By: Becky Carter

October marks the beginning of a crucial period in any MTSU student’s academic journey: midterm season. A heavy workload, all-nighters, and an overwhelming sense of anxiety make this a difficult time for many new and experienced students. Luckily, at MTSU, students are offered invaluable resources and support systems designed to help them navigate midterm season effortlessly. Whether you need a new study space, some academic advice, or mental health support, our campus is here to help you every step of the way, and I am here to make sure you know where to look.  

Walker Library

The James E. Walker Library may be the most obvious resource, but that’s for good reason. Besides having over a million volumes on the bookshelves, the library’s website provides online services and resources surrounding collections and formats such as curriculum collections, digital collections, dissertations and theses, government documents, media collections, microfilm, music collections, newspapers, and more. The website contains several search tools such as JEWLSearch, but it also provides broken-down search categories for books and e-books, course reserves, databases, journals, and resources by subject (or research guides). Knowing that such a vast database could be overwhelming or cause confusion, the library provides instructional videos on using the different resources offered. If you would like to learn more or watch their tutorials, click here.

Free Tutoring

With the Office of Student Success, MTSU offers free tutoring in over 200 courses, such as biology, computer information systems, economics, history, math, physics, recording industry and more. Aside from the standard courses, they also assist students with various other college-related habits, such as learning strategies and study skills. The Office of Student Services began offering a hybrid tutoring approach, meaning you can now choose between an in-person or virtual tutoring session. If you would like to learn more or schedule your session, click here.

Writing Center

To develop responsible, informed writing practices, the Margaret H. Ordoubadian University Writing Center at MTSU assists students of any writing level. They offer in-person or online document-drop appointments where they help with brainstorming, outlining, drafting, revising, and polishing your work. While the Writing Center is known for these revision resources, it offers a lot more than that. On its MTSU webpage, the center maintains online resources for writers who wish to work independently on writing tasks. In addition to some digital workshop videos, they cover topics such as composing a draft, researching and citing, and special writing contexts. If you would like to access their online resources, click here.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with the Writing Center, click here.

TRIO Student Support Services

This resource is only for full-time undergraduate students who have a verified academic need and meet at least one of the following requirements: they are a first-generation college student (neither parent has earned a baccalaureate degree), they are income-eligible per federal guidelines, or they have a documented disability registered with MTSU’s Disability and Access Center. The resources/services offered by Student Support Services include free tutoring, financial advising, financial literacy education, academic and major/career counseling, personal support and encouragement, grants, cultural events, success workshops, computer/resource lab, and graduate school assistance. Although not every student will meet eligibility, it is an incredible resource for those who do. If you would like to learn more or apply, click here.

On-Campus Shops

The most overlooked resources every semester are the on-campus shops. Midterm season is the prime time for last-minute students scrambling to find a scantron for their tests or exams. Luckily, several places on campus sell not only scantrons but also blue books, pencils, paper, and everything else you’d need for your exams or a pick-me-up. The top three shops to buy midterm materials at are Phillips Bookstore (first floor of the Student Union), The POD in The Middle (behind Corlew Hall, located inside near the Subway), and Raider Zone Grill (first floor of the James Union Building). If you need help finding the locations or any other buildings on campus, click here.