Asking for help

Asking for help is something that I have previously viewed as a weakness, but now know is a skill that only the strongest people possess.

When I say “asking for help,” I am in no way implying a one-size-fits all concept — there are so many different ways to ask for help in different aspects of one’s life. As important as it is to learn from your own mistakes, asking for others’ perspectives and incorporating them into your learning and growth can be so helpful in gaining a different or outside perspective. 

As far as school work goes, attending a professor’s office hours or voicing your questions in class can be extremely beneficial, but that doesn’t always work for everyone. Sometimes you can find yourself in a place where you don’t even know what questions to ask to get the help you need. I’ve definitely been there and know how helpless one can feel in such a situation. That moment where you feel weak is where you can make one of the strongest decisions: asking for help. Whether it be making a point to reach out to others in your class to collaborate on work or getting a tutor, seeking guidance when you feel powerless is one of the strongest things you can do.

This doesn’t just go for classes; asking for help in any aspect of your life can immensely improve your situation. Scientifically speaking, most natural processes require a certain level of energy input, so if you need a little help getting started reaching a goal, that is perfectly fair and, in nature, expected.

In terms of accessing academic resources when you need help, going to office hours for your professor and TAs is a great place to start. Not sure what to ask or even where to begin? Maybe ask about a homework or test question you got wrong and how to solve something similar in the future. Beyond this, the academic support center has tutors for most of the classes with students who’ve been in the same shoes as you and will know how to help. Outside of campus, there are many free online resources available to students. I often get so caught up in all of my work that I forget that I can find an instructive YouTube video on whatever topic I am struggling on.

As well as academic resources, there are also lots of accessible mental health resources, both on and off campus. CAPS is a great place to start because it’s free and on campus, and it has many outside resources and referrals. Seeking help can sometimes feel less scary if you are asking someone who does not know you personally and can offer a great deal of objective advice and support. Doing this also allows you to kind of take a step back while explaining your situation to someone who is not already aware of it.

While I tried to make it seem a little easier, I am fully aware that looking for help can still be a scary thing to do. Instead of focusing on the act of asking, try to think about the success you will find after receiving the help that you need. Along with asking for help, strive to also be there for others when they need help. This is definitely not one of the easiest parts of our lives, and if we all support each other as a community, we can get through it together.

Lifestyle HACKs is an Opinion column written and created by Zoe Hack ‘24 to discuss studying guides and techniques, healthy cooking and eating, and other lifestyle tips during college life.