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Carmen Rodriguez

What is your educational and professional background?

Carmen began her journey as a content-based educator twenty years ago, but in 2015, she fell in love with processed-based work, switching her focus to how we learn. She has been happily on this journey ever since! 

What do you love helping students with? 

While Carmen helps students learn process-based strategies like time management, reading efficiency, and more, she most values helping students become the person that they would like to be. She loves helping them address the challenges along the way. 

Hometown: Carmen has moved so much that she doesn’t consider herself to have a hometown! But her last stop was the DC-metro area, and sometimes she describes herself as a Miami girl with midwestern roots. 

Favorite Academic Subject: In Carmen's undergraduate days, she focused on literature and creative writing, but, lately, it’s been cognitive psychology with an increasing interest in positive psychology. She would love to dedicate some time to data science.

Favorite Snack: Salted chocolate with peanut butter! 

Nataliya Braginsky

What is your educational and professional background?

Nataliya has a B.A. in liberal arts and a masters in education. They have been working in schools since 2007, and she was a recently a high school history teacher. She loves working with young people through their transition from high school to college.

What do you love helping students with?

Nataliya loves learning what students learn and enjoys helping them gain awareness of their own learning processes.

Hometown: Nataliya was born in Kiev, Ukraine, but she grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio.

Favorite Academic Subject: History.

Favorite Snack: Pirate's Booty, fruits, and chips and salsa!

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Sending an email to a professor can be intimidating, not only for first-year students, but for anyone! Professors are here to help you and want you to succeed, but how you write an email can help you stand out to them. Here are some suggestions for sending emails to professors.  

Address professors in a respectful, formal tone. 

  • “Dear Professor/Dr. _____” 
    • As you get to know your professors, you can take a more conversational approach, but when first emailing, it is always best to address them in a respectful, formal manner.
    • If you’re unsure if a professor has a Ph.D., it is always best to refer to them as ‘Professor.’ You can always double-check this information on the professor’s department website too. 

If they don’t respond, don’t panic. Send a follow-up email!

  • “I wanted to follow-up to see if there are updates from the email I sent on (date)”
    • Professors receive many emails on a daily basis. You should not take it personally if they don’t respond immediately to a request. 
    • It is best to wait 2-3 days, then send a follow-up email or ask them your question in person.  

What to Say to Your Professors When...

You want to schedule a meeting:

  • “I was hoping to chat with you for about a half hour regarding _____, does that work for you?”
  • “I am interested in pursuing a major/career in _____. Would you be able to share your experiences with me?”
  • “I read your _____ and I’d like to know more about this topic. Would you have time to discuss this?”
    • Suggest a time frame if the professor does not already have one
    • Be sure to arrive about 5 minutes early
    • Create a checklist of topics you wish to discuss. This shows that you came prepared and gives the professor a more specific idea of what the meeting is about.

You need additional help:

  • “I would like to improve my overall grade, but I am struggling with the material. What are the best ways to succeed in this class?”
  • “Do you have any suggestions as to what I can do to improve?”
  • “I am struggling with (a specific topic discussed in class), could we please meet during your office hours?”
    • Emphasize what you are currently doing to understand the material (joining a tutoring group, reviewing notes, reading supplemental information, etc.) so the professor knows you are actively making an effort.

You are concerned about grades:

  • “I am concerned about the grade I received on the paper/test/assignment, do you have time to discuss where I can improve?”
    • Grades can be difficult to talk about, especially when you feel you’ve received a grade you did not deserve. However, approaching this matter in a nonaccusatory/nondefensive manner will show your professor that you care about your performance as a student, rather than placing the blame on them.

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In order to maintain a healthy school-life balance one must prioritize, self-reflect, and manage time effectively. 

Prioritization is the act of ranking activities or tasks by importance and urgency. This is an important skill to have because it allows you to allocate enough time and effort to complete your tasks. For example: if you prioritize tasks that are due soon instead of those that are due later, you will be able to meet your most pressing deadlines. 

Self-reflection helps individuals recognize what is important to them, how they work best, and what their goals are. Using this information, you can make sure to incorporate the things you enjoy into your day while also scheduling the things you need to do for school or for other commitments. By reflecting on what matters to you, you can make sure your days align with your priorities, and are planned with your goals and work habits in mind. 

Time management skills will help you balance personal and academic priorities using tools such as a Priority Matrix. Being organized, designating time in the day for planning purposes, using a to-do list, and focusing on one task at a time can help you become more effective at doing so. 

To become better at prioritization, self-reflection, and time management, please visit the resources linked at the bottom of the page and read on below for the perspectives of students who have been able to successfully maintain balance.  

Tanaka (‘25) is a student and talented musician here at Dartmouth. In order to keep up with her school work, extracurriculars, and social commitments, she schedules her weeks to optimize balance. On the weekdays, she suggests being as productive as possible so that on the weekend, you can have the chance to relax. Tanaka likes to set Saturday as a “no-work” day so she can go outside, spend time with friends, and have fun. As a result of her time-management skills, she is able to enjoy this relaxing day and be refreshed for the week ahead. 

WISP participants Abby (‘25) and Eunice (‘25) conduct medical research on top of their classes. Eunice finds taking intentional breaks important for mental well-being and productivity. She says that “if you feel your mind closing down [after a day of studying], it’s best to close down for the night.” Abby notes that even though it is tempting to reschedule your plans to align with those of your friends, it is important to find a schedule that works for you because what is best for others might not be what's best for you. 

Robert Orben once said “Time flies. It’s up to you to be the navigator.” With time management skills, a deep understanding of what’s important to you, and self-reflection, you will be able to navigate your Dartmouth experience with greater ease and purpose. 

Resources:

The E-Guide: “Academic Success at Dartmouth”

Time Management Tips | Academic Skills Center (dartmouth.edu)

Making a Schedule | Academic Skills Center (dartmouth.edu)

Planners and Outlines | Academic Skills Center (dartmouth.edu)

Online Calendars | Academic Skills Center (dartmouth.edu)

Academic Success Coaching | Academic Skills Center (dartmouth.edu)

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Many students at Dartmouth may struggle with time management due to the fast pace of the 10 week term and numerous academic, extracurricular, and social commitments. The ASC has compiled a list of free time management apps below that can help you plan, prioritize, and complete tasks in a more timely and organized manner. 

A vector of a small green sprout in dirt against a yellow background is depicted whcih is the logo of the Flora app

Flora (free)

“Forget water, grow your garden with focus and concentration”

Flora is an app designed to gamify your ability to concentrate. Set a timer for how long you want to focus, and if you do not open another app during that time - you grow a tree! Open another app, and your tree dies. The more you concentrate, the bigger a garden you have. If you choose to, you can put a price on your focus where Flora will charge you anything above $5 if your tree dies; the money goes to planting trees in rural communities. If you get a phone call your tree does not die, so you can still respond to emergencies if need be. You can collect your concentration trees in your ‘garden’ and the app gives you an optional daily summary of your ‘time growing trees’. Other cool features include being able to plant seeds with other people! Whether you’re trying to stay off your phone during dinner or working on a group project, you can grow a tree together if both people resist the urge to look at their phones.The app is free and available to both Android and IOS users.

Plan (free)

"Sometimes it's best to go with the plan"

Plan app is both a planner and a project manager all in one. It allows you to add things to a calendar and a daily agenda (including to-do lists for those list lovers out there) with due dates if you would like to. It helps manage group projects particularly, where people can assign tasks to others and track everyone’s progress by creating a new ‘Workspace.’ Documents can be shared via Plan using Google drive too! Not only can you manage your work life here, but you can plan your personal life too. Make categories of different types of tasks and how important they are. Use this app to make to-do lists both for your CVS run and your economics class!  The app also organizes your data into a fact sheet, which is cool - it tells you how many people, places and activities you have had contact with, been to, or done; as well as your average hours per task, average days to complete tasks, and time spent by list. It can be used online on any sort of computer through the web, but the app is only available on iOS (Apple devices).

Remember the Milk (free)

"The ultimate to do list"

This app can be used to create lists of things you need to accomplish on a specific day. These lists are organized according to different parts of your life (school, work, personal, etc.) and the tasks on them can be broken down by day or by week, have set priorities, due dates, and be repeated. You can share your lists and delegate tasks to others on Remember the Milk which makes setting a large amount of reminders and recurring tasks very simple to do.

Focus Keeper (free)

“Tangible Productivity” 

Focus Keeper is an app that helps you do Pomodoros. If you’re not familiar with the Pomodoro Method, you will study for one Pomodoro which is 25 minutes, take a five minute break, then do another Pomodoro, and repeat until you have finished four Pomodoros. Every four Pomodoros, you will take a longer break, often between 15 and 30 minutes. The Pomodoro Method helps you maximize focus and productivity during your study periods. Please note that while you are studying or on break, the clock ticks for the entire 25 or five minutes. If you don’t like the ticking, you can always turn your volume off, but if you do, you will not be able to hear when the alarm goes off. You may find that Focus Keeper is a good tool for you if you have solid self-discipline and want the clock ticking to function as a sort of white noise in the background while you study.

Studious (free)

“A hub for all your planning needs”

Studious is an app that consolidates all your planning needs. Once you input your class schedule, the app will silence your phones during these times automatically, which reduces distraction. The app also will send you reminders at regular intervals to let you know when your homework assignments are due and when your upcoming exams are scheduled. Its built in features for scheduling will allow you to plan when you will work on different assignments and engage in various extracurricular activities. You can even centralize your academics in one place by tracking your progress in each class with up-to-date scores, task lists, and grades.

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The image depicts Baker Library of Dartmouth College during foliage seasons when the trees are vibrant orange
Baker Library, Home of the Academic Skills Center

1. What do we do?

The mission of Dartmouth's Academic Skills Center is to assist students in achieving their academic goals. We help students improve their academic skills and ability to learn, thereby maximizing their academic experience and allowing them to achieve greater academic performance and personal fulfillment.

2. Who are we?

The ASC is a collaborative environment where dedicated staff and students work together in support of the Dartmouth student body. You can read more about those involved by clicking here!

3. Where can you find us?

The Academic Skills Center is conveniently located on the Tuck Drive side of the Tower Room in 224 Baker Library, Dartmouth College!

4. When can you find us?

Our hours are weekdays from 8:30AM- 4:30PM!

5. Why should you drop by?

The ASC offers the student body many opportunities for academic enrichment through academic coaching, group tutoring, MoTEAvational Mondays, learning strategy workshops, and more. We offer personalized help for those seeking to maximize their academic performance and work in conjunction with Student Accessibility Services, the Student Wellness Center, and the First Generation Office to support students of all backgrounds in their transition to college. Come on by the ASC to learn more about the resources available to help you become a more efficient and effective learner!