Me. Yep. It’s funny to list myself first on a list of resources. But, I try to serve as the hub for my transfer friends. You can come to me when you don’t know where to go with a question, and I can plug you in to the right places around campus! I may not be the answer, or have the answer, but I’m always happy to help you dig for it.

What I often meet students about (and I’m always happy to!):

• Academic Struggles
  • I’m an academic coach as well, and can plug you into resources around campus that can help.
• Personal struggles
  • Everything that makes you you goes into you succeeding here in Chapel Hill. I’m comfortable and happy to talk about anything you’d like.
• Deciding on your major / career goals
  • I was a career advisor in a past life as well.
• Planning what you want to do with your time at UNC / how to balance your time
  • How to get involved in research.
  • Travel
  • Internships
  • Service Learning
  • Volunteering
  • Social justice initiatives (Student groups)
• How much time you have left to finish your degree (“8 semester rule”)
  • I can’t tell you what you have left for your major, but I can clarify how many terms you have left and help you make a plan to fit in everything you’d like to fit in.
• How to make friends and build community
• What other students are feeling / have said in the past
• Most importantly: When you don’t know where to go, come to me!

You can always email me with questions at FayardL@email.unc.edu  If I can’t answer them, I’ll find someone who can! To make an appt with me, shoot me an email with your general availability, week to week, or use this link: https://success.oasis.unc.edu/success?site=cfssp  (Some links are not currently working here. Just copy and paste it. Once the fall term starts, you’ll see my availability and be able to snag an appt. But, again, you can also just email me.)

Here are some great other resources for you. Again, I’m happy to talk to you about all of these things.

Struggling with Bio / Chem / Calc / Physics? So are 1000 other students.

• We have subject-specific academic coaches in the Learning Center! You can meet one on one with them, for help with how to approach your specific courses: https://learningcenter.unc.edu/about/meet-the-staff/
• There is also peer tutoring, by students who have taken that class and done well: https://learningcenter.unc.edu/services/peer-tutoring/
• Physics Tutorial Center: https://physics.unc.edu/undergraduate/student-learning-resources/

Struggling with ECON410? So are 1000 other students. If you begin to…

• The EconAid Center on the ground floor of Gardner can help! https://econ.unc.edu/undergraduate/econaid/ It doesn’t look like they’ve yet updated their fall schedule. But, check back and use them when you need them! There is a contact email at the bottom of the page, if you’d like to reach out about the schedule.
• This course is one of the absolute most difficult courses UNC can hurl at you. You’re not alone, if you’re struggling. Trust me. I know about this course, because I’ve met with 100s of students who have battled it.

“I can’t possibly read this much!” No. No you can’t. Not carefully.

• Every fall, I meet with numerous students who are freaking out because they can’t read every word in every class carefully. First, the academic coaches can help with your approach to your reading, and they have great online materials here: https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/
• Direct quote from a professor, in an intro to Poli Sci course: “Some of you are thinking, as you look at the syllabus, that you can’t possibly read this much… and you’re exactly right. You can’t read everything carefully. You have to learn to prioritize your readings. We need you to cover too much ground for you to be able to do so perfectly.”

The personalities that get you here don’t often feel comfortable with this. But, this is reality at UNC. It’s not always easy to know what to focus on. But, it’s vital that you try (and maybe let my buddies in the Learning Center help).

“My time management and study skills aren’t where I thought they were.” They may not be. Neither were mine, when I moved on from my community college. This may be the #1 thing I hear. Constantly, I get, “I think I’m not as good at managing my time as I thought I was coming in.”

• I’m happy to speak with you about this. I have a very simple way of looking at it that helps 9/10 students. Along with me, once again…
• LEARNING CENTER! They don’t treat you like every other student. They will help you refine your habits based on what works for you, specifically.

Have ADHD and want support from trained professionals and fellow students? One more time… The Learning Center! We have some overly intelligent, well-trained (Specific to learning differences), and caring individuals who love what they do and want you to let them do it for you.

Struggling with your mental health? You’re far from alone. CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services): https://caps.unc.edu/

• A vast majority of students I spoke with in the spring were feeling this. A vast majority.
• This is not just happening to students. I haven’t spoken with a single person during all of this who is not struggling here – myself included. Outside of UNC, you don’t have caring, trained pros waiting to speak with you. So, take advantage of them while you do.

Unsure of your major / career goal / grad school? You’re not alone, and we’ve got folks to help.

• University Career Services: They can help with so much! https://careers.unc.edu/
  • Picking a major
  • Choosing a graduate program
  • Discovering your strengths and looking into what type of career could satisfy aspects of your personality
  • How to approach different aspects of an interview
  • What traits are employers looking for in 2020?
  • Where to begin the job hunt
  • How to meet employers
  • How to get internships
• Here is some info about how they work with you: Your First Steps With University Career Services

Need help getting started on research for a paper? Personal Librarians!

• You should be getting an email soon from a “Transfer Student Personal Librarian” – that is a librarian assigned specifically to you, to help you with research. If you haven’t heard from them, or want to go ahead and get started (wisdom), reach out to the Undergrad Library: https://library.unc.edu/ask/  (They have a chat and an email dedicated to just this)
• Trust that – because everything is online – they may be busier than ever, late in the term. So, start early! Get a head start on that research paper, with their help.

Not confident in your writing, or just want help to improve / get that A? Writing Center! https://writingcenter.unc.edu/

• Our fantastic Writing Center is full of amazing, professional writing tutors that will help you with any type of writing – academic or personal!
• If you can’t meet with them, you can also submit your papers online for review!
• If you’re over-confident in your writing (as I was and shouldn’t have been), keep in mind… they may know your specific professor and what they are looking for.

Your courses didn’t transfer in as you’d hoped they would?

• Transfer Credit Reevaluations: https://admissions.unc.edu/files/2017/04/Re-evaluation-of-Transfer-Credit-Guide-for-Students.pdf
• When you do this, you are not trying to prove how “good” another course or institution was – you’re trying to show that the course you took is close enough in content to our course that you should get credit for that particular course. You’ll do that using syllabi, course descriptions, etc. You’ll find directions at the link above.

Wondering how long you have at UNC? Your advisor can help here, but the gist…

• Everyone gets 8 Semesters. You’ll hear “The 8 Semester Rule”. That’s 4 Falls, 4 Springs, including the work you transferred in.
• If you transferred in 30 or more post-HS college credits, you are automatically granted a 9^th and 10^th semester, to allow you to take advantage of all that you want to in Chapel Hill.
• Summers don’t count.

“How do I get an advisor?” I get this question a lot every fall.

• If it hasn’t happened yet, one will be assigned to you soon. You’ll see their name in your Connect Carolina.
• If you don’t have a great relationship with who is assigned, move on! You’re not stuck with anyone if you don’t want to be. There are a lot of great advisors, with a lot of different personalities. It’s important to find one you like and trust!
• If you need one quickly, you’ll find drop-in hours on their site: https://advising.unc.edu/
• Headed for a health profession? Mary-Charles Horn is fantastic! https://hpa.unc.edu/connect/appointment/
  • She can give you advice on how to schedule your prerequisites, to maximize your gpa in the important courses!

Wondering about your payments / charges / fees? Cashier@unc.edu

Wondering about your Financial Aid? Aidinfo@unc.edu

Wondering whether or not we received your final transcripts? UNCHelp@Admissions.unc.edu

Issues with housing? Housing@unc.edu 

• If you are having major issues with your roommate, you can request to be moved through Housing. It doesn’t always happen, but it is worth a try.

Need help with getting excused absences? The Office of the Dean of Students helps to communicate with your professors here: https://odos.unc.edu/ (Contact email at the bottom)

Looking for a community of folks with similar experiences / identities? The Office for Diversity and Inclusion: https://diversity.unc.edu/