As students begin to register for classes today, they’ll have more opportunities than ever to get advice on backpacking and fulfilling distribution requirements — all without setting foot in an advisor’s office.

LSA’s Newnan Academic Advising Center recently updated its online resources to offer students advice on how to achieve academic success. Timothy Dodd, director of the Newnan LSA Academic Advising Center, wrote in an e-mail interview that recent updates include changes to the Peer Academic Advising Office website, the addition of an academic success strategies website and new YouTube instructional videos that guide students through using resources like Wolverine Access.

Dodd wrote that the advising staff has been “especially focused on developing (these) web-based resources over the past two years.”

He said the most recent updates were made to the PAAO website and included Wolverine Access tutorials, developed by Ron Gordon and Chris Luebbe, both advisors and coordinators at Newnan.

The tutorials — in the form of step-by-step YouTube videos — show students how to complete various tasks on Wolverine Access like swapping classes, dropping classes, registering and using Maize Pages.

Information about the new pre-health and pre-law resource room located in Angell Hall was also added to the site, Dodd wrote. He added that Law School, Medical School, Dental School and pre-health peer advisors staff the resource room.

A first-year timeline, developed by the New Student Committee, which offers a calendar of “critical items for first-year students,” was added to the site, Dodd wrote.

Key additions to the Newnan website itself also include the Academic Success Strategies website, informational YouTube videos and electronic versions of important forms, Dodd wrote.

The Academic Success Strategies website, primarily developed by Amy Muldoon, an advisor who now works at the University of Virginia, aims to help students develop habits and organizational skills they may not have utilized in high school, Dodd wrote.

“What so many of us know is that UM students bring stellar academic records and fine records of extracurricular accomplishment with them from high school, but were able to compile those records of achievement without needing rigorous preparation and organizational strategies,” Dodd wrote.

“At UM, those underdeveloped academic planning and success strategies sometimes hinder performance,” he continued. “The Academic Success website points students to a number of resources designed to improve their ability to maximize class time, improve textbook reading, work with faculty and study with peers, for example.”

Students can also find YouTube videos on the Newnan website that include information on study abroad opportunities, the road to business through LSA and how to find internships. The forms section of the Newnan website contains forms for major/minor declaration, progress checklists and more.

With all the recent updates, some students, including LSA freshman Ashlyn Harris, said they are finding it easier to succeed and access resources on campus.

“I really got a lot out of the Success Strategies site,” Harris said. “I’ve always had a problem with procrastinating on assignments. This website definitely helped me change my work habits and manage my time better.”

However, many other students said they don’t use the Newnan website.

LSA senior David Wolitzer said that he just stops by the Newnan office when he needs anything.

“I have not (used the website),” Wolitzer said. “I usually just go in if I need anything and it’s generally to see if I’m still on track for graduation.”

LSA sophomore Julia Bank also said she doesn’t use the site.

“I don’t really know that much about it,” Bank said.