Midterms are approaching fast, and tensions are rising for the student body. As stressors increase, it is a good time to remind students of a few free resources available on campus.

Waterfield Library offers several academic resources that can give students a leg up in their classes. Each floor offers a different studying environment so individuals can find their most productive workspace. If you have trouble finding the right book, don’t be afraid to ask for help; the library staff are ready to assist any student in need of a research source. 

Waterfield hosts the Racer Writing Center and the Oral Communication Center on the main floor. These areas are great resources to utilize when an upcoming essay or speech needs a second opinion. Both centers accept appointments and walk-in meetings with the staff to fine-tune your work before due dates. 

“We can help you with your paper at any stage of the writing process,” student worker Natalie Mattix said. “A lot of students ask for help with formatting certain style guides for APA or Chicago style. We can help you with in-text citations or references. We work on things like grammar, argument structure, [and] idea generation…” 

Quite a few resources for student success and well-being can be found in the Oakley Applied Science Building. The Counseling Center offers confidential services with walk-ins or biweekly appointments every other week. Licensed professionals are available for in-person and remote counseling to support students’ mental health. On-call counselors also handle crisis situations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every weekday. 

Career Services helps students prepare for their future jobs. They offer career counseling, resume building, interview practice and more. If a professional look is what you’re after, the staff at the Career Closet can put together an interview-ready outfit and take a headshot for your career profile.

The Women’s Center is a resource for health and well-being. They offer personal hygiene and period products, a bra closet and a safe place to discuss interpersonal violence. Additionally, the center partners with LivWell, a non-profit health service organization, to provide free HIV testing and safe sex products every month. They have also hosted women’s leadership development programs with alumni officers to discuss what it’s like to have a career and the obstacles students will face after college. 

The Pride Center next door works in tandem with the Women’s Center and LivWell to promote a safe and healthy lifestyle for University students. This center specifically focuses on LGBTQ+ students. The student leadership of the Alliance program ensures that the Pride Center is a safe and fun space with meetings for Tea Party, a discussion group for trans and nonbinary topics, and oSTEM, a non-profit organization for LGBTQ+ individuals in STEM, as well as weekly activities like trivia, karaoke and coloring.

Abigail Cox, director of the Women’s Center and Pride Center, said the more awareness students have about free resources on campus, the more likely those resources will be used. 

“Students who are super connected to organizations or some type of support system, they get connected to resources much more easily because they have someone who is consistently giving them information and making sure they know what’s available,” Cox said.“I think the students who maybe aren’t as involved on campus and don’t have that consistent source of information are less aware of the resources that they have.”

Waterfield and Oakley are just two open and free places around campus. Student academics, career goals, physical and mental health, involvement and personal well-being are all important to Murray State. Many of these resources are advertised at the start of the academic year, but it’s not easy to remember everything. 

Getting connected with campus programs can help you make the most of your time at Murray State. All of these resources are available to ensure your personal success. A more thorough list can be found at https://www.murraystate.edu/about/administration/StudentAffairs/departments/sucess/mental-health.aspx.