Academic Skills (ASk)
Available to all students, the Academic Skills (ASk) Certificate is a collection of workshops and study skills appointments geared towards your academic success. To earn your ASk Certificate you must complete six ASk activities – study skills appointments and at least five different workshops within one semester.
By finishing the ASk Certificate, you are setting yourself up for success and gaining a new entry in your Laurier Experience Record.
Any questions about this workshop can be directed to studentsuccess@wlu.ca.
Workshop Format
ASk workshops will be offered both virtually and in-person.
- To attend a virtual webinar, you can simply click the Zoom link to join using your Laurier Zoom account.
To be eligible for the ASk Certificate and gain Laurier Experience Record credit, you must attend and stay engaged for the entire live webinar or in-person session.
Our workshop topics include: Mastering Time Management, Goal Setting and Habit Forming, Regular Review: Study Cycle, Writing 101, Notetaking 101, Ace Your Online Course, Study Smarter, Not Longer, Multiple Choice Mastery, Silencing Digital Distractions, Stop Procrastinating Now!, I Failed, Now what?, Optimize Your Brain Power, Final Countdown: Four Weeks Left, and Preparing for Final Exams.
Winter 2025 ASk Workshops
Register for the workshops through the Student Success Portal.
After you register for the workshop, you will receive a confirmation email with details about how to join the workshop on Zoom. Alternatively, you can just show up for the workshop.
- Develop a calendar for the term, as well as detailed weekly schedules to help you complete all of your readings, assignments and studying throughout the term.
- Think about long term, mid-term and short term planning
- Everyone does time management differently – find what’s right for you!
Dates and Location
- Monday, Jan. 6 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Jan. 6 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Tuesday, Jan. 14 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Wednesday, Jan. 15 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Tuesday, Feb. 4 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Thursday, Mar. 20 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Mar. 20 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Understand the science behind your habits and how habits are connected to goal setting.
- This workshop will review how to create positive learning habits and set effective goals!
- Learn how to use various tools to keep track of your new habits.
Dates and Location
- Monday, Jan. 27 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Jan. 27 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Wednesday, Mar. 12 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
Build the essential skills required to identify what, when and how to study. Learn the Study Cycle!
- What to do before during, and after class
- Weekly Essentials - The value of Regular Review
- The Ebbinghaus (Forgetting) Curve
Dates and Location
- Wednesday, Jan. 8 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Tuesday, Jan. 21 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Feb. 3 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Feb. 3 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Feb. 27 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Feb. 27 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Learning to write academically is an important part of your journey as an undergraduate student.
- In this 60-minute skills lab, we will discuss the basics of university level writing across the different disciplines.
- This will include an overview of how to approach a range of academic writing assignments.
- It will also include an overview of some foundational academic writing skills including paraphrasing and citing.
Dates and Location
- Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Learn about the strategies and goals of effective note-taking!
- Note-taking examples: Cornell Notes, Annotating Slides, Mind Maps, etc.
- This workshop will provide you with the opportunity to explore note-taking methods, and practice them in the moment.
Dates and Location
- Thursday, Jan. 9 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Jan. 9 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Jan. 13 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Jan. 13 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Tuesday, Mar. 4 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Common Misconceptions of OC courses – how to excel in asynchronous content
- How to get organized, complete a time audit – how much time should you spend each day?
- Motivation –why are you taking online courses?
- Creating Community and finding passion
- Important Dates during the term
Dates and Location
- Thursday, Jan. 16 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Jan. 16 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Wednesday, Jan. 22 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Tuesday, Jan. 28 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
Identify more effective ways to study and put your new study techniques to practice.
- Fundamentals of University learning – Bloom’s Taxonomy
- Actually understand and apply content, not just memorize
- Try our strategies for the most efficient use of your study time
Dates and Location
- Tuesday, Jan. 7 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Jan. 20 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Jan. 20 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person
- Thursday, Mar. 13 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Mar. 13 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 24 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 24 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Develop an understanding of the different types of multiple choice questions and identify effective strategies for both studying and performing on multiple choice exams.
- Common multiple choice question styles, and strategies to understand/solve them
- The don’ts of multiple choice questions
Dates and Location
- Thursday, Jan. 23 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Jan. 23 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 17 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 17 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Wednesday, Mar. 26 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Have you heard of the rising trend of Digital Minimalism?
- We’ll show you who is a digital minimalist. Learn new tools for when and how to begin a digital declutter.
- Learn why tech sucks us in and keeps us scrolling.
- What are the academic and life benefits to minimizing our tech? Come to this workshop to find out!
Dates and Location
- Thursday, Jan. 30 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Jan. 30 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Feb. 10 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Feb. 10 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Wednesday, Feb. 26 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Tuesday, Mar. 18 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Understand the reasons why and identify how you procrastinate.
- Learn methods that will help you avoid procrastination.
- Take a reflective look at your habits and consider the emotions and situations that cause you to procrastinate.
Dates and Location
- Wednesday, Feb. 5 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Thursday, Feb. 6 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Feb. 6 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 10 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 10 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Tuesday, Mar. 25 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
When all else fails, think about your thinking!
This workshop will walk you through a personal self-assessment of your outcome and provide self-regulated learning strategies to help recover from a fail, or a poor grade.
Failure can be seen as part of the process towards success. Change your thinking, change your future!
Dates and Location
- Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Monday, Feb. 24 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Feb. 24 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Mar. 6 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Mar. 6 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person
- Tuesday, Mar. 11 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Learn multiple ways to improve your thinking and cognitive processing.
- Learn how sleep, eating, attention, and exercise will make your smarter and maybe even generate new brain cell growth!
- Optimize your brain, optimize your life!
Dates and Location
- Thursday, Feb. 13 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Feb. 13 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Wednesday, Mar. 19 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
There are four weeks left in the semester. Do you know how much work and assessments you still have? Do you know your marks in your classes?
There is still a lot of time to make changes to strategies and habits to reach your goals. It’s important to first determine what you have left to do.
Dates and Location
- Monday, Mar. 3 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 3 from OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Wednesday, Mar. 5 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
- Create a final exam study plan
- Explore effective study methods
- Review stress management techniques
- Avoid procrastination triggers
Dates and Location
- Thursday, Mar. 27 from 1-2 p.m. in OM207-2 (Brantford in-person)
- Thursday, Mar. 27 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 31 from 11:30-12:30 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Monday, Mar. 31 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. in OM207-1 (Brantford in-person)
- Tuesday, April 1 from 4-5 p.m. in P224 (Waterloo in-person)
- Wednesday, Apr. 2 from 3-4 p.m. on Zoom (Multicampus virtual)
