Whether you’re looking to organize your schedule, sharpen your learning strategies, get support with starting new career, or plan your next steps, this is the page for you! Explore the dozens of resources for building your success skills in and out of college or connect with us for more information and personalized support.
Like the rest of the SSC team, Sarah Bachand, College and Career Success Coordinator at York County Community College is here to help you thrive! Sarah brings a deep understanding of student success, with a great deal of experience helping learners reach their academic and personal goals. She’s passionate about meeting students where they are, offering support, guidance, and encouragement to help them stay on track and move forward with confidence.
Whether you need support building study skills, organizing your schedule, or managing test anxiety, you’ll get personalized support every step of the way. Sarah can also connect you with outside resources, like adult education services and community programs, to help strengthen your academic journey and set you up for long-term success!
Have questions or ready to get started? Email Sarah Bachand today!
Clear communication skills are essential. Check out the resources in the table below to help build your communication skills in and out of college.
| Communication Quick Tips Whether you're writing an email or a discussion post, good communication skills are a must. |
| How to Apply for a Job Learn how to craft your resumé, draft an appropriate, attention-grabbing cover letter, and how to prep for interviews. |
College success requires good study skills—reading textbooks, taking notes, doing exercises, and preparing for assignments or exams.
Master study skills using the free resources in the table below!
| The Ultimate Guide to Note-Taking Learn how to make the most effective notes for any class, and learn how to make the most of them with top study tips provided in this video workshop! |
| Test-taking 101 Learn what to do before, during, and after a quiz or test. |
| How to Remember & Recall (Like a Boss) Use these 5 simple tips to improve your memory! |
| Learn How You Learn Take a short quiz to learn more about your personal learning preferences, and check out personalized tips to help you capitalize on your strengths! |
| Top Tips for Making the Grade: Math Class Edition This one-page document contains simple but powerful tips for succeeding in math class. |
| How to Read (and Actually Understand) Math Textbooks Ever opened a math textbook and felt like you'd have better luck understanding an alien spaceship repair manual? Check out these straightforward tips for tackling your math textbook successfully. |
| Six Steps for Problem Solving We all get stuck on one thing or another eventually. Use these six simple steps to help you move forward. |
| How to do the Thing When You Don't Feel Like Doing the Thing—Tips for Getting Past Procrastination If you have a 5-page essay coming up that you are 0% enthusiastic about and are having a hard time getting yourself to do the work, check out these tips! |
| Getting Started: Why it's so Difficult and What to do About it Sometimes the first step is the hardest to take. Why is that and what can you do about it? Check out this infographic for more info! |
PRO TIP: BE PROACTIVE
Being a proactive student means taking the reins of your educational journey. Proactive college students begin by identifying what's expected of them. You need to determine what is needed to succeed in your courses, and then create plans to make that happen. Being self-disciplined is key. Proactive students must work on managing their time, recognizing when they need help, maintaining good communication, and taking responsibility for their actions and outcomes. Never wait for success to knock on your door; take charge and make it happen!
Being proactive is easier said than done, but like with any skill practice makes progress.
Visit our Mental Health Page for more support and resources to help you succeed in college, including tips for handling anxiety and beating procrastination!
Success takes more than good grades—it takes good skills. From time management and planning to problem solving and communication, the Student Success Commons can help you build the tools you need to thrive in college and beyond. Explore our resources (each category is labeled in blue) and start boosting your success skills today.
Time and project management skills help you balance classes, work, and life while staying on track toward your goals.
We offer several resources to help you manage your time and workload. Check them out in the table below!
| Time Management FAQs Learn practical tips and techniques for prioritizing, setting work/break intervals, limiting distractions, balancing school and life, managing stress, tackling overwhelming or boring assignments, and more! |
| The Pomodoro Technique Learn about this proven time management technique that helps improve focus, reduce procrastination, and prevent burnout, all thanks to a simple tomato. |
| How to Make a Schedule—and Stick to it! Use this six-step template to help you break down a large or long-term project into manageable, actionable steps! |
| Project Breakdown Use this template to break down big tasks into smaller, manageable pieces. |
| Project Tracker After using the Project Breakdown, use this tracker to plan and keep tabs on each phase of your assignment. |
| Prioritizing 101 Learn how to prioritize tasks effectively to improve time management. |
| The Eisenhower Matrix—a Complete Guide The Eisenhower Matrix is a daily productivity, prioritization, and time-management tool. It’s highly effective, and this guide will show you how easy it is to use! |
| Blank Eisenhower Matrix Print out this blank matrix or fill it in right on your device to master your schedule. |
| Where Does the Time Go? Having trouble finding time to study? Use this interactive tool to identify how you use your time and where you can fit everything in! |
Strong organization helps students keep track of assignments, deadlines, and priorities, reducing stress and making it easier to stay on top tasks. Problem-solving skills allow you adapt and overcome challenges arise—whether it’s tackling a tough project, managing unexpected obstacles, or finding creative solutions. Check out the helpful resources in the table below!
| How to Get (and Stay) Organized This guide provides practical tips for getting and staying organized so you can increase your productivity, save time, and reduce stress throughout the semester |
| To-Do List Dos and Don'ts Make the most of your to-do list with these simple dos and don'ts. |
| Blank Daily To-Do List Use this blank to-do list to tackle your daily tasks. |
| Master List template Stay on top of tasks by writing down each of the assignments you'll need to work on throughout the week on this master list. Pull items from this list when creating a daily to-do list, starting with the highest priority assignments. |
| 5 Kinds of Lists to Make Every Semester Boost your focus, organization, and motivation with these lists. |
Student Success Commons at York County Community College112 College Drive Wells, ME 04090
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