Resources

Mentoring — Faculty of Social Sciences

Student Hub

Student Experience Centre

Resources

Stress

Are you having trouble concentrating or managing your thoughts?
Are you always tired or often have trouble sleeping at night?
Do you suffer from frequent headaches, stomach upset or back pain that is not related to a specific medical issue?

Learn how services on campus can help you better manage your stress.

Time

Do you have enough free time?
Do you feel overwhelmed? Do you forget to eat? Are you getting enough sleep?
Do you forget test dates or assignment deadlines?
Are you in the habit of postponing work on your assignments and always finding something “better” to do?

Book a meeting with a mentor and learn techniques to help you better manage your time to be more productive, improve your concentration and even benefit from taking time off!

Academic Writing

The Academic Writing Help Centre (AWHC) is your number one resource at uOttawa for everything to do with writing assignments. Book a meeting with a writing mentor to discuss the writing process, structure and grammar.

References and bibliography

Plagiarism, whether intentional or not, can have serious consequences. To avoid plagiarism, always cite your sources and list them in your bibliography according to the format specified for your assignment. The referencing format most often used at the Faculty of Social Sciences is the APA style (style and Grammar Guidelines), but other referencing formats exist, so be sure to check your assignment instructions and course syllabus.

Group assignments

Working as a group can improve the quality of your ideas; it can be hard to come up with a variety of opinions when you work alone. Even though group assignments can present their own challenges at times, they give the group members a chance to express new ideas and move in the right direction.

Motivation

Do you find it hard to start your assignments?
Do you have trouble reaching the goals you have set?
Are you unhappy with your grades but can’t seem to improve them?

The Mentoring Centre has tools to help you stay motivated.

Exams

Do you get anxious or stressed before or during exams?

In addition to strategies to help you manage stress throughout the term, the Mentoring Centre provides useful tips and tricks on preparing for exams to help get you confidently through this trying time and, hopefully, help you ace those tests!

Helpful Resources

Need to talk? Need support? Here are a few resources to help you

Other resources

Frequently asked questions

What is the FSS Student Experience Centre?

The Student Experience Centre (SEC) offers help to undergraduate students, who want support in their transition to the University, develop effective study skills, or ensure their success in their courses. All services are free and confidential.

Who are the mentors at the SEC?

Mentors are 3rd and 4th year students from the Faculty of Social Sciences. Dedicated and competent, with diverse backgrounds, mentors are passionate about their studies and sincerely motivated to support students in achieving their academic ambitions. Meet your mentors!

How can mentors help me?

If you are looking to:

Ease your transition (arrival at university)
Manage your time better
Optimize your note taking
Improve your attention and concentration
Read effectively
Write effectively
Prepare for exams
Prepare for oral presentations
Increase your motivation
Manage your study-related stress (perfectionism, performance anxiety)
Facilitate your family-work-study balance

…the mentors are there for you!

Mentors can also support you if you have doubts or concerns, refer you to services elsewhere at the university that can help you, or just listen if you need to talk.

Do the mentors offer tutoring?

Mentors provide advice and guidance to help you achieve your academic goals. Unlike tutors, mentors do not discuss course subject matter. Tutors for many disciplines are available through the Peer Help Tutor Website.