Welcome to CalSO Postscript
This newsletter features stories for and by Berkeley undergraduates. If you've attended CalSO, you've already learned a bit about the campus. Postscript hopes to expand your knowledge about some of the opportunities and advantages available to you.

Postscript Fall 2006 Stories
Welcome to Cal! | Peer Education: GenEq Resource Center | I "heart" consent | Writer's block: a Berkeley tutor's experience | Campus Politics: the ASUC and me | Community Service: Hurricane Katrina

Postscript Fall 2005 Stories
Dear incoming freshmen | Diversity in Berkeley | Drinking 101 | Research: Expand your undergraduate experience | Paris, France: Fall 2003

Find a tutor, or become one!

Student Learning Center
http://slc.berkeley.edu

“Woo Hoo! I got in! Wait, now how do I write an essay?”
--An anonymous student in Upper Sproul Plaza

In fall of 2004, I transferred from the College of the Desert located in Palm Desert, CA to the University of California, Berkeley. I was ripe. After two grueling years of seventeen-plus unit semesters, I felt ready to conquer and topple the UC Berkeley Mountain. Let us be clear about this point: I came to Berkeley to kick ass, take names and finish in no more than two years. Or so I thought....

That summer I went to CalSO. In the latter part of the day I attended a panel geared towards newly admitted English Majors. What I remember most about that day was the emphasis put on buffering the impact of transitioning to a large university. To this, one of the student speakers stated and restated: “Do not take more than two English courses in your first semester.” I heard this advice and swore to live by it. When it came to choosing classes, however, I had a lapse in memory; I only remembered my commitment to graduate from Berkeley in two years. So I decided the opposite. In order to truly finish my undergraduate career in such a short amount of time I would have to take three English classes my first semester. And so I did.

For the first month and a half, I regularly consumed doses of Shakespeare (English 117S), Chaucer (English 45A) and Puritan Literature (English 130A). Then I received my first graded midterm/paper in English 130A. I got a “D.” The grade actually looked like a distorted “A,” and for the first five minutes or so I sat on a rock and wondered what I had done, or in this case, not done.

Racked with ambivalence I wondered: how was I going to be an English major if I couldn’t even write a passing essay? It was a predicament that haunted me. Around the same time my friend and fellow English major applied for and accepted a writing tutor position in the Student Learning Center (SLC). Every so often we’d talk, and she’d tell me about her wonderful experiences there-how she was helping students enhance their writing abilities and honing her own in the process. Soon after, I started attending Drop-in hours when I had papers due. Once there, I became familiar with a number of other offered resources and began attending one-time workshops: classes taught by writing tutors covering topics as broad as brainstorming ideas to self-editing and proofreading essays. Gradually, my writing improved. And although I didn’t earn the grades I desired, I learned a valuable lesson in humility and in accepting advice. (And since, I’ve never taken more than two English classes in a given semester!)

The following year, I decided to follow in my friend’s footsteps and give tutoring a try. The initial sessions were rocky; it took me a while to build the self-confidence needed to feel comfortable giving other students advice. After a while, the difficulty subsided, and I began to gauge my tutoring role for what it was: a peer relationship, without the classroom hierarchy or the authoritarian professor scrutinizing every grammatical oversight with a sharp red pen. From my tutoring experience, I’ve learned that Berkeley students are heterogeneous and come from different backgrounds. As such, sometimes all a student really needs is the reassurance that they are doing satisfactory work-to know their theses are sound and their arguments are logical. Other times, students require specific writing assistance ranging from performing close reading to drafting conclusions. In either case, I attempt to structure tutoring sessions based on an individual’s immediate need while addressing potential long-term writing goals. I tell anyone needing any kind of assistance inside or outside the classroom to visit the SLC and become familiar with its resources. After all, you are paying for it, and you should know by now that education is expensive. Even so, you don’t have to do it alone. My experience at the SLC has underscored much of my academic success; there I’ve learned strategies and lessons that are sometimes overlooked in the classroom. I’ll share a few with you.

First, give yourself plenty of time to write a paper. Many times, students only take a day or two to write an essay. As a rule of thumb, I generally give myself two weeks to write a five-page paper. Of course this is not always possible. In those cases give yourself as much time as you can. And remember: you can always revise drafts. But if you don’t go through several drafts, you’ll find yourself revising underdeveloped ideas.

Second, writing is not instantaneous, nor do you become a good writer overnight; it is part of a larger process of self-growth that takes practice. Everyone is unique and has had different preparation and quality of education. So, if you experience anything like I did, try not to compare yourself to peers and classmates. You need to find where you are and work from there. (Hint, hint: visit the Student Learning Center. We can help.)

Third, keep a journal. Initially, when I discovered that my writing needed improvement, a writing tutor advised me to write daily. Simple. Writing daily is the most effective way of improving one’s skill. If you find that journals aren’t your cup of tea, try taking extensive notes while reading. And make sure they’re always grammatically correct. Even more basic: every time you send out an email, use complete sentences. It’s good practice for when you have to be formal and ask your professor for that extension (if they’re kind enough).

Fourth, don’t be afraid to seek out advice. This includes input from friends, classmates, GSIs and yes, professors! Remember, the more eyes that see your essay (or hear your ideas), the more likely you will be able to identify problem areas, increasing your chances of getting that choice grade.
Last, but not least, don’t forget to have fun! Many times it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by classes or feel there’s not enough time in the day to do anything else but study. Don’t get sucked in; everyone needs a break. You’re in the freaking Bay Area, go out and do something...enough said!

--Robert L. Reyes, Senior
Chicano Studies and English Majors
From Desert Hot Springs, California

Postscript Fall 2006 Stories
Welcome to Cal! | Peer Education: GenEq Resource Center | I "heart" consent | Writer's block: a Berkeley tutor's experience | Campus Politics: the ASUC and me | Community Service: Hurricane Katrina

Postscript Fall 2005 Stories
Dear incoming freshmen | Diversity in Berkeley | Drinking 101 | Research: Expand your undergraduate experience | Paris, France: Fall 2003