A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Advice for Move-In Day (Summer 2023)

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Hello again, Bears! It is so hard for me to believe, but the fall semester is rapidly approaching! That means that move-in day is also approaching quickly for incoming Bears. This week, I wanted to share some of my tips for the highly anticipated move-in day for any new Bears that are moving to campus this fall. If you are moving to campus soon, I hope that this post makes you even more excited for what’s to come! Here are some pieces of advice about move-in day.  

Talk to Your Roommate 

Before you move into your residence hall room, it is important that you consider talking to your roommate so that you can avoid bringing duplicate items. It’s also nice to know when your roommate is planning to move in. Getting to know your roommate before moving in can help you prepare for your living situation, or even help you find a friend before you get to campus. Consider trying to get to know your roommate before your move-in date, as it can help ease the move-in process.  

Check Your Email! 

The time between your SOAR session and your move-in date can sometimes feel like it’s dragging along, but this is the time that almost all information regarding move-in and the process of moving into the residence halls is sent to you through your MSU campus email. To stay on top of move-in information, be sure that you are checking your campus email at least once a day. Residence Life will contact you regarding your move-in date, housing assignments, and the process for moving in. Knowing what to expect before your move-in date will make the process on the day of so much easier. 

Label All of Your Boxes or Items Beforehand 

When you move into the residence halls, you will be prompted to drop off all of your belongings outside the front of the residence hall where Bear Crew, our move-in volunteers, will help take your things to your room. It is important that, before your move-in date, you label all your boxes and items with your name, residence hall, and room number so that your belongings are delivered to the right place.  

Have Fun! 

The moments right after you are dropped off at college can be awkward and emotional. It is so important that you make an effort to enjoy yourself while you are first adjusting to your new college environment. After you move in and unpack your things, find something that you can do on campus to both familiarize yourself with MSU but also meet other students in the same situation as you! Consider attending a Welcome Weekend event (which I will be discussing in an upcoming post), taking a walk around campus, or eating your first meal in the dining hall with your roommate. The weekend before classes start is also not a bad time to make sure you know what buildings your classes are in, so you aren’t as overwhelmed on the first day. Occupying yourself during this time will make your experience so much better, and there are so many fun events and things going on that you don’t want to miss! 

Takeaways 

I hope that these tips help you feel even more excited about move-in day. Moving to college really is such an exciting time, but it’s also normal to feel a little overwhelmed. If you are one of many students that feel that way, I want to remind you that there are endless resources available on campus to help you adjust to college life, including but not limited to our CAST office. I hope that your move-in day is improved by these tips, and that you enjoy the beginning of your life on campus!  

~Hallie  

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

What Should You Bring to Campus? Dos and Don’ts for the MSU Residence Halls (Summer 2023)

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Hello again, Bears! The summer semester is already over here on campus, which means that it is an exciting time for incoming freshmen Bears! If you are coming to campus this fall, chances are that you are packing or getting ready to pack up your things and move into the residence halls. You may also be feeling a little overwhelmed about what to bring to campus. If that is you, then you have come to the right place! In today’s blog post, I’m going to give you a few of my recommendations for things that you should or shouldn’t bring to campus.  

Bring… 

  • A small TV with Roku/Chromecast stick 

Did you know that you get a free HBO Max subscription as a Missouri State student? A TV is a great thing to have in your residence hall room. The MSU residence halls also have a separate WiFi network for devices like TVs and game consoles, so your streaming experience will be good. If you have a roommate, make sure you talk to them so you don’t both bring a TV. The residence hall rooms are pretty spacious, but you won’t need more than one TV! 

  • A plastic shower caddy 

Some students may tell you to bring a mesh shower caddy, but I am personally of the opinion that the plastic ones are the best. While they might be heavier and hold less than their mesh counterparts, the plastic caddies are much easier to clean and do not share the same risk of mildew. Sometimes, the showers in your residence hall won’t have a place for you to hang your caddy, so you want to have one that you can put on the floor.  

  • Additional storage 

 When you move out of your residence hall at the end of the year, chances are that you will have accumulated more than what you came to the residence hall with. You don’t want to be excessive, but bringing along extra storage will make the process of moving out easier. It also provides you with extra space to store things that you don’t use frequently, such as seasonal clothes. Consider bringing along a few storage bins or maybe an ottoman that doubles as a seat and extra storage.  

Don’t bring…  

  • A printer

Bringing a printer to campus isn’t really necessary, as there are many ways that you can print all over campus. It’s best not to take up space in your room with things that you don’t need. Each residence hall has a computer lab where students can print, and printing in the library is very accessible as well.  You can print up to 50 pages per semester in the residence hall computer labs, and you receive $60 of printing dollars for library printing every school year. This tends to be more than enough for most students, including me, and I am always printing out all sorts of English and Philosophy papers! 

  • Excessive additional furniture   

You may feel tempted to bring a futon or other types of furniture for your residence hall room to make things more comfortable or personal, but larger pieces of furniture take up a lot of unnecessary space. There are many other less space-consuming ways that you can make your room your own! Many students like to bring pictures, posters, lights, and other smaller things to decorate their space.  

  • Cooking appliances 

The Missouri State University residence halls don’t allow students to bring certain cooking appliances, like air fryers, toasters, or crockpots. There are some kitchen items that you can bring, like coffee makers, but be sure that you are familiar with what appliances you can and cannot bring. MSU also doesn’t allow students to bring microwaves or fridges into the residence hall rooms, but that’s because they are provided for you with the cost of the room!  

Takeaways 

These are just a few examples of things that I brought (or didn’t bring) to the residence halls when I was a freshman. While moving to college is a very exciting time, it is important to know what you should or should not bring to campus. You can see a detailed list of suggested items to bring and definite items to not bring, plus lots more useful information in the Guide to Move In provided by Residence Life, Housing, and Dining Services.  

If you are moving to campus soon, I wish you the absolute best of luck on your journey! Remember that, when you get here, there are some great resources on campus, including our CAST office, that can help you adjust to campus life. See you soon, and welcome to Missouri State! 

~Hallie 

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

                                                            

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.) 

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) 

How to Prepare for An Advising Appointment (Spring 2023, Week 8)

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Hi again, Bears! I am happy to be back for yet another blog post. I hope you had a great Spring Break!

Now that we’re back to school, we’re past the halfway point in the semester, which means that before long it will be time to register for classes for next semester! Even though it may seem far away, this semester is flying by, and your registration date will be here before you know it. On top of that, if you don’t quite have 75 credit hours under your belt, you are required to receive a release from your advisor in order to be able to register. For today’s post, I’m sharing my best tips for how you can prepare yourself for an appointment with your advisor.  

Contact Your Advisor at Least 2 Weeks Ahead of Your Registration Date 

In order to schedule an appointment with your advisor, it is important to contact them 2 weeks prior to your registration date at the very least. Some advisors are professors, and they have busy schedules that are filled with teaching classes, office hours, and other endeavors. To ensure that you can find time to meet with them, make sure you contact them at least 2 weeks ahead of time. Sometimes, it’s even a good idea to send them a brief email 3 to 4 weeks ahead of your registration date, especially if you know that you will not be flexible in the coming weeks leading up to registration. When you email your advisor, make sure to include your BearPass number, any specific information about your degree program that you think they may need to know, and your general availability for an appointment. Including your BearPass number helps them quickly access your Degree Audit and Advising Notes, and letting them know your general availability up front will save some steps when scheduling the appointment.  

Familiarize Yourself with Your Degree/Major Requirements 

Even if you aren’t actively preparing for an advising appointment, it is beneficial to you to be familiar with any and all requirements that you will need to fulfill in order to graduate with your major and/or degree. However, knowing what courses you still need to take before your advising appointment will save time and make the appointment easier for both you and your advisor. It will also enable you to roughly plan out future semesters and ensure that you’re on the right track towards graduation. You can access all of your course requirements on the Missouri State website or your Degree Audit, but the Missouri State website will show you course descriptions and when certain classes are going to be offered.  

Have a Rough Idea of What Courses You’d Like to Take 

Knowing what courses are going to be offered the following semester ahead of your advising appointment is another way to make your appointment with your advisor easier and faster. Most of the time, course offerings for the following semester become available on Trial Schedule Builder early in the current semester. Be sure to take just a little bit of time before your appointment to see what courses will be available, just so you have plenty of time to change things around if there’s an unexpected change to what you thought was going to be offered. This also gives you plenty of time to ask your advisor any questions about your schedule that you may have. Seeing course options ahead of time can only benefit you, so budget some time before your appointment to review them.  

Takeaways 

I hope that this information proves to be of use for you as you’re preparing for registration! However, if my tips confuse you, you’re feeling overwhelmed about registration, or you have questions, remember that we have some amazing Peer Mentors and Success Coaches here in the CAST office that would love to help you! Like Aubrey, another amazing Peer Mentor, said in a post at the beginning of the semester, we are now offering Open Hours for students that would like to drop by at their own convenience. If you need help, come and see us! Otherwise, good luck with registration, keep working hard, and Go Bears!  

~Hallie 

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