Why Should I Use My Student E-mail Account?

Whether you're a first-semester college freshman or a last-semester senior, there is one thing every college student typically has in common: a student e-mail address. Unfortunately, many students find it difficult to remember to check their campus e-mail every day, particularly if they have gone several years using a personal e-mail (such as Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc.). However, your student e-mail address is extremely important and useful for several reasons.

1. Emergency Campus Alerts, Notifications and Updates: Severe Weather, Campus Evacuations, etc.

This may be one of the most important reasons of all for checking your student e-mail multiple times a day. With high school and college campus shootings becoming increasingly common, more and more universities are using e-mail systems to notify students of potential threats, emergencies, building closures, evacuation routes, etc.

For example: say you are a student who resides off campus. Before leaving your home for your late afternoon class, you quickly check your student e-mail, perhaps looking for study guide a classmate will be sending you. Sitting in your inbox is a message from your school's Campus Alert System and the subject line is typed in all-CAPS. It reads: "ALERT! CAMPUS LOCK-DOWN!" The body of the e-mail should contain the details of the emergency that has taken place on campus: time, date, location and instructions on how students should proceed. In the case of a gunman on campus, all classes and activities will be shut down campus-wide until further notice. If the campus is in Lock-Down mode, no one will be allowed on or off campus until police allow. In this scenario, you would have been protected from harm by utilizing your student e-mail.

However, emergency notifications are not limited only to campus shootings. Oftentimes the Campus Alert System will notify students in the event of severe weather (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.) and will update students on possible class cancellations. These e-mails will also typically include any details on road closures and areas of campus that may be flooded.

2. Campus Event Announcements: Clubs, Dances, Fraternity-Sponsored Events, Sports Events, Religious Organizations, etc.

Deciding not to check your student e-mail for days or weeks at a time could also result in your missing out on some fun and exciting activities! From football games and fraternity parties to banquets and dances, you never know what events may interest you. These organizations are often given permission to send e-mails to all students who attend the college or university in order to notify them of the event. The Anthropology Club may be hosting a movie night somewhere on campus. A fraternity may be sponsoring an upcoming ball. Whatever the case may be, there is sure to be at least one activity that interests you.

3. Job Opportunities

This one is particularly important for seniors. Whatever field of study you are in, from Mass Media to Life Sciences, your department will often send or forward you information about potential job opportunities in the local area. This is a great way to stay aware of what positions are available and where you can send or take your resume.

4. Professor to Student Information

How often have you made it all the way to your first class of the day, only to find a sign posted that read "Class Cancelled"? In most cases, your journey could have been prevented by checking your student e-mail. Professors will often send their students vital information as needed throughout the semester, including class cancellations, exam study guides, test rescheduling, times for course advising and even information about scholarships in their field of study.

Your student e-mail is also your primary means of communication with your professor. If you are sick and will be missing several upcoming classes or assignments, you should notify your professor as quickly and as soon as possible. Most professors check their e-mail multiple times throughout the day.

5. Important Dates and Deadlines

You should additionally check your student e-mail for information about important dates and deadlines. These messages will typically be sent from your campus's Financial Aid Office, Registrar's Office, Graduation Office, etc. These e-mails will often contain important information concerning your financial aid deadlines, loan disbursements, graduation application deadlines, course registration time tickets for the next semester, etc. As a student, it is your responsibility to keep up with this information.

It also is your responsibility to regularly maintain and consistently check your campus e-mail address. Try to update your address book with your professors' email addresses, office phone numbers and office hours and always save important notifications and paperwork that arrive in your inbox. Don't let not checking your student e-mail result in poor academic performance!