Tests, exams and term papers may be panicking some students as the 14th week of the semester nears — especially those who may have fallen behind.

Learning Support Specialist Mary Turner said it’s not too late for students who have fallen behind to get organized.

“Time management is going to be the major thing that I would encourage people to work on,” Turner said.

If the students will use the [campus] resources … they should be adequate.”

Turner said though campus labs can help students, it’s still going to come down to a whole lot of effort and good planning on the part of the student.

If students find themselves in a situation where they’re just spread too thinly to succeed in every class, she said, they need to make some hard decisions about letting certain classes go in order to do well in the others.

Turner said students who have questions should visit Student Support or talk to the faculty in the labs on campus.

“…We can give them some guidance on how to make the best of it,” Turner said.

Some of the labs where students can get help are the Biology Science Center, Math Lab and  Communication Lab.

Biology Science Center

The BSC can help students in Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Human Physiology, General Biology, Botany, Ecology, Microbiology and Zoology.

Students can work with models, study, or use computers with interactive software, said Virginia Hovda, lab supervisor.

She said tutoring also is available.

“We are there for the student,” Hovda said. “We only want students to be successful. There is no other goal for this center.”

The lab is open from 9 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit www.occc.edu/cbs/biologylab.

Math Lab

The Math Lab, located in 2G4/5 of the Science, Engineering and Math Center, helps any students enrolled in math classes at OCCC. With resources like computers, calculators, and tutors at their disposal, students can become successful, said Christine Peck, math lab coordinator.

Peck said more than 100 computers are located in the Math Lab for students to do homework for all of their classes, not just math.

“Even if they’re not a math student, they’re welcome to come in and use the computers to do their work.”

Copies of every math textbook used at OCCC,  as well as graphing calculators, also are available.

Peck said tutors in the lab are available at all times during operating hours to help students with specific questions and concepts.

The Math Lab is open from 7:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, visit www.occc.edu/meps /mathlab.

Communications Lab

Students needing help with writing end-of-semester term papers can get that in the Communication Lab from Lab Supervisor Lynette Leidner and tutors like Spanish major Antonio Guardado.

Leidner said students who are failing this late in the semester should reflect upon what may have brought them to that point.

“Sometimes it’s just a lack of communication between the student and instructor,” she said.

“Oftentimes, students are a little intimidated by their professors and they’re afraid to ask for help.”

She said professors are usually willing to work with the student.

“Ask for help and remember that it’s not the end of the world.

“Even if there’s not any making up the class at this point, learn what you need to learn from it and take that lesson forward.”

For more information about the Communications Lab, located in 1N7 of the Main Building, visit www.occc.edu/comlab.

Online Tutoring

Grade Results is an online tutoring service — done mostly via email, that offers students help in many areas such as Accounting, Algebra, Basic Math through Calculus II, Bilingual Math, Chemistry, Economics and Essay Writing review, said Glenne Whisenhunt, Center for Learning and Teaching director.

Whisenhunt said Grade Results tutoring offers a number of online resources and activities for students.

Students can log in online using their first initial, and last name to easily access tutors, Whisenhunt said.

“It is free,” she said.

Tutors also are available to help with Physics and Statistics.

“[Tutors are] available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with a few exceptions of accounting and economics,” she said. “There are a few special things that are available at special times, but they’re all on the website.”

Each OCCC student has three hours of tutoring available for them and can request more hours if needed, Whisenhunt said.

She said all students should take advantage of the service.

“It’s help. It’s free, and it’s available when students typically [do homework].”

“We have some preliminary data that shows a lot of students work after hours on their homework … .”

To access Grade Results online tutoring, visit www.occc.edu/onlineresources/graderesults. For more information, call the Center for Learning and Teaching at 405-682-7838.

Library

Systems Librarian Dana Tuley-Williams said students who need help with term papers can find resources in the Keith Leftwich Memorial Library — and even more resources like ebooks, articles and newspaper databases on the library website.

“If you’re a procrastinator and wait for the night before to write your paper and the library is closed, go online,” she said. “Many of our resources offer the full text online.”

Tuley-Williams said the second floor of the library is an excellent area for students to study and focus.

“We don’t allow folks to talk or use cell phones on the second floor, so that is our primary traditional library environment for studying.”

The second floor also has study rooms for group projects, Tuley-Williams said.

Tuley-Williams said failing students should talk to their professors to see what they can work out, although students should acknowledge not every professor will accept late work.

The Keith Leftwich Memorial Library is open from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays.

For more information, www.occc.edu/library.