Hello,

You might be thinking, "we have quite a while until finals." And that would be correct, except, technically the Monday we all come back from the Thanksgiving Recess will be the first deadline to request an exam for finals starting on Wednesday, December 11. So, this will be our last chance to really help in getting you prepared.

Until then, we have some other news to share. Leigh Culley has been promoted to Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Accessiblity, and the DRS team is very proud and wishes her the best in this role and hope this creates more opportunity for her, and DRS, to better create an accessible and inclusive environment on the Pitt campus. (So, if you see Leigh around, wish her a "congrats!")

Finally, with all the other resources listed below, we also have an article from Megan Davis, Disability Specialist, with some resources on how to catch up if you've fallen behing in the semester.

And with that out of the way--onward with the content.

Log in to the Student Portal to request accommodations, exams, and appointments with your disability specialist.

Alternative Testing Requests For Finals: All final exam requests must be submitted at a minimum of Seven [7] business days before the exam. (This means, if your first exam is on Wednesday, December 11, you will have until 5:00 pm on Monday, December 2 to request it.) Business days exclude weekends and University observed holidays. Please note the Alternative Testing process is for in-person on paper exams. See: Alternative Testing Request Instructions for Students. And if you have any questions, please contact DRS!

November is COPD, Pancreatic Cancer, Alzheimer's, Epilepsy, Diabetes, Lung and Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, among many others.

Nov. 7 through 11: International Stress Awareness Week
Nov. 7: Cancer Awareness Day
Nov. 11: World Usability Day
Nov. 13: World Pancreatic Cancer Day
Nov. 14: World Diabetes Day
Nov. 18: World COPD Day
November 24 through December 1: Thanksgiving Recess for Students

DRS would like to thank all of those who attended our October College to Career virtual workshop on Job Selection!

The workshops are offered in collaboration with Career Services and focus on all aspects of employment, from pre-employment job searching to post-employment disclosure and accommodation requests. The series is designed to prepare students with disabilities for entering the workforce by providing education related to resume writing, job selection, self-advocacy, disability disclosure, accommodations, and interview etiquette.

All workshops are available to any undergraduate student registered with DRS and will take place from 3:00 to 4:00 pm via Zoom. The dates and topics are as follows:

• November 14th – Interviewing/Networking
• January 16th – Disability Disclosure
• February 13th – Accommodations Overview
• March 20th – Workplace Barriers
• April 10th – Self-Advocacy

Be on the lookout for more information, including instructions on how to attend the event.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Make a Gratitude Board on November 13th from 5:00 to 6:30 pm in the William Pitt Union, 3rd floor room 310.

The DRS Peer Mentor Program is designed to match first-year and transfer students with disabilities (mentees) with upper-class students with disabilities (mentors). Mentors use their personal experience and knowledge of campus life to provide friendship, guidance, and resources to mentees. The program intends to create connections between new and experienced students, to personalize the University learning experience, and to develop relationships. Sign up as a mentee today.

Here are some photos from our recent pumpkin painting event!

DAPi members - Join the Group Me.

Office Hours

Office hours are taking place in 303 O'Hara on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12 pm to 3 pm. Anyone can drop in to say hi, hang out, vibe, study, learn more about the Coalition and all our constituent groups, and talk about life as a disabled student at Pitt.

Autistic Students Union 

11/13: The Great Autistic Character Debate - WPU 539 at 6:00 pm

PRISM @Pitt 

11/13: Rock Climbing at Trees Hall

Chronic Connection 
Meetings every Monday! - 6:30 pm in WPU 539
Hang out and socialize with other people with chronic illnesses.

Check out this resource from Pitt Mobility for how construction projects around campus may affect mobility. It is intended to communicate traffic alerts, street closures, shuttles and regional bus planning tools.

PathwaysToScience.org has over 65 portable scholarships and fellowships posted on the site, all within STEM.

• Undergraduate scholarships and resources for applying: Summer Research Programs & Scholarships in STEM (Undergrad level)
• Graduate fellowships and resources
• Postdoctoral fellowships and postdoc positions

View a quick video tutorial on using our advanced search functions to find funding opportunities.

Mon., Nov. 18; 4:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.

In collaboration with the Autism Connection of Pennsylvania,  join our team on Mon., Nov. 18 for a self-guided visit to the Conservatory to enjoy Phipps Holiday Magic. To ensure a peaceful walk through the Conservatory, lights and sounds will be minimized. Participants will receive a social story via email detailing the experience prior to arrival.

This winter, two sessions of this event are available at 4:30 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Guests are encouraged to pay what they wish from the list of ticket prices. The ticket prices available for this event are $3, $10 or $20 per person for all guests ages 2 and up. Children under 2 may attend free of charge.

• Register for 4:30 pm
• Register for 5 pm

Questions? Please email Heather Shannon.

by Megan Davis - Disability Specialist

Falling behind in college can be overwhelming, but with the right strategies, you can make real progress. Here’s how:

1. Assess the Situation

Take inventory: Review your syllabi, Canvas, and course materials to make a list of upcoming and missed work, deadlines, and exam dates.

Prioritize: Focus on the most critical assignments—those that most impact your grades or need immediate attention. Sometimes, it’s better to let go of certain past tasks in favor of upcoming ones.

2. Create a Catch-up Plan

Chunk Tasks: For each assignment, break down what you need to do into manageable tasks, estimating the time needed for each one.

Set Goals: Create specific timebound goals for these tasks (e.g., "Find sources for the psychology paper by Friday morning.”). Be realistic about what can be done in a day.  To avoid burnout, you still need to eat, sleep, stay active, and care of yourself.

Schedule: Make a detailed schedule for the next few days or weeks using a planner, calendar, or a digital tool like Google Calendar.

3.  Communicate with Professors

Talk to professors: If you're behind, be upfront, honest, and share your plan for catching up—they may be understanding and offer extensions or support.  Just having the discussion may bring you some relief.

Seek Feedback: Get your professors’ recommendations for catching up in their courses.

4. Find Your Routine

Create consistency: Set daily study times to catch up, and stick to them, no matter how much you accomplish. Anticipate and manage distractions (social media, other people, etc.).

Take breaks: Use the Pomodoro method to avoid burnout—work in intervals of 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. After four cycles, take a longer break of 30 minutes. Repeat.

Act: Not following your plan? Tackle any small task that feels manageable to boost momentum.

5. Use Resources

Visit Office Hours: Attend professor office hours or meet with your TA to discuss difficult concepts or assignments you’re finding challenging. This also demonstrates your interest in the course.

Ask for help: campus resources can help you solve problems and get unstuck. Here are few--

• University Counseling Center
• Study Lab
• Student Success Hub
• The Writing Center
• Math Assistance Center

6. Learn from the Experience

Reflect: Understand what caused you to fall behind—was it time management, anxiety, having too much to do, a difficult subject, or something else? This can help prevent future setbacks.

Adjust: Based on your experience, strategize and experiment with a new habit or two whether it be focused on better planning, taking on a little less, seeking help sooner, or something else.

Falling behind happens to most students at some point. Criticizing yourself will only add to your stress. Stay in the present, focused on what you’re doing to catch up.  There’s grace in the journey and progress over perfection.

References:

Cardiff University. (2020, October 19). How to catch up on school work when you unexpectedly fall behind. Cardiff University. https://blogs.cardiff.ac.uk/insiders/how-to-catch-up-on-school-work-when-you-unexpectedly-fall-behind/

DePaul University. (n.d.). Falling behind in class? How to get back on track. DePaul University. https://las.depaul.edu/student-resources/undergraduate-advising/Documents/FllngBhndClss.pdf 

West Coast University. (2024, January 19.). Falling behind? Follow these 6 tips for catching up on your schoolwork. West Coast University. https://westcoastuniversity.edu/blog/falling-behind-follow-these-6-tips-for-catching-upon-your-schoolwork

That's all for now! We'll see you next month.