A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Farewell (Spring 2023, Week 16)

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Alexandria Posing in her graduation stole
Photo credit: Allyson Ly

It’s surreal really- I don’t think that I truly understood the weight of graduating and trying to determine the next steps of my life like I do right now. I’ve been a college student for five years and a peer mentor for three years, nine months, and twenty-nine days. Time definitely went by slowly but the fewer courses that I needed to complete the more time seemed to speed up. This particular blog post is being written because my time as an undergraduate student and peer mentor is coming to a close. As one of the first peer mentors that Missouri State has had, I will be handing over the reins to my present and future colleagues.  

How it started  

I came to Missouri State because I wanted to both experience college for myself and obtain my business degree. I had no clue what college life was going to be like, but I was excited to be in a new place and meet people. I struggled with my responsibilities as a student and as an individual, being away from home for the first time. There were times when I wanted to go home, or I really just missed being around my family, but I worked hard to get through my first year. As a sophomore, I took the advice of a campus staff member and decided to try out an on-campus job because I wanted to pay off my tuition and have money to spend when I needed it. After reading the job description for what was initially called a “peer counselor” I decided to apply for the job and was later hired. Being a peer mentor was my first ever job and I got a chance to experience things that I wouldn’t have otherwise.  

Thank you  

I don’t think anyone really goes into college expecting to leave exactly how they came in. I definitely won’t leave Missouri State the same and I am grateful for that. I learned so much about the campus and just how many resources MSU has to offer its students. I was able to take what I was learning from being a part of the Center for Academic Success and Transitions (CAST) family and help other students around me. I want to thank my bosses, Kelly Wood and Tracey Glaessgen, for taking a chance on me while allowing me to not only grow but help other students in their pursuit of success. Suzanne Mwengi, the CAST secretary, is also someone that I would like to thank because without her guidance and welcoming demeanor I wouldn’t have been able to fulfill my role as a peer mentor. Every person that has been a part of CAST presently and in the past has helped me out in some capacity whether it’s answering my questions, listening to me talk, or just giving me the motivation to keep going. I can sit around and thank every single person that I have encountered but a better use of your time and mine is just saying thank you. Thank you to my CAST family, peer mentors, graduate assistants, and anyone that I was fortunate enough to meet during my time at Missouri State.  

Thoughts  

I realize that life does go on but I’m definitely going to be sad from time to time about closing this chapter of my life. I experienced so much in college from the pandemic to just attempting to become friends with strangers. I’m excited to see where life is going to go after college, including how I’m going to feel about not having morning classes or assignments that need to be turned in.  

Takeaways  

Deciding to come to Missouri State after graduating high school in 2018 was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. I met some of my closest friends, experienced personal growth, and made connections with people that I didn’t expect to. I’m extremely fortunate to have done so much in five years and I can’t wait to see how the peer mentor program develops in the years to come.  

I want to tell you to not be afraid to try things out of your comfort zone and if you do and it doesn’t work out, be ready to try something else. From one student to another, take in every moment that you can, and enjoy your time as a student. 

Thank you again to everyone for contributing and helping me with my success. I’m truly happy with how things have turned out for me and wish all the best to Missouri State Bears. 
 

~Alexandria   

(Bio: I’m the middle child of seven kids in my immediate family. I’m currently a Senior Business major at Missouri State University.)   

 

 

A Guide to Course Evaluations (Spring 2023, Week 15)

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Hi again, Bears! This week, I’m covering a topic that I myself have experienced confusion with in the past. Perhaps recently, as you’ve gone onto Blackboard, you’ve gotten that banner notification asking you to complete a survey, or you’ve received an email in your inbox asking for the same thing. If you don’t know what those notifications or emails mean, you are in luck! For this week’s post, I’ll be discussing what those surveys are, why they’re important, and how to fill them out.  

What Are Course Evaluations? 

Those Blackboard and email notifications that ask you to complete a survey are called course evaluations, and you’re most likely seeing them because it’s getting close to the end of the semester. Course Evaluations are exactly like their title makes them sound—the surveys are an opportunity for you to evaluate the courses that you have taken during the current semester. What they look like and the questions that they ask can vary depending on the department or class, but their purpose is the same. Course Evaluations give students the opportunity to voice their opinions about a class experience, and that information is used to change and improve the course for future students. Typically, course evaluations become available towards the end of the semester, and students are given a limited amount of time to fill them out. Most of the time, they’ll ask you typical survey questions, like agree or disagree statements, ranking statements, or multiple choice. Sometimes, there’s even a written response option provided, where you can go into detail about your experience.  

Why Are They Important? 

Course Evaluations offer students a unique opportunity to evaluate almost every aspect of the classes that they’ve been taking, including content, organization, and instructors. The university uses this information provided by students to better the course experience for future students. If you have suggestions for how a course can be improved, a course evaluation is probably the best place to share them. Not only are they convenient, but they’re also anonymous, so your opinion won’t affect you in any way. Course Evaluations are also a great place to discuss anything that you enjoyed about a course, as that can be equally as beneficial as any suggestions for improvements. In the same way that it is important to know what can be done to improve a course, it is just as important to know what a course or an instructor is doing well. You are not required to fill them out, but you should definitely make some time to, as it can only benefit the university and future students.  

How Do I Fill Them Out? 

Course Evaluations are very easy to fill out. When you go into Blackboard and get the banner notification, just click on the blue button that says “Complete the Survey”. That will take you to the evaluations and let you fill out whatever evaluations are open at that time. Sometimes, the time for evaluations are scattered, so every course evaluation may not be open all at once. If there are any evaluations available for you to fill out, you will receive Blackboard or email notifications, and you will continue to receive reminders until you complete them. The evaluations will ask you standard survey questions about the instructor and/or your experience in the course. Answer all of the questions truthfully, and when you’re done, just hit the maroon submit button at the bottom of the page. Your responses will be submitted, and you are done! Course Evaluations typically only take a few minutes to complete, but they can take longer if you include a detailed written response about your experience. If you have any issues accessing an evaluation, check the email you received for tips and who to contact for assistance. One common suggestion is to make sure to use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as your web browser. After you complete a course evaluation, you should receive a confirmation via your Missouri State email.  

Takeaways 

Hopefully this information has helped you better understand what course evaluations are, why they are important, and how you can fill them out. If you can, try to make some time before the semester ends to complete your course evaluations. As a student, you deserve to have your voice heard, regardless of your course experience.  

It is so hard to believe that the semester is already coming to a close, but Finals Week is right around the corner! Now, more than ever, it is important to work hard so that you can finish strong. As always, remember that if you are struggling, want to improve your exam study strategies, or you just want to talk to someone, we have great Peer Mentors in the CAST office that you can meet with by dropping in during our Open Hours or by requesting one through our Student Request Form. I hope that you have a great conclusion to your semester! 

~Hallie 

(Bio: I am a sophomore out-of-state student studying Creative Writing and Philosophy.) 

Advice for Move Out Day (Spring 2023, Week 14)

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Advice for Move-Out Day

Hello, Missouri State! It is week 14 and summer is right around the corner which for most students means move-out day is on the calendar. After moving out of the dorms last year I have some tips I’d like to recommend to others to ensure the process isn’t added-on stress during finals week.

Start Early

My first piece of advice is to start the move-out process sooner rather than later. If you are visiting home or you’ll have company from home visiting you before the end of the semester, make a pile of things that can be sent home so that you have less to pack. I find that taking home winter clothes or clothes you never wore and don’t see yourself wearing the remainder of the semester are the best things to pack first because it frees space in your room and you often won’t regret sending them home early. I personally like to wait until the last week to take home my decor because it’s what makes the room “mine” and when I take it down before I need to the room isn’t as comfortable to live in. But if seeing empty walls and desks doesn’t bother you, I advise taking these items home next. If you start early packing and moving the things you don’t need, the final move-out looks a lot less intimidating and creates an easier finals week. 

Keep, Donate, Trash

If you don’t have the option of starting early, one thing you can still do that will help ease the final week is to go through your space and create keep, donate, and trash piles. I like to start at my desk because it often holds the most items that can be thrown out or passed down. If you find that you have unopened school supplies or supplies in good condition, consider asking others around you if they could benefit from them. In the dorms, they will have bins in the lobby for any bed sheets, toiletry, and cleaning products students are able to donate. Any assignments or syllabi from the school year that you have collected can often be recycled. This method will also show you what you are keeping so that you can plan accordingly. For example, if you have accumulated several textbooks you plan to keep that you didn’t have when you moved in, it’s good to know this ahead of time before you start to pack.

Goodbyes

Once you’ve completed your packing and cleaning of the space, it’s time to say goodbye to your college community. I found this to be the hardest part of the move-out process because I had done life with these people all school year and wouldn’t see many of them again until the start of the next semester. One way I believe makes the process easier is making plans to connect over the summer. Several of my friends and I made sure to call each other during the break or see each other if possible. This helped when hugging goodbye because I knew that we had an agreement to keep in contact. Something I also reflected on was the beauty in hard goodbyes. 

 

Missouri State is here to support its students and moving out is not designed to create added on stress. If you feel that you need help or find yourself overwhelmed, a great resource to utilize is your Resident Assistant (RA). It is their job to offer you assistance and resources you may need during this time. I hope that your year was all that you hoped it to be and that this post helped you gear up for the break ahead of us.

 

“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” – Rachel Wolchin 

~Aubrey

(Bio: My name is Aubrey Hardy, a sophomore studying special needs education. Fun fact: I grew up on a farm.)

My University Playlist (Spring 2023, Week 13)

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I cannot put into words how happy I have been these past few months. At this very moment, I am approximately thirty-five days away from graduation. The idea of graduating is becoming so real every day that it’s probably not going to really hit me until I’m walking across the stage.  

I wanted to try out something a little differently this time and describe my five years as a Missouri State student in the form of five songs. MSU has been such a big part of my life that I thought it would be cool to see how that translates into the form of music. I definitely have continued to go through a lot and learn more about myself, so I decided to have some fun with it. I created this playlist in terms of how a song sounded or made me feel. I don’t want you to pay attention to the vocals but to the instrumental versions of these songs instead. 

My University Playlist  

Do Not Disturb-Mahalia 

During freshman year I was still figuring myself out after high school and just learning what it meant to be a college student. This was my first time living away from my family and having so much responsibility. So, this particular song depicts the highs and lows that I faced during my first year.  

Panic! At The Disco-High Hopes 

My sophomore year was a hard one, but I overcame my freshman year, and I came out stronger. I got my first job at CAST (Center for Academic Success and Transitions) as a peer mentor, and I met two of my closest friends to this day. I was happy with my academic performance and my effort to try things that I’d never done before. My sophomore year prepared me for whatever the world had to throw at me. 

Lonely-Noah Cyrus  

This was around the time that I was dealing with some personal losses in my family and around the time of the pandemic. I was sad about my time on campus getting cut short and being unable to see any of my friends. In addition to all that my family is a big part of why I wanted to pursue a degree and I was struggling to overcome missing some of the most important people in my life. 

Blinding Lights-The Weekend  

What was supposed to be the final year became my second to last year at MSU. I felt more solidified with what I was doing and how I was performing academically. I was meeting more people and just making the effort to do well in some of my hardest classes. This year was bittersweet because my journey at Missouri State was ending, but I, unfortunately, needed an extra year. 

Golden Hour-JVKE 

I like to call this year ‘Super Senior’ but in all honesty, what do you call it? I decided to split my last year of classes into on-campus classes and online classes. I tried some new places in Springfield and tried different study spots on campus. Recently, I’ve been at home spending time with my family, finishing my last four classes online, and fulfilling my role as a peer mentor for the last time. I’ve been working my way toward graduation and I’m so excited to get there.  

Takeaways

I listened to music every chance that I could get walking on campus past the fountain, the library, and all the other buildings. When I was listening to music it carried me from class to class and kept me motivated every day. I want to be the one to tell you that college is a big part of your life and can be represented in a multitude of ways. That could be through your habits or even through some personal tips and tricks that you can adapt into your life. You can always check out my previous blog posts, to get more of an idea of the tips and tricks that worked for me. My time as a college student isn’t going to be the same as someone else’s but I’ll gladly share my experience, so you have resources at your fingertips to give you a leg up whenever you need it.
 

“How is it that music can, without words, evoke our laughter, our fears, our highest aspirations?” – Jane Swan

~Alexandria  

(Bio: I’m the middle child of seven kids in my immediate family. I’m currently a Senior Business major at Missouri State University.)  

 

Tips for Moving Off-Campus from My Personal Experience (Spring 2023, Week 12)

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Greetings, Bears! I have once again returned for another blog post. This week, I’m addressing a topic that I think is very important and applies to many college students at some point during or after their college careers. If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you might already know that I currently live off-campus. Because the end of the semester will be here before we know it, and some students may be thinking about changing their housing arrangements, I thought I would use my blog for this week to talk about some of my tips for moving off-campus. If you’re considering changing your housing arrangements either now or in the future, I hope that these tips, coming from my personal experience, benefit you.  

Examine Your Options 

If you’ve looked into off-campus housing at all, you’ve probably seen that there are quite a few options. It is important that you understand these options and know what will work best for you. Many college students may rent either a house or an apartment while they’re in school and even for a while after they graduate. Considering whether you want to rent an apartment or a house is most likely one of the first things you’ll think about during your search. There are pros and cons to both. Houses have more space, but they typically cost more and require more upkeep, whereas apartments are much smaller, but they cost less, require less, and have more options in terms of variety. Some apartment complexes also have facilities for their residents and tend to be more accessible and student friendly. There are quite a few off-campus apartments in the Springfield area that are specifically for college students and within walking distance of MSU, which is another option to consider during your search. There are still many other factors to consider, including but not limited to: your budget, the number of bedrooms you need, what your roommate situation will be, whether your new home will be furnished or unfurnished, and location. Every person’s situation is different, but regardless, it is essential that you thoroughly examine all the options that you have during your search. 

Have a Plan for Covering Costs 

No matter what your situation may be, renting a new place can be expensive. In the same way that it is essential to know what your options are during your search, it is equally essential to have a plan for how you will cover all the costs of your new home. There are a lot of costs to think about, like application fees, security deposit, any other deposits for pets, and of course, rent. Not only will you need to pay your rent each month, but you’ll also need to pay for any utilities that your landlord may not cover. The utilities that are covered vary with each place, but you’ll know what utilities you will be responsible for by the time that you move in. Having a roommate or multiple roommates is one way to decrease the overall cost. Another thing that is very important to know is that most places require a certain amount of income for you to sign the lease on your own, even if you’re able to pay the rent with your current income. If you don’t meet the income requirement, places may still approve you if you sign the lease with a cosigner. A cosigner is someone, typically a close family member, who agrees to pay the rent if you are unable to. With all of this in mind, make sure you have a plan for how you’ll cover all the expenses before you commit to paying those costs in a lease.  

The Process 

Once you understand your options and you have a plan for how you’ll cover the costs, it is time to choose your new home! This is an exciting process, but there are still a lot of things to know about the process of renting a place, especially if you’ve never done it before. The first thing that you will do when you find a place is fill out an application. Once you’ve completed it, you’ll submit it and wait for a response. Sometimes, you will have to pay an application fee upon completing the application, so be sure to keep that in mind. Once your application is approved, you’ll want to find a time to tour the place—don’t commit to living there without seeing it first! If you tour it and you’re ready to commit, you will put down a security deposit. The security deposit is typically the cost of one month of rent that you pay before moving in, and it is refundable when you move out if there isn’t any damage to the property. After you sign your lease and put down your deposit, you will typically take a final walkthrough of your new home with your landlord on move-in day. This is a time when you would note, in your lease, any issues that are present when you move in, so that you aren’t responsible for them when you move out. Once you receive your keys and you complete the final walkthrough, you are ready to move into your new home! 

Takeaways 

As you have seen, there are many things to know when you’re considering moving off-campus. Even though this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to finding off-campus housing, I hope that these tips benefit you, even if you aren’t looking to move off-campus any time soon. Many students continue to live on campus after their first year, and that’s okay too! There are many advantages to living on campus, just like there are advantages to moving off campus. After reviewing your options, you’ll have a better idea of what works best for you, and whatever that may turn out to be, that’s okay.  

Remember, if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the idea of changing your housing situation or by anything else, we have some amazing Peer Mentors here in the CAST office ready to meet with you if you need help! Keep working hard and Go Bears!  

~Hallie 

(Bio: I am a sophomore out-of-state student studying Creative Writing and Philosophy)