Home Away From Home

During my time at Missouri State, I have realized this campus is not only where I come to learn, it is where I am comfortable, where I can focus, and where I go when I need help from someone. It has become my home. And although this COVID-19 pandemic has sent all of us back to our homes elsewhere, it feels like it has done the complete opposite.

A Few Weeks Later

These few weeks of quarantine have been interesting to say the least. We are currently in the midst of registration, regular school work, and finals week creeping up on us. It’s almost like a cherry on top of our COVID-19 sundae! All jokes aside, it’s easy to see how all of this can be stressful for us, and makes it seem scary moving forward.

So What Are We Going To Do?

As things have progressed, I have heard from a lot of people about their struggles and fear of what has been going on. Some people feel like they have lost valuable time on campus, found work harder in our current format, and are worried about what will happen in the following semesters. First, I would like to say I am always thankful that people share with me their feelings and concerns, because I am always glad to do my best in helping others get through hardships. So with this in mind, I want to help reassure everyone that things will be okay. Our Missouri State staff are working hard to find every way to help us through these tough times because they truly do care about us. And we have to remember that we are MSU students most importantly. I have seen some of the most amazing students in my time here, and it makes me have great confidence that we will all find success moving forward. We are all here for a reason!

Finishing Strong

Because our semester is coming to a close and finals week is on it’s way, I wanted to remind everyone of some great ways to feel prepared and relax in these last few weeks. When it comes to studying, make sure to cut out time during the day for studying. Because we are at home, it’s easy for us to overlook what we might need to get done. If you get a little stressed out, always make sure to take a break. This could be playing video games, talking with your family, or wrestling with your dog. As long as it’s something you can enjoy, because I think having a little fun is always important. Lastly, find some time to truly relax and take your mind off things. Possibly take a walk, sit outside and watch a sunset, or maybe even lay down and close your eyes for a while. Finding some time to reset your brain and get a fresh head is super important for our health and academic success. I hope all of these tips help everyone out, and I wish everyone the best of luck.

~Michael

(Bio: My name is Michael Rexroad, a transfer student from Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City. I am a junior currently studying cell and molecular biology with a minor in chemistry.)

I’ve had the same honest emotions for a long time now starting with happiness, fear of the unknown and just growing anticipation. Within the last few weeks, I’ve thought about a lot of changes I want to make for my future career and I’m working to change a few things in my lifestyle. Everything is completely thrown off due to COVID so I’m trying to outweigh my positives from the negatives. My schedule, unfortunately, is like the definition of messed up because it seems like no matter how much sleep I get, I’m still tired and I still have course work that needs my attention. I don’t think I’m the only person that just wishes for time to slow down but, from what I’ve experienced already, time and life don’t stop for anyone unless the inevitable happens.

All negatives aside, I’m really enjoying being at home with my family and being able to ask for help when I need it or just to talk their ears off about how my semester is going. New additions to my lifestyle include some occasional jump roping, an iced coffee in the morning and a nice and quiet atmosphere to get a few things done around the house. This week is pretty mellow compared to my last week of classes but I’m working ahead and focusing on a few DIY projects I can get done. With finals approaching, I’m going to need some things to keep me occupied and de-stressed. I’m starting off with painting one of my room walls with chalkboard paint and creating some door signs to let my family know when I’m on zoom calls, taking tests or getting assignments done. I know that there are lots of things happening right now that we can’t control. I’m going to do what I do best and just focus on what I can accomplish now because if I don’t, I’ll lose sight of what’s important.

“It’s when ordinary people rise above the expectations and seize the opportunity that milestones truly are reached.” Mike Huckabee.

~Alexandria

(Bio: My name is Alexandria Givens, and I’m the middle child of seven kids in my immediate family. I’m currently a sophomore business major at Missouri State University.)

Hello good people, I figured it would be a lot better to start off on a positive note because last week had to be the worst. You don’t personally know me but if you did, you’d know that I enjoy my classes, but the pressure was on this week.

My class load has been weighing pretty heavily on me. I always try to get a lot done so that I avoid missing assignments and have additional time to relax. Right now, I’m taking fifteen hours to count towards my business major and the combination of having lecture-based classes like business law and microeconomics has made this the hardest semester for me so far.

I was assigned three exams last week for Law, Political Science, and Math, which was hard for me to wrap my head around because I’m so used to having a seated lecture for those classes. I had to figure out what to prioritize without getting burnt out. I took some me-time at the beginning of the week by spending some time reading and getting in touch with some of my friends. I studied for one to two hours a day for an exam, then I traded off what subject to study for based on when the exam was. By the day of an exam, I would have already completed the assignments that needed my immediate attention. I reviewed hard on the day of those exams and took each one before the deadlines. My professors have done a pretty decent job of giving me the resources I need for classes without actually being there, so I had everything I needed for studying. Unfortunately, I didn’t gain the results that I wanted even after studying so hard, but I didn’t fail any of those three exams either, so I’m proud of myself and so is my family.

As of right now, I’m staying positive, learning to grow and just not beating myself up over my results because I know how hard I’ve worked. I’m going to finish the semester as strong as I can because my time at Missouri State is anything but over. Even though I’m struggling right now, it will make it worthwhile when I finally get my business degree.

~Alexandria

(Bio: My name is Alexandria Givens, and I’m the middle child of seven kids in my immediate family. I’m currently a sophomore business major at Missouri State University.)

School and Quarantine

Honestly, this has been tough. That is what I want to say first. Because of the kind of student I am, it is very hard for me to do a lot of online work outside of class due to not being able to focus. Being on campus and having a good learning matrix has always been an aspect that allowed me to be successful in my schoolwork and also find comfort. Sadly, this is not the case with our current situation.

As sad as this sounds, I don’t want to make it sound like there is no hope. Realistically, this has become an interesting opportunity. For many, there will be discomfort, struggles, and overall issues that cause people’s academic performance to take a hit, which is very understandable. But this is also a time to learn new ways of working. In my case, I know that it is harder for me to learn on my own and not have as much face to face interaction with friends and peers, but it has also led to me getting better at working independently. Furthermore, it has also made me better at networking with other students and has made me realize the importance of being able to contact others. Even if it is just having a zoom meeting to mess around and touch base with others, it can do a great deal in helping our situation.

I know that some people might be scared, frustrated, and tired of all of this and just want it to end. But I want everyone to know they are not alone, and a lot of us understand that feeling. Just remember that we can all make it through this, and we will all come out much better students in the end. Finding ways to make a schedule and find that balance between being home relaxing and working is key. It’s easy to put off work and get distracted by the idea of being home, but we all have to remember that we are still in school. As hard as that is, I believe everyone can do it.

~Michael

(Bio: My name is Michael Rexroad, a transfer student from Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City. I am a junior currently studying cell and molecular biology with a minor in chemistry.)

Writing has always been my getaway from life, but I have been kind of putting it off and my heart just hasn’t been in it. That and I seem to be too busy with homework to even think about it. Exams. Exams. Exams. Each following the last by a few days between. Each day is filled with homework and more homework. I am ready for the summer and a much-needed mental break from course work. However recently, I have been reading a series by Kiera Cass called The Selection. And it seems I cannot put the book down.

 

Oreos. I feel like I have been living off Oreos and Ramen Noodles for days. I have been so entranced by homework that I can feel the burnout lingering in the back of my mind. Sometimes I feel like there is no escaping this trance, but then there are times I see a small light at the end of my tunnel. A light that gives me hope that this will all be over soon and life as we know it will go back to normal.

 

Have you ever felt like sometimes you are invisible to everything around you and you are like a ghost watching other people’s lives play out in front of you? I feel this often, and sometimes I want to scream from frustration, but that would just be weird. And how much help would it really be to scream and have everyone look at you like you are just some nutcase. Well, most people look at me like I am a nutcase anyway so what does it matter.

~Rhiannon

(Bio: My name is Rhiannon Casey, a transfer student from Arkansas State University. I am currently a Junior Marketing Major with an emphasis in Advertising and Promotions.)