“Self-talk (a poem inverse)” (2022 Academic Skills Writing Contest)
This written piece was a winning submission (third place) for the 2022 Academic Skills Writing Contest. The 2022 theme was "potential."
In-person exams aren’t as scary as you think
This year, we’ve learned that many of you might feel anxious or overwhelmed about in-person exams. For example, in a...
“Bated Breath” (2022 Academic Skills Writing Contest)
This written piece was a winning submission (second place) for the 2022 Academic Skills Writing Contest. The 2022 theme was "potential."
“horn of plenty” (2022 Academic Skills Writing Contest)
This written piece was a winning submission (first place) for the 2022 Academic Skills Writing Contest. The 2022 theme was "potential."
Managing your time with a weekly study schedule
It's easy to get overwhelmed when trying to balance course work, extracurriculars, free time and any other commitments you may...
Study smarter with active study strategies
Studying is much more than just memorizing. Make the most of your study time with active study strategies.
Mastering multiple-choice tests
Multiple-choice tests can be overwhelming — but they don't have to be! Improve your performance in these tests by addressing...
Winter 2022 workshops
Workshops are online for the Winter 2022 term. The most updated listings are on OSCARplus under the Student Success Centre...
5 strategies to improve your academic and personal well-being
"New term, new me." We've all said it before. And most of us have learned that sticking to our resolutions...
Let’s chat about resilience: Responsibilities, relaxation and realistic thinking
What does resilience mean to you? Resilience, to me, means staying true to your feelings and working with them accordingly....
Let’s chat about resilience: Program decisions, planning and pandemic pets
What does resilience mean to you? To me, resilience means never giving up. Not giving up when things get hard,...
It’s okay (and helpful) to talk about failure
Failure and setbacks impact us all. Resilience is what happens when we keep going in spite of these challenges.
Studying for success
Hey, Marauders! Welcome to our final post in the Academic Prep Skills Series. I can’t believe we’re on the last...
Reading and writing for academic purposes
Hi, Marauders! Today, we’re exploring best practices for reading and writing in university. All students have to read academic texts...
Note-taking in university
Hi, Marauders! In today’s blog post, we’re “taking note” of various note-taking strategies (pun intended!). In university, your learning becomes very self-directed, so your ability to take effective...
Being an online learner
Hey, Marauders! Welcome to the next blog post. Today, we’re uncovering the recipe for successful online learning. Many of us...
Mastering time management
Hi, Marauders! Today, we’re mastering the art of time management. You don’t think you can master the skill in one...
Being a university learner
Hi, Marauders! Congratulations on your acceptance to McMaster University! Let me introduce myself — my name is Sam, my pronouns...
Summer prep for fall success
Asking for help early is key to success in university. Regardless of learning ability, all students should take advantage of...
A guide to succeed in your first six weeks
In university, successful students plan for success. They find support early, manage their time using schedules and tools, study actively,...