Get organized with the OAS!
On Wednesday, Oct. 19, the Office of Accessibility’s Access Advocates hosted the “Don’t be scared, get organized with the OAS” event, held from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. in the newly created Multicultural Center in Blake A.
At the start of this event, attendees were greeted with flyers created by the Access Advocates on a variety of study tips and how to stay organized. Examples of such flyers included how to use Google Calendar and how to develop comprehensive to-do lists. As you moved further into the event, you came across popcorn, candy, and juice boxes. Around fifteen minutes into the event, the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus, began to play.
One attendee, sophomore early childhood education major Lezbeth Morales, remarked, “I really enjoyed learning the different methods of studying. It is nice to find new methods of studying as I am always looking for new ways to study. I liked the many different options that were presented.”
With midterms approaching for many, the event was a nice way for students to learn new strategies for coping with college life. The event also allowed students a moment to destress and enjoy a night of Halloween fun.
According to one of the hosts, junior geological sciences and adolescent education major Rea Bifarella, “The event was a great way to connect with students on campus and help get them prepared for midterms, try new organizational strategies, and share study tips and experiences!”
All of the Access Advocates were on hand throughout the night to provide study and organizational tips, each with their own specialty. Many students sat down and chatted light-heartedly with the Advocates while learning more about the program.
The Access Advocates are interns through the Office of Accessibility on the Geneseo campus. The Office of Accessibility is a resource for students on campus who may have some form of disability. According to their website, the “Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) will coordinate reasonable accommodations and auxiliary aids and services designed to ensure full participation and equal access for students with disabilities.” According to their page on their Access Advocates, “Accessibility Advocates are students familiar with the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS) and who serve as an additional resource for their peers with disabilities.” This program is run through the OAS but is managed mainly by the students interning through the program. These students meet weekly with mentees and host events like the one on Oct. 19. Peer-to-peer mentoring has been found to be beneficial to many students connected with the OAS as the Mentors are easy to talk to and connect with.
Any student who would like to get involved with the Access Advocate program, either as a mentor or a mentee, should email accessibilityadvocates@geneseo.edu for more information.
To learn about future events hosted by the Access Advocates, follow their Instagram @geneseo_accessibilityservices and keep an eye out for flyers around campus. As an Access Advocate myself, I can say that we look forward to seeing you at our next event!
