A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Reflecting on the School Year (Spring 2024, Week 15)

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Hello again, Bears! I am having such a hard time believing that the end of the semester is so close. With that, I’ve found I’ve spent quite a bit of time reflecting on what this semester and past semesters have brought me, as well as the growth that I feel has taken place for me throughout my college journey. While I don’t graduate until later this year, this semester’s conclusion does bring some big life changes to me, and when things are changing in your life, I think it’s important to find moments to be present and think about—well, all sorts of things. I thought that I would use my post for this week, and my last post for this semester, to prompt you to do the same, especially if you are like me and have some big changes coming in your life with the conclusion of this academic year.  

Thinking About Opportunities

One thing I catch myself thinking about rather frequently is how much (or how little) I take advantage of opportunities presented to me, how often I seek opportunities, and whether or not I regret pursuing an opportunity or choosing not to pursue a specific one. I try not to get too wrapped up in decisions of the past, since, whether I may regret something or not, the past cannot be changed, but I also believe that there is some merit in looking back on those instances. It’s especially important to think about past opportunities just so you can be grateful for them. Gratitude is infinitely valuable, and can be quite the motivator when things are changing or circumstances are tough. Reflecting on different opportunities you may or may not have had can also help you determine what you want to pursue in the future.  

One opportunity that I am grateful I took this year was to review submissions for Moon City Review, the literary journal run by Moon City Press. Being a student reviewer has helped me become a better writer and connect more with Creative Writing faculty. By learning that I enjoy the behind-the-scenes of publishing, I now know that’s something I can pursue later, whether academically or in a career.  

Thinking About Growth

Even when my life isn’t particularly exciting, I find it beneficial to sit back occasionally and reflect on how I have grown throughout college and the past few years of my life in general. There’s a reason why college is considered one of the most revolutionary experiences people can have in their lives—it is very much a time of growth and inner development. 

There are countless ways in which I feel I’ve grown throughout my college journey. College has helped me figure out who I am, as well as learn about my values, moral compass, and strengths and weaknesses. I’ve also learned about my hobbies, and what I will find fulfilling in a future career. Consider spending some time thinking about the ways that you have grown, whether this has been your first or fourth year in college. Doing so helps me retain gratitude for how far I’ve come, as well as a sense of pride in who I am now.  

Thinking About the Future

In the same way that I try not to dwell too much on the past, I try not to think too much about the future, since, very much to my own remorse, I cannot predict it. However, in the same manner that I think reminiscing on the past is beneficial for the sake of gratitude, thinking about the future in some regard can be good solely for the sake of building excitement. Even though change can be intimidating, it helps me to think about all of the good things that the change will bring, as well as all of the things that I’m excited for in the next chapter of my life. It also helps to set goals for myself, even if they are small, so that I always have something to ground me while everything else is changing. It’s the absolute best feeling when you’re able to look back and realize that you completed a goal that you set for yourself.  

One goal that I’ve set for myself this year, for example, is to get at least one creative work that I’ve written published in a literary journal. But even if my work doesn’t get accepted, I can still be proud that I sent my work off and put in the effort to meet my goal. Even if it’s small, and even if it’s just one, I encourage you to set a goal for yourself as this academic year comes to a close. Make it realistic and obtainable, so that you can experience that satisfaction and pride when you complete it in your future.  

Takeaways 

Regardless of how much or how little your life may be changing as this semester approaches its conclusion, I hope that my blog entry prompts you to spend some time reflecting. As you continue to think about all of these things and more, remember to stay present in the current semester too! Keep working hard and finish strong. If you are struggling and need help, remember that the CAST office is here as a resource to you, and our Success Coaches and Peer Mentors want to help you succeed! Being a philosopher at heart, I will leave you with my absolute favorite quote from Socrates: 

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates 

I hope you have a fantastic conclusion to your semester and a fulfilling summer! 

~Hallie 

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

To Take or Not to Take: Navigating Summer Courses (Spring 2024, Week 12)

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Hello again, Bears! We have reached the time of the semester where many students are planning out their schedules and preparing to register for their fall courses. The spring registration sequence is unique, however, because along with the fall semester, you can also register for summer courses. Whether or not you should take a summer class can depend on many factors, and it’s important to weigh both the pros and cons. As we approach registration, I thought that I would use my post for this week to discuss summer courses with you as a student who has taken multiple summer courses in the past.  

Pros

Saving Time

Taking a summer course or two is one of the best ways to progress in your degree at a quicker rate. Or, in some instances, you may prefer to take fewer courses during the fall/spring semester and take a couple of summer classes to continue making solid progress towards your degree completion. In many cases, you can take the same three credit course over the summer in a shortened time frame compared to the full 16 weeks in a regular semester. The ability to complete a couple of required classes over the span of just four to eight weeks is very convenient, and many students enjoy having the opportunity to do so over the summer when student lives may be less busy than usual.  

Flexibility

A majority of summer courses through the Missouri State campus are offered online, which provides a great deal of flexibility to students wanting to take them. Online courses are convenient for many reasons, but the students who prefer them mostly praise that they can be taken from anywhere. If you aren’t close to Springfield during the summer, you still have the opportunity to take a summer class or two and complete a few credits. Most of these classes are also asynchronous, meaning that you complete the coursework on your own time. Asynchronous learning is also convenient if you work or have other commitments that don’t allow you to meet for class at a specific time.  

Cons

Intensity

While the flexible nature of summer courses makes them appealing to many students, the shortened time frame in which the summer semester takes place often makes these courses more intense of a workload. Most of the time, a full 16 week course is being shortened into a time period of just four to eight weeks. A lot of students can find this change intimidating, along with the impersonality of an online class. It can also be more difficult to succeed in a course if your environment changes over the summer, and you don’t have space to dedicate to your studies. Whether or not you are a student that might be impacted by this difference, it is important to consider this when deciding if you should take a summer class.  

Losing Time

Summer classes can help you make progress faster, but it’s also important to keep in mind the time commitment that taking a class adds to your life. If you are pursuing a challenging internship over the summer, or you work, have vacation plans, or other larger time commitments, finding time to complete summer course work adequately can be difficult. If you want to take a class or two over the summer, you want to be sure that you will have enough time to devote to classwork. Even though the courses are shorter in time, the more intense workload means that students have to dedicate more time to their studies.  

Takeaways

As you prepare for registration, I hope that these pros and cons help you better weigh whether or not a summer course is for you. As a student who has taken summer courses in the past, I loved the flexibility and shorter time frame, but I also felt slightly intimidated by their intensity and time commitment. If you are having a hard time deciding if you should take a summer class, you have many resources available to you. Consider reaching out to your academic advisor, or visiting our Peer Mentors and Success Coaches here in the CAST office. I hope that you continue to have a great semester, and I wish you the best of luck with registration! 

~Hallie 

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

Campus Safety Features (Spring 2024, Week 8)

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Hello again, Bears! Welcome back to another blog post. This week, I wanted to discuss a resource that I think every student should be aware of. Have you ever spotted a tall red pole with a light on the top during your walks around campus, or received a Missouri State Alert on your phone? These features and many more come from the University Safety Office. As a student, you have all of the services listed here available to keep you safe while you are on campus, and you should absolutely know about them in case you ever encounter an emergency or unsafe situation.  

Blue Light Telephones

Remember those tall red poles with a light on the top that I mentioned a few sentences ago? Those happen to be one of my favorite safety features on campus. You have most likely seen one or several of these telephone poles any time that you’ve walked around campus. These poles, while they may appear unassuming, can provide essential help during an emergency situation. If you ever encounter an emergency or feel unsafe on campus, you can press the emergency button on the pole to activate the blue light at the top and immediately be connected to a dispatcher that is familiar with campus and can view your location via security cameras. University Safety also has a blue light telephone map of where all of the blue light telephone poles on campus are located on their website.  

Safe Walk

This is yet another great safety service available to you as a student. Safe Walk is an on-campus walking service that is available at any given time if you need an escort to walk with you from one location to another. University Safety works incredibly hard to keep our campus safe at all times, but this service is especially great if you are studying or on campus late at night and feel unsafe walking back to your car or residence hall. To receive this service, you can call 417-836-5509, and a campus safety specialist will be dispatched to you.  

Missouri State Alert 

Out of the three services listed here, Missouri State Alert is the one that you might be the most familiar with, considering that every student and faculty member is automatically enrolled in Missouri State Alert by being present on campus. If you ever receive a Missouri State Alert, whether on your phone or through email, it’s very important that you pay attention to these messages, as they usually detail university closings or potential emergencies that you need to be aware of. If you would like, you can manage your preferences for how you receive Missouri State alerts by visiting the Missouri State Alert page on the University Safety website.  

Takeaways 

Along with the services listed here, University Safety is an incredible resource that offers many other services to you. If you would like to learn more about all of the services available or how you can contact University Safety, the University Safety page on the Missouri State website contains all of this information and more.  

Our Peer Mentors and Success Coaches here in the CAST office can also help direct you to any on-campus resources that you might be interested in learning more about. Consider visiting us during our drop-in hours (Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.) or requesting a meeting online. As you complete your midterms and get ready for Spring Break, I hope that you have a strong and satisfying finish to the first half of your semester!  

~Hallie 

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

A Week in the Life of an English Major (Spring 2024, Week 5)

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Greetings, Bears! As always, I am excited to be back for another blog post, and I am especially excited about my topic for this week. I thought it would be fun to share with you what a week in my life looks like as an English major. Accounts like these can be helpful if you are considering changing or declaring a new major and want to know what the experience of a student in that major looks like. Perhaps studying English is not something that interests you at all, but I hope that you enjoy my perspective nonetheless!  

Mondays 

On Mondays, I start off my day with a short shift in the CAST office. I always enjoy this time because I find that it helps me get mentally prepared for the rest of the week. When I work in the CAST office, I’ll typically work on upcoming blog posts or reaching out to my mentees.  

After I leave CAST for the day, I head to my American literature class, followed by my small press production class. I really enjoy my small press production class because we are learning about how the university press operates. Every year, Moon City Press releases an issue of Moon City Review, a literary journal containing selections of poetry, short stories, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, and graphic narrative. As an English student, I have the opportunity to serve as a reviewer for Moon City Review and work alongside other students and faculty deciding what submissions get published. This has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me! Alongside Moon City Review, the press also publishes multiple books every year. Many departments on campus have experiences specific to the department like these, giving students the opportunity to work with faculty and get more involved with the department.  

After my classes on Mondays, I head back to the CAST office for a meeting with the other Peer Mentors. During our meetings, we discuss how we can continue supporting our students and future projects we can incorporate to make CAST even better. These meetings are a great conclusion to the first day of the week, as I always find it enjoyable to see my coworkers! 

Tuesdays 

Once again, I start my Tuesdays with another shift in the CAST office. Tuesday mornings, however, are when I participate in drop-in hours, which is a service that the CAST office offers for any student wanting to meet with a Peer Mentor without previously scheduling an appointment. At this time, we are offering drop-in hours on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Come by and see us in Meyer Library 116 if you need help or have a question!  

After my shift and a quick lunch break, I head to my poetry class followed by my English studies class. I really enjoy talking to the students and faculty during these classes. I’ve found that your classes are a great way to connect with like-minded students and make friends. I finish with class around 5 p.m. and usually head home to work on my schoolwork.  

Wednesdays 

My Wednesdays are very similar to my Mondays, with the absence of Peer Mentor meetings in the afternoon. This leaves me with a lot of free time on Wednesdays. When I find that I have free time, I like to head over to Foster Recreation Center for some cardio or a dip in the pool (after I’m all caught up on schoolwork, of course). After that, I usually head home to read my current book or continue working on any of my creative works. Because I’m in a poetry class, I try to write poems as much as possible, which is sometimes easier on some days than others. Regardless, Wednesdays are also the days that I try to emphasize any self-care practices. It’s important to make sure that you are finding time to incorporate self-care into your schedule too! 

Thursdays 

After another CAST office shift and my poetry and English studies classes, I’ll sometimes stick around on campus Thursday evenings to attend readings hosted by the MSU Department of English. Throughout the semester, the department brings fiction writers, poets, and other creative writers to campus to read their works to students. These events are free and open to the public. I especially love when the readers are selling copies of their books and stay afterwards for a book signing! As a writer myself, I always leave these events feeling inspired.  

Fridays 

Fridays are what I like to call my “off day” each week, meaning that I don’t have any classes or shifts in the CAST office. This gives me a chance to catch up on all of my schoolwork for the week so that I can enjoy the weekend. If I find that I’m not too busy with that, I’ll sometimes go to Foster Recreation Center again or attend an event on campus. The student organizations I’m involved in also have their meetings on Fridays, which I always try to attend. Fridays are also another opportunity for me to practice self-care and do something I enjoy.  

Takeaways 

I sincerely hope that you enjoyed learning more about what my life looks like as an English major! I feel very fortunate to have all of the opportunities that I do in my area of study. I also hope that my perspective is helpful to you if you are feeling unsure about what you would like to study in college. There are many important things to consider when choosing a major, and what your daily life will look like and if you would enjoy that is a key factor. If you are unsure of what you’d like your major to be, there are many resources available on campus to help you learn more about different academic programs. Consider contacting the Academic Advising and Transfer Center or visiting us in the CAST office if you need help!  

I hope that you continue to have a great semester and keep working hard! 

~Hallie  

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

How to Join a Full Course (Spring 2024, Week 1)

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Hello again, Bears! I am so happy to be back for another semester and another blog post. Welcome back! I hope you had an excellent Winter Break and some relaxing time off. I thought I would use my post for this week to talk about a topic that I experienced myself this semester. Have you ever been prepared to register for a course that you really want to take only to find out on registration day that it’s full? Many students, myself included, have woken up to this disappointment on their registration date, but if this happens to you, don’t panic! There are a couple of things you can do to increase your chances of getting into a full class. Here are some tips that I have used to successfully enroll in a full class.  

Join the Waitlist

The first thing that you can do to make the likelihood of you being able to join a full class higher is join the waitlist. You can do this through the same portal that you would use to register for a class if the class has a waitlist available. The waitlist is a way for you to, as the word implies, wait for a spot in the class to open up. If a student registered for the class drops the class, you’ll be notified through your Missouri State email address and given 24 hours to register for it. If you don’t register in those 24 hours, the spot will be given to the next student on the waitlist. That’s why it’s important for you to join the waitlist as soon as possible, frequently check the registration portal to see if any students have dropped the course, and check your email often. You can learn more about waitlisting a course on the Missouri State website.  

Contact the Instructor of the Course 

If you’re unable to enroll in a course after joining the waitlist, the next step is to contact the instructor of the course. Typically, students will contact the instructors of the course after being unsuccessful on the waitlist to ask for a registration override. A registration override takes place when the instructor or the department heading the course you’re attempting to join increases the number of seats available in the course and/or enters the registration system and allows you to register for a spot even if the class is full. When contacting professors about registration overrides, it’s important to be kind and understanding. Depending on the department, the instructor may not have control over whether or not a registration override will be permitted to you, and sometimes they cannot increase the course capacity even under special circumstances. In some cases, you may not be able to receive an override for the class. In the same way that it is crucial for you to continuously check your email after joining the waitlist, it’s also necessary for you to consider alternative options for any class you were hoping to take that’s full. If you are unable to join a course through the waitlist and you are not granted a registration override before the change of schedule period ends, you will not be able to take that particular course. 

Takeaways

I hope that these tips will help you in future semesters if you ever encounter a full class. If you’re experiencing this issue currently, remember that the change of schedule period this semester takes place from Tuesday, January 16th to Monday, January 22nd, and you have until then to drop any courses that you’re enrolled in for a full refund or enroll in a different class.

If you have any other questions about joining full classes, you can visit our amazing Peer Mentors and Success Coaches here in the CAST office, or request to meet with one of us through our online request form. This semester, we’re also offering drop-in hours on Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Come and see us! Otherwise, I hope you have a great second week of the semester, and I will see you soon in a future blog post! 

~Hallie  

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