During orientation week, freshmen are bombarded with information about the different resources available on campus. But transitioning from a small, local high school to a college like Duke can so overwhelming that it becomes difficult to make full, active use of the resources. The resources are available for a reason—here are just a few of them!
Academic Resource Center (ARC)
Most students have the perception that they should visit the ARC after something happens—like once they’ve failed a test or they’re thinking of withdrawing from a class. That was the case for me too, in my first semester of college. It was only after I did poorly on my first midterm and my professor urged me to go to the ARC that I felt the need to.
But actually going to the ARC and seeking help made me wish that I had gone earlier. As soon as I walked in, I was assigned an individual counselor who would listen to my problems and keep track of my schedule and courses. In this way, I found going to the ARC not only helpful academically but also emotionally fulfilling. After a good hour of discussion, my counselor told me to record my daily schedules for a full week before we met again.
To ensure that students are then equipped with a practical, productive schedule, individuals are encouraged to meet with their counselors one or two more times. In the following sessions, I showed her my schedule and together we came up with a schedule that I could keep up with. I then discussed with my counselor what I should be taking in my upcoming semesters. The ARC offers personalized and detailed help—and is definitely worth visiting for both academic and emotional support.
The Wellness Center
The Wellness Center was under construction for most of first semester but is now open as a wellness resource for all students. It can really help with anything health related. Ranging from sexual health education to alcohol education, the Wellness Center offers resources that guarantee students’ well-being and training for how to deal with alcohol poisoning. To find out if you should visit the Wellness Center or not, you can take a mental screening that tells you about your mental state.
The Women’s Center
There are posters with information about the Women’s Center plastered in many different places, but they don’t tell you everything. Other than providing help for men and women who have been victims of rape or sexual assault, the Women’s Center also works to support organizations such as WiSE, Women’s Housing Option (WHO), and Women’s Mentoring Network (WMN).
The Women’s Center offers immediate help to those who are in emergency situations and also establishes a safe space for people to share their stories. In emergency situations, the Women’s Center will often instruct the caller about what to do in order to protect the victim from further damage. The counselors there work directly with sexual assault victims to make sure that they recover from the incident by keeping constant contact and allowing time off from classes depending on the severity of the case.
Don’t miss out on Duke’s countless number of resources!