Ten Tips For Fall Semester Success

Saturday, August 17 marked the first day of Fall Semester. It’s time to say goodbye to “Old Town Road” and hello to Pecos Road, Tahoe Avenue, Alma School Road and Ellsworth Road. While we have plenty of parking for your car or bike, your horse will have to stay at home.

Whether you’re a first-time student or returning to campus, we want you to have a successful semester. We’ve compiled a list of tips and resources to help you enter the new year with confidence.

1. Plan Ahead to Score a Prime Parking Spot: The new semester promises plenty of packed parking lots, so we recommend you arrive early to secure a prime spot. Use our campus maps to find the lot closest to your classes. Students at our Williams Campus are required to display a valid 2019-2020 parking permit. Learn how to get your permit here.

2. Fuel Your Brain: At the Pecos Campus, the Coyote Cafe features a variety of food options as well as hosting a local restaurant on-site each week. The café is located at in Bradshaw Hall (between the Library and Coyote Center). You'll find their menu, upcoming features and hours of operation here. Grounds for Thought, under the Ironwood Bridge, offers coffee drinks, smoothies and quick bites to eat on the north end of campus.

At the Williams Campus, the Roadrunner Cafe offers breakfast, grilled, and deli options for breakfast and lunch each day. You'll find their menu and hours of operation here. 

Last year we launched the Coyote Cupboard at both the Pecos and Williams campuses. The Coyote Cupboard is a food pantry with non-perishable and household items and school supplies available to any CGCC student. Learn more here. 

3. Use Your Cell Phone: Need to find a class or access campus maps at the drop of a dime? You can access your student resources right from your mobile device. Download the MyInfo app and access your:  

• Class Schedule
  
• Campus Maps & Room Information
  
• Financial Aid Award Status
  
• Holds on Your Account
  
• Messages
  
• Textbook Information
  

The MyInfo app is available on Google Play and the App Store.

4. Enjoy Some Quiet Time in the Library - Our Pecos and Williams libraries aren’t just places to find books. They boast quiet spaces for you to relax before, after or between classes and study rooms for group work. Our librarians are available to assist you with research projects and can help you find materials from other libraries.

5. Stay Safe with the RAVE Guardian App - Our Public Safety and Campus Police recommend that all students download the RAVE Guardian app on Google Play or App Store.  The app allows you to create a network of trusted safety guardians, set safety timers to alert police and family, submit anonymous tips, and have one-touch access to contact campus police. The convenience of storing safety processes in one app can save you precious seconds in an emergency. Learn more about the RAVE Guardian app here.  

6. Get Involved - Getting involved in campus clubs helps students build leadership skills, strong friendships, networking connections, life experiences and a powerful resume. Building a network of peers who can walk this college path alongside you is a key element of setting yourself up for success. Browse our student clubs and organizations here. 

7. Leverage Tutoring Resources - Get acquainted with the level of support that's available for on-campus tutoring services. You'll find that our learning centers offer both drop-in and appointment-based support. Find both locations and times for the Pecos and Williams campuses here. 

8. Utilize the Computer Lab - The computer labs at our Pecos and Williams campuses are open to all CGCC students. The labs are equipped with both Macs and PCs with specialized software to help you complete your coursework. Printers are also available for a small fee. Our computer lab staff can help you format your papers, find resources and use online applications. The computer labs are located in Bradshaw Hall, Room 123 at the Pecos Campus and Bridget Hall, Room 116 at the Williams Campus.

9. Keep Your Mind and Body Healthy - Counseling Services are available at our Pecos and Williams campuses. The mission of CGCC Counseling is to promote student development by facilitating personal growth, career decision making and academic success. Counseling Services can assist with academic concerns (time management, test anxiety, college transition, etc.), goal setting, career counseling and connections to resources in the community. Students can schedule free private appointments with our highly-trained counseling staff.

The Coyote Fitness Center at our Pecos campus is a 4,000 sq. ft. facility, offering a full line of cardiovascular exercise training equipment, resistance training machines and a complete free weight training section. Our Fitness Center staff have degrees in exercise science or a related field and are here to help you achieve your personal health and fitness goals. Students can join the Coyote Fitness Center for just $25/semester.

10. Slow Down - Many of our students are holding jobs in addition to studying. While you're running from one location to the next, we recommend you schedule some time to slow down and visit the Student Center Pavilion at our Pecos campus and Bridget Hall at our Williams Campus to unwind.