A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Archives for May 2021

Tips and Tricks for Relieving Stress and Studying (Spring 2021, Finals Week)

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Tips and Tricks for Relieving Stress and Studying

Hello Fellow Bears, we are currently coming to the end of the semester and are starting our finals. I am always trying to figure out the best ways to study while keeping myself from stressing out to the point that I do not succeed or my grades turn out poorly.

I am going to give you a few tips for studying but also some stress-relieving tips. Your education is important but so is your mental health and if you find yourself struggling, this information could be a big help. These tips and tricks can be used anytime, not just for finals. I’ll be using them next month when I take a summer course for accounting

  1. Keep Track.

I have learned the hard way that making sure all of your work is completed is the best thing you can do for yourself. You want to make sure that you are earning all the points you can for the semester and staying up to date with what you need to know for exams.

  1. Review.

Final exams usually consist of the things that we learned during the semester, so going over that information can be extremely helpful. Surprisingly, not everyone looks over the class materials but doing so can make things easier. Professors may utilize the same questions or ideas from the material or just flip it around to challenge you with what you studied.

  1. Use resources.

You cannot always study the same way for each of your classes; the material in each class might be harder or easier or have different amounts of materials that need to be studied. Take advantage of the resources on campus or any electronic resources that can help you better prepare. Resources like your phone’s note-taker and calendar can be useful, along with websites like Khan Academy, Quizlet, EasyBib and Chegg. Some websites and apps feature tools that you can use to create your own notes, test your knowledge of the material and keep you on track with your own schedule.

  1. Take a break.

Studying is important for any test or exam but that is not going to mean much if you get burnt out over the material. Studying in increments of up to twenty to thirty minutes with a break in between can help you to better retain the information and remember what you studied. You can always change the duration of each break if you prefer a longer or shorter one.

  1. Sleep.

Make sure that you are getting enough sleep and preserving your energy because you cannot do as much if you are tired and can’t keep your eyes open. You do not want to miss out on any study time, be late for an exam or be sleepy during those exams.

  1. Ask questions.

Even though it is the end of the semester, it is still important that you ask if you have any questions. Having as much clarity as possible can help set your mind at ease and clear up any confusion. The pandemic has changed quite a few things so if you do not know something or just need more help to understand specific material, do not be afraid to ask or approach your professor.

Almost done.

The summer is quickly approaching, and I am proud of the fact that I have made it through these last few semesters online.

If you are graduating, I wish you the best in your future endeavors and if you are continuing on during or after the summer, I know that you can succeed to get to whatever you have set your mind on.

~Alexandria

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

Spring 2021 Week 16 – Rhiannon

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Hello to all you fabulous readers of this blog! This week’s post is a look back at my experience as a Peer Counselor these last two years, plus some advice to First-Gen Students.

At the beginning, Peer Counseling was just a job for me. It was something that gave me extra money to help with gas and helped me not think about missing home. Then, as the months went on and the more time I spent with the other peer counselors, the more I realized that I could get through college. That, even though I might miss home and my community college life, I needed to be here. That I needed Missouri State as much as other students I knew did.

I am a First-Generation student, which is something you learn a lot about in this position at the Center for Academic Success and Transition. “You will go to college and you will get that diploma” – from a young age this was drilled into my head. When I left home for the first time in my life to go to college, it was scary and different. And I did not like it one bit. But as I worked closely with the other peer counselors and GAs, I realized that they will help you with anything and everything. You need a listening ear, they got you. You need to just sit in the office when it is not a scheduled day for you and just hang with them, then they will gladly let you.

Now on to those wise words from one First-Gen student to another…

The most important thing you need to remember is that there are plenty of people on campus that will help you through these stressful college years! The last thing you should do is set aside any dreams and give up on college altogether. There’s a whole world out there to explore and many opportunities begin with earning a college degree!

The following are tips I’ve pulled together and tried to remember myself:

  • Embrace who you are! It is what makes you unique.
  • Find highly motivated students in your classes to partner with. Especially if you are a Marketing Major (little secret – you will be doing a bunch of group projects!).
  • Be proactive in financial assistance!
  • Get involved!
    • I cannot stress this enough. Apply for Hall Council if you live in a dorm, rush for a fraternity or sorority, and look on CampusLink for clubs that might interest you.
  • Don’t overload yourself!
    • A common mistake is to not consider the time you’ll need outside of the classroom to complete your work. You might have a class that only meets once per week, but the out-of-classroom workload will be similar to classes that meet more frequently. Plan for a heavy load and adjust as necessary.
  • Build your support system
    • Your time at MSU is an opportunity to go out on a limb and try something new that has always intrigued you. If it doesn’t work out, you’re in an environment that allows you to move on with relative ease to the next thing that interests you.
  • Take smart chances
    • This ties into getting involved and seeking out academic help; both provide a great pool of peers and mentors who may be able to help you. This could also mean meeting with an Academic Coach or Peer Counselor through the Center for Academic Success and Transition (CAST). The CAST website has helpful information, too.
  • Do NOT doubt yourself
    • (This one hits me hard, too.) Don’t worry! Remember that others around you are feeling the same emotions and don’t know what to expect either. College can be harder than high school.

Thank you for taking your time to read these blogs! This is Rhiannon Casey signing off for the last time. Good luck with your future college life!!

~Rhiannon

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