When the homework load just keeps getting bigger and stress levels rise, it’s easy to feel trapped and defeated. Every student has gotten to the point where there are so many assignments due at once that just ignoring all of the work sounds like a good option.

Being a college student can be overwhelming at times, but Clackamas Community College has a few places to get help on homework and relieve stress.

Patricia Scott, the tutoring and academic computing lab coordinator, said the Dye Learning Center has several tutors to help with writing, math and science.

“We have student tutors, tutors who are also peer mentors and part-time faculty tutors,” said Scott. The Writing Center is a place to get help on assignments at any stage in the writing process.

When talking about what help students can get from the tutors in the Writing Center, Jennifer Davis, a faculty tutor, said, “It can be anything from coming in to brainstorm ideas to wanting to revise and polish an actual draft.”

She also mentioned that students can come in to get help on writing assignments for classes such as history or science; it doesn’t necessarily have to be for a writing class.

The Writing Center is open on Monday and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Fridays from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Although drop-ins are welcome, scheduling an appointment online will always ensure that students get the time they need with a tutor.

Just around the corner from the Writing Center is the math and science lab.  is area of the Dye Learning Center is for students to work on their math and science homework while tutors circle the area ready to answer any questions students may have. The way a tutor can tell if a student has a question is with a cup system. Each desk has red and blue cups; when the red cup is facing up, it means the student needs help; when the blue cup is facing up, it means that everything is going well.

Scott explained the cup system, saying, “People come in, they sit down. As they have a problem they turn the cup to red, the tutor comes and helps them, then turns the cup back to blue.”

Annaliese Hernandez, a student tutor, said that there are tutors available to help with any math or science subject. Hernandez’s advice to students is to take advantage of the opportunity to get help.

“If they need help, if they just want to get some work done, or if they need someone to listen to the problems they’re having with the math, they can come. That’s what we’re here for,” Hernandez said.

At CCC there are many opportunities to get help on homework. Next time the stack of homework goes from being manageable to overbearing, be sure to check out the Writing C enter and the math and science lab.

STORY BY: Megan McCoy