About U.Connect academic plan advising advising location calendar campus resources Career Center communication with professors Disability Resource Center due dates getting help from professors Health and Counseling International Student Services Library Multicultural and Diversity Services office hours organizing work picking classes planning professor's expectations registration scheduling strategies for success Support programs support services syllabus time management Tutoring when to register you are not the only one

Get to know Campus

What to Do 

The PSU campus is a network of buildings spread out over busy, urban streets. We highly recommend touring the campus before classes start. This will make your life much easier once classes do begin. Rushing from place to place on your first day would be stressful and disorienting. Students who take the time to visit campus prior to the beginning of the term report feeling more confident and relaxed at the start of classes. They're able to take care of campus-related business—such as activating their ODIN account, getting their PSU ID, and talking with admissions and financial aid—while becoming comfortable finding resources on campus without the added complication of getting to class on time. More experienced PSU students suggest the following strategies for getting to know campus.

How to Do It  

1. Print out a campus map. 
2. Make a list of the important buildings and departments you need to visit.
3. Organize a self-tour before classes begin.
4. Visit the PSU website and familiarize yourself with the many resources available to you.

Strategies for Success

Utilize the Campus Map

Print a campus map and keep it with you. A current map is available at http://www.pdx.edu/map.html. Using your class schedule, locate each building on the map that you'll need to go to for class, and then go and find them on campus. Once you're able to easily locate these buildings you'll have multiple reference points to guide you to other buildings on campus. This strategy also provides you with an assessment of how much time you need to get to and from each building between classes.

If you need a navigation strategy that isn't based on reading a map, the following are a few suggestions. Take a virtual tour of campus, find a friend or colleague who's familiar with campus and ask them to be your guide, sign up for a campus tour, or take an afternoon to walk around and get acquainted with campus at your own pace.

Be deliberate: Visit Important Buildings and Department Offices

It's unlikely that you'll have time to visit every building and office on campus. Using a need-to-know-now strategy will help you prioritize visits to the buildings and offices you are most likely to go to in your first term. The table below represents a critical list of buildings and resources that every student should be comfortable accessing. Your peers have selected the items on this list because these buildings, and the services and organizations housed within them, represent the resources that are fundamental to thriving here at PSU. However, you may find there are other resources that provide fundamental support to your success. We encourage you to use this list as a guide, not a rule. Developing your expertise will depend on your ability to find the resources that best meet your needs. For now, here's a place to start.

Average: Select ratingPoorOkayGoodGreatAwesome

Your rating: None Average: 2.5 (2 votes)