Ten Minutes Before Class

I've divided topics related to asking for letters of recommendation into four categories:Category 1: Who to Ask1. Someone who can write positively2. Someone with relevant experience for your application3. Someone you knowCategory 2: How and When to Ask1. Contact the professor, by email or in person2. Ask at the time you’re applyingCategory 3: Providing Information1. Make it easy for the recommender 2. Watch email for additional requests 3. Identify deadlinesCategory 4: Follow Up Communications1. Thank yous2. Reminders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod on Twitter or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

This is an inexhaustive list of folks I follow for their expertise about issues and problems of the day. · Jelani Cobb (Twitter: jelani9): professor of journalism at Columbia; staff writer for The New Yorker.· Jack Goldsmith (Twitter: @jacklgoldsmith): professor at Harvard University, expert on national security, and co-founder of Lawfare.· Joanne Freeman (Twitter: @jbf1755): professor of history at Yale University. Her recent book is about violence in Congress during the Civil War period and she recently published an op-ed in the New York Times on the same topic. She has a lecture series called History Matters that is online and open to the public.· Rick Hasen (Twitter: @rickhasen): professor of law at the University of California Irvine; expert on election law and has a blog on the same topic.· Sherrilyn Ifill (Twitter: @Sifill_LDF): President of NAACP Legal Defense Fund, she’s an expert on civil liberties, most notably voting rights. Her guest appearance on Chris Hayes’s podcast Why Is This Happening last summer was one of the most compelling discussions about race I’ve experienced. · Orin Kerr (Twitter: @OrinKerr): professor of law at the University of California, Berkeley, he’s an expert on computer crime law and internet surveillance. I know almost nothing about these topics so following him has been eye opening. · Harry Litman (Twitter: @harrylitman): a former federal prosecutor, columnist for LA Times. His podcast, Talking Feds, includes a rotating group of former federal employees, journalists, and others to talk about current legal issues. His has a patreon too. · Barb McQuade (Twitter: @BarbMcQuade): professor of law professor at the University of Michigan, she’s a former federal prosecutor and expert on national security. · Dan Rather (Twitter: @DanRather): former news anchor, investigative journalist, and writer. His has a Substack newsletter called Steady.· Heather Cox Richardson (Twitter: @HC_Richardson): professor of history at Boston College with a Substack newsletter, Letters from an American. · Adam Serwer (Twitter: @AdamSerwer): staff writer for The Atlantic Magazine. · Zoe Tillman (Twitter: @ZoeTillman): journalist for Buzzfeed News, she is my go-to on courts and justice issues. · Joyce Vance (Twitter: @JoyceWhiteVance): professor law professor at the University of Alabama and a former federal prosecutor.· Steve Vladeck (Twitter: @Steve_vladeck): professor of law at the University of Texas at Austin.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod on Twitter or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod on Twitter or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

2020 Election Litigation Tracker at SCOTUSBlog Here are the GOP and Trump Campaign's Allegations of Election Irregularities at Washington PostTrump's Path Electoral Victory Is Disappearing. So Are His Legal Avenues at Washington Post ProPublica's Guide to 2020 Election Laws and Lawsuits at ProPublicaThe Supreme Court's Pennsylvania Cleanup at WSJTrump Suits Aim to Block Certification in Key States at WSJ Few Courts Have Intervened in Elections in Ways Sought by Trump Campaign at WSJTrump Campaign Files Lawsuit on Pennsylvania Election Result. Does it Have a Case? at NRAmicus Podcast by Dahlia Lithwick: Empty Suits: Do Trump's Lawyers Have the Goods? at Slate Election Law Blog by Professor Rick Hasen Booth, Wayne C. et al. 2016. The Craft of Research, Fourth Edition. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago, IL.~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod on Twitter or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

Writing Tools and Resources:Purdue Owl PurdueOWL (Online Writing Lab) : For Grammar For PunctuationFor Research and CitationThe University of North Carolina Writing CenterFor Plagiarism For Citation ResourcesFor Thesis StatementsFor EvidenceFor ArgumentsOn Reading AloudGrammarlyGrammarCheck

There might be an F-bomb dropped early in this episode. I did warn you in Episode 1 that I curse at times … If you can get past that, let me know about the little things you do to mitigate the stress and anxiety you feel these days. ~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

In the last several days, I've read and listened to a few sources of wonderful information about Justice Ginsburg and her legacy. I encourage you to check them out, and to let me know what sources you've used to learn more about her. Totenberg, Nina. "A 5-Decade-Long Friendship That Began with a Phone Call," NPR.Lithwick, Dahlia. "RBG's Prophetic Warning on Roe v. Wade Went Ignored."Slate.Talking Feds Podcast. "Before She Was Notorious: Clerking For Ruth Bader Ginsburg."Gresko, Jessica. "A Rapper, An Elevator, and An Elephant: Stories Ginsburg Told." AP. Earlier this summer, Dahlia Lithwick produced a two-part series on Justice Ginsburg's life and an interview with the Justice herself, on the Slate podcast, Amicus. The Class of RBG, Part 1The Class of RBG, Part 2 An Interview with Ruth Bader Ginsburg Quotes by Justice Ginsburg~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

The Big Ten has reversed its decision to play football this Fall. Here's the Ohio State statement. Report on heart injuries from COVID among college athletes.Pac-12 statement about Fall football season.~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

College Student Voter Turnout Tufts University, National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement Government/Party Voting InformationVote.org: voter id laws for each state, among other informationUSA.gov: links to state election offices/Secretaries of State for information on registeringVoteGOP: Republican National Committee registration siteI Will Vote: Democratic National Committee registration siteCollege GOTV OrganizationsCampus Vote ProjectAlliance for Youth Action: Our Vote, Our FutureCheck your campus for Republican and Democratic groupsOther GOTV OrganizationsWhen We All VoteRock the VoteHuman Rights Campaign Voting CenterLeague of Women VotersNAACP: Our Vote, Our VoiceVoto LatinoSpread the VoteVoteAmericaVote Save America~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

Diascro's Playlist:George WinstonYo-Yo MaButch Baldassari Gipsy KingsHollow CovesYarn Tracy ChapmanSimon and GarfunkelThe ChicksTaylor SwiftTom PettyEdwin McCainJack JohnsonStingThe PoliceCounting CrowsBryan AdamsELODonna the BuffaloHootie and the BlowfishSteve Miller Band~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

Being remote from your college or university, away from your friends and your campus, may be very difficult this Fall and beyond. There are a lot of things we can do to make connections and build community that will go a long way toward fighting loneliness and isolation. For additional resources and support during these challenging times:Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255NCCSD Crisis Resources: Includes general suicide hotline and specific hotlines for POC, LGTBQ, sexual assault, eating disorders, and others. And COVID, natural disasters, and grief counseling. ~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

Managing your time can be very hard! But there are resources, like student services centers on campus where expert staff can help you develop skills and provide tools that increase your organizational skills. Also, check out these resources for additional information: Executive Functions for College Students: Don't Leave Home Without ThemPurdue University Global, Management Tips for Busy StudentsOhio University, Time ManagementNortheastern University, 7 Time Management Tips for Online Students Tulane University, Guide to Mastering Time Management for Online LearnersNew York University, Tips for More Effective Personal Time ManagementA few time management apps that look useful:iHomework AppFocus KeepermyHomework Planner Countdown Timer PlusAlarmedHosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice at Temple University Covid Response PageCrisis Infographic and Guide (PDF)Dr. Goldrick-Rab Basic Needs Among College StudentsData Reports: APA and Inside Higher Ed National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD): Hunger and Homelessness Affordable College Online: Homeless Students GuideCampus Basic Needs Centers/Food Pantries:The Ohio State UniversityUC San DiegoUC Los AngelesUC BerkeleyUniversity of KentuckyNorthern VA Community College SystemDisability Resource Centers National Center for College Students with Disabilities (NCCSD) Preparing for Fall 2020Covid-19 ResourcesFood Insecurity and Homelessness Resources (w/ links to Hope Center too) Crisis Resources and Hotlines NCCSD Crisis Resources: Includes general suicide hotline and specific hotlines for POC, LGTBQ, sexual assault, eating disorders, and others. And COVID, natural disasters, and grief counseling. Infographic for Crisis Resources ~~~~~~~~~~~Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers)! Be in touch with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDProduced and music by Matthew Diascro

What am I reading? Just Mercy by Bryan StevensonBehaving Badly by Isabel Wolff (also, A Vintage Affair)Watergate Girl by Jill Wine-Banks (also, Becoming by Michelle Obama) So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma OluoStamped from the Beginning by Ibram KendiWhat are you reading?? Please share! ~~~~~~~~~~~Contact Professor Diascro (she, her, hers) with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. Art by ORCSAIDMusic by Matthew Diascro

How can you prepare for and manage the term – or several terms – that you may be distanced from your professors and other support? Before classes start:1. Be in touch with your major/minor department advisors to get questions about class offerings, credits, grading, attendance, and anything else you can think of. 2. Look for and bookmark the Registrar's webpage for information about any adjustments to classes, grading options, and potential calendar changes and deadlines. 3. Be in touch with your disability services office and counselor (if relevant). It's best to connect early, in advance of any concerns or hurdles you might face during the term. You also want to make sure your paperwork is ready to go when classes start. 4. Check in with your campus's Basic Needs Center, if there is one. Questions about food, housing, and economic security can be answered, even if you’re remote. These folks are amazing resources and it's likely they know about assistance you can access even if you live in a different community than your campus. Also, BN staff may have information on counseling and mental health – and physical health – resources, even if you’re not on campus. 5. Check in with your campus library to see what resources they have available to you for remote research. Librarians may be your most important allies during remote instruction. 6. Know where to find campus tech support, just in case. It's likely that something will not work as you hope at some point during the term.7. Check your email! Don't miss communications that may help you get ready for the term. When classes start:1. Review your course syllabi as soon as you can and ask questions! Specifically look to see how and when your professor/TA is available for office hours; it the time and method doesn't work for you, explain and request a change. 2. Introduce yourself to your professor and/or TA as a way of connecting in a low risk way. This will help you break the ice and make it more likely for you to communicate with questions when you need to. 3. Ask substantive questions about class material when you don’t understand something. You won't be able to rely on others as much as you might otherwise in a normal classroom space.4. Ask tech questions if you can’t access material. And if need actual tech assistance, you’ll know how to reach the campus tech folks for help (see above!). 5. Provide documentation that you need for class accommodations, which may be the same or different in online environment. Again, you will have connected with this office before classes started! 6. Seek out classmates that may have similar questions or approaches or challenges with the class. This isn't easy online, but with Zoom, discussion threads, and other opportunities, you may get to meet some of your classmate. Take advantage if you can. Nerves and insecurity about self-advocating are very common: 1. Try not to avoid advocating for yourself. It's hard but you want to get what you need. Professors and others want to help but often we don't know how unless you tell us. 2. Practice your communications! You can script out what you want to say before calling or sending an email; you can rehearse your questions with a friend or family member. I do this all the time!! 3. No communication is a one-shot deal. If you don't get all your questions answered, or if they're not answered sufficiently, ask again. Sometimes you have to sit with answers to know what you don't understand.~~~~~~~~~~~Contact Professor Diascro (she, her, hers) with questions, concerns, thoughts about college by DM @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. Art by ORCSAIDMusic by Matthew Diascro

Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers). DM me with questions, concerns, thoughts about college at @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDMusic by Matthew Diascro

Hosted by me, Professor Diascro (she, her, hers). Send your questions, concerns, ideas to me on Twitter at @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. ~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDMusic by Matthew Diascro

Contact me by Twitter @10mbc_pod or by email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com. Please be safe.

Welcome to Ten Minutes Before Class, a podcast for college students! My goal is to provide a few minutes each week to chat about what you're thinking about, what you're worrying about, how you're spending your time … whatever you might talk about while you're just hanging out waiting for class to start. First episode drops Wednesday, June 17. Subscribe and join me then! DM on Twitter @10mbc_pod or email at tenminutesbeforeclass@gmail.com with topics for future episodes. And use #10mbc on social media. ~~~~~~~~~~~Art by ORCSAIDMusic by Matthew Diascro