a set of researched-based strategies--is expressly designed for reading-intensive Princeton courses, but can be adapted to any course.

Bring a course syllabus to apply this innovative method to one of your own courses during this hands-on, practical workshop.

Friday, Feb. 15, 1:30-3:00 p.m., 330 Frist
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 8:30-10:00 p.m., Butler D 028

Friday, Feb. 22, 1:30-3:00 p.m., 330 Frist
Tuesday, Feb. 26, 7:30-9:00 p.m., Butler D 028

Performing well on exams is critical to success in your courses. In this workshop you will learn proven methods for preparing yourself to meet the unique demands of Princeton exams and truly excel.

This is an active hands-on workshop in which you will work on materials from YOUR own current courses. So, bring a syllabus or two and any other information from your courses such as previous exams (check Blackboard) that might be useful in preparing for midterms.

Friday, Mar 1, 1:30–3:00 p.m., 330 Frist
Wednesday, Mar. 6, 8:30–10:00 p.m., Butler D 028

Want advice about writing a successful senior thesis funding proposal?
From this panel you can get some guidance on conceptualizing your project, approaching/working with a faculty advisor, and framing your research question. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask our panelists other questions on your mind.
 
Whether you are a junior looking to apply for funding in the next few weeks or an underclassmen already champing at the research bit, come join McGraw as we sit down with members of the University community to discuss what makes for a compelling and thoughtful research funding application. We will hear from seniors who have gone through the process, a graduate student with helpful insights, and the Director of Undergraduate Research, Pascale Maloof Poussart.

Wednesday, March 278th, 5:00-6:30 p.m., 330 Frist

To reserve a space and receive a reminder email message for the this workshop, please click on this link:

https://odocweb.princeton.edu/rsvp/rsvp_event.php?sharepoint_id=932

*This panel is designed to help you prepare a funding proposal which can be submitted to SAFE; it is NOT expressly designed to address the mechanics of using SAFE to apply for funding.

Office hours can be an essential resource for any student in a class. This McGraw Workshop is designed to help you get more out of this freeform time with instructors. Come and get insights from AIs who have conducted office hours and upperclassmen that have been there before.
During this panel and discussion session you will:

• Get a view of office hours from an preceptors perspective. Learn how preceptors conduct office hours and what preceptors would like to accomplish during these sessions.
  
  
• Develop strategies to optimize your time during office hours through discussing what you can do before and afterward.
  
  
• Understand how office hours can be beneficial for you.

Thursday, March 28th, 12:30-1:30pm Wilson Private Dining Room*

To reserve a space and receive a reminder email message for the this workshop, please click on this link:

https://odocweb.princeton.edu/rsvp/rsvp_event.php?sharepoint_id=933

*The Wilson Private Dining Room is located at the back of the Wilson dining hall

Is procrastination an obstacle to maintaining balance and achieving academic success?

If so, you are not alone.  Up to 80% of college students report that procrastination has been a significant issue. Procrastination is not a matter of mere “laziness” and the solution is not simply “better time management”. In order to overcome procrastination it is vital that you understand its root causes and motivational dynamics. It is also vital to learn an array of (sometimes counter-intuitive) strategies and techniques for dealing with it.

In this workshop you will:

• Gain a deeper awareness of what procrastination is and why people do it
• Understand the motivational dynamics and mind games that perpetuate procrastination
• Learn a variety of techniques for managing procrastination

All participants can arrange individualized follow-up appointments.

Wednesday, Apr. 3, 8:30-10:00 p.m., Location Butler D 028
Friday, Apr. 5, 1:30-3:00 P.M., 330 Frist

Monday, May 6, 7:00-8:30 p.m., 330 Frist

To reserve a space and receive a reminder email message for the this workshop, please click on this link:

https://odocweb.princeton.edu/rsvp/rsvp_event.php?sharepoint_id=996

Tuesday, May 7, 5:30-7:00 p.m., Butler D 028 

To reserve a space and receive a reminder email message for the this workshop, please click on this link:

https://odocweb.princeton.edu/rsvp/rsvp_event.php?sharepoint_id=859