WAC Lab experiences mad rush leading into finals week

Exam week is only a few days away, and the WAC Lab is feeling the pressure. During the last two weeks of school, Loyola’s Student Success Center in Marquette Hall experiences an influx of students looking for help editing final papers in subjects ranging from psychology research papers to business reports.

Though it is not open any more hours than usual, the lab sees much more traffic in those last two weeks, and they prepare for it. In order to make sure everything runs smoothly, student tutors are encouraged to volunteer extra hours in the lab, meeting with students for help with grammar, structure, and content.

Director Robert Bell says that the lab aims to take a little bit off stress off of the students, so they can do their best work.

“[Students] can take a breath, work on their papers, and do it in a way that’s going to be productive,” he says.

A trip to the WAC Lab is required by many teachers over the course of the semester, some giving extra credit and others simply feeling it is a necessary step in writing.

Bell believes that it can be beneficial for any student that needs a little extra help, and he wants to make people feel welcome.

“We want students to come not only because they have to… but because it really is going to make a difference for them,” he says.

While the WAC Lab’s resources are available year-round, many students don’t take advantage of them until this time of year. The result is a large amount of walk-ins trying to get appointments all at the same time.

Tutor Jensen Tran says making an appointment in advance makes the process easier for everyone, student and tutor.

“All you need to do is make an appointment even 30 minutes before… We just want to know that you’re coming,” says Tran.

This free service has proven to be very helpful for many students, like Johnny Romanach, a senior who began using the service regularly during his sophomore year.

“I feel like I get at least a letter grade higher than I would if I just wrote the paper on my own,” he says. “It’s a good way to get a new perspective.”

Because of the benefits of this on-campus resource, assistant director Nancy Rowe agrees that it may be difficult to get a walk-in appointment at this point in the year. Still, she says the center makes an effort to prepare for the extra work.

“It really picks up and we usually get tutors to work extra… the students who work here seem to really enjoy it as well,” says Rowe.

Bell understands the stress that students go through during this time of year, and feels that the WAC Lab can be a savior for some students in the middle of a busy time. To him, a visit can take some of the pressure off.

“We make sure we can put everyone at ease for at least a few minutes,” he says. “We want to make it as positive an experience as possible in the middle of all this hectic insanity.”

To make an appointment with a tutor in the Student Success Center, visit loyno.mywconline.com.