If you need help, either working through course material or understanding what the course is all about, ask sooner rather than later! Your classmates and instructors are here to help you however we can.
Course Center
The first place to go for help is the course center, room 0208, in the basement of the Toll physics building. To get there, go down the stairs in the middle of the long hallway in Toll, then take a right. It's on the right. Check the schedule to make sure someone will be there. The course center opens in the second week of class, and you'll find classmates there to work with as well as TAs and instructors.
Discussions on ELMS
The best place to ask a question related to the course material is on ELMS. For each week of lecture, recitation, lab, homework, and midterm I'll create a discussion. If you noticed something interesting, wanted to follow up on a point, had a question you were stuck on, etc. post it here. Your classmates or the instructors can reply. This is often more helpful than asking instructors directly because it builds a communal resource. Other people might have the same questions as you, and you can help them out by asking for good, class-constructed answers. Don't use the board to give homework solutions, of course, but you can use it to ask for, e.g. ideas about whether a certain physical effect is relevant to the situation described in the homework, and why.
Contacting Instructors
My email is meichenl@umd.edu. See this page for TA contact information. This is the best way to ask questions related to your personal situation. If you need to speak to me in person, the best way is to set up a meeting using YouCanBookMe, or stop by my office, Toll 1310. I'll also be available at the tables northwest of the classroom after each lecture.
Other UMD resources
Guided study sessions run by the counseling center support a number of UMD courses, including Phys 131. Please see their website for more information.
The physics department runs the Slawsky Clinic which may be of assistance.
UMD College of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Academic Support and Tutoring page
I recently learned about the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Education tutoring program, although I haven't confirmed that they offer Phys 131 in particular.
