A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Maintaining a Healthy Sleep Schedule (Spring 2023, Week 5)

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Maintaining a Healthy Sleep Schedule 

Greetings, Bears! I am so happy to be back again writing blogs this semester. This week, I’m focusing on a topic near and dear to me—sleep. There are many important factors that go into being a successful college student, but one of the most valuable (and honestly most overlooked) things that can make or break a student’s journey to success is sleep. How much sleep you’re getting can very much change how much energy you have throughout the day, as well as how effectively you’re able to focus and retain information, which are all key factors to doing well in any college class. For today’s blog post, I’m going to share some ways that I have maintained a healthy sleep schedule. 

Go to Bed and Wake Up at the Same Time Every Day 

One of the easiest ways to change your current sleep schedule into something better and healthier for you is to ensure that you’re going to sleep at the same time every night and waking up at the same time every morning. If you’re like me and you don’t like having a solid schedule, don’t worry! There are ways to do this without it feeling too restrictive. As long as you plan to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day, you can still plan to do things that you enjoy before or after that time. What is most important is that you’re consistent, so that your body can develop a routine. Make sure that you finish homework, studying, or other important things before your assigned bedtime. If you’re wondering how much time you should budget for sleep, that leads me to my next point! 

Get 7 to 9 Hours of Sleep Every Night 

College students, for the most part, get much less sleep than they need to. When you’re an adult, a healthy amount of sleep is between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, but how much you need can vary depending on a lot of different things. It might be beneficial to experiment just a little bit at first to see what amount within that two-hour span works and feels best for you. After doing so, you can budget that amount of time within your sleep schedule. Once you establish this routine, you’ll probably notice that you feel better and more energized! 

Improve Your Quality of Sleep 

Getting enough sleep is very important, but the overall quality of the sleep you’re getting is even more so. There are many things that you might be doing that could negatively impact how you’re sleeping without you even knowing it. Some things that you can be mindful of when it comes to improving your quality of sleep are ensuring that you’re avoiding caffeine or large meals before bedtime, as well as staying off of electronics as you’re getting ready to go to sleep. It also helps to avoid naps during the day and stay active so that it’s easier for you to fall asleep at night. Like I said before, there are many things that you could be doing to improve your overall sleep quality, so if you’re wanting to know more, do some research! Tips for better sleep are not hard to come by, especially on the internet.  

Takeaways 

I hope that you enjoyed this blog post, and that you feel inspired to change up your sleeping habits if you haven’t done so already. Even though it can seem tedious, crafting and maintaining a consistent and thought-out sleep schedule will only benefit you. If you’re still wanting to know more about what you can do to make sure you’re getting enough good quality sleep, there are some great resources on campus. Magers Health and Wellness Center is hosting an upcoming Wellness Wednesday event on March 29th that is focused on sleep. Be sure to check that out if you want more information!

Keep working hard, and as always, Go Bears! 

~Hallie  

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

Getting Crafty Eating Outside of the Dorm (Spring 2023 Week 4)

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Getting Crafty Eating Outside of the Dorm

Why do students want to explore options outside the dining hall?

Maybe you miss your family’s traditional comfort foods, maybe you’ve seen a shift in your gut health since at the start of the school year, or maybe you just really want to add to your list of recipes to try. Whatever the case might be, there are some great options to explore outside the dining halls.

Tips/ideas for getting crafty with what you have

Luckily Missouri State doesn’t leave us stranded, and we do have the student union that gives a handful of options for some of our favorite fast food chains. The Plaster Student Union offers a quick and convenient option for those of us that are on the go or those who are craving some fries and frozen custard. All dorms are also equipped with a community kitchen if you wish to try out some cooking of your own. One way to get crafty if you crave adventure is to utilize the gadgets the dining halls provide. Some of my favorites are the panini press machine, toaster, microwave, and the mini pancake maker. On Fridays when my friend and I didn’t have a class immediately following our trip to the dining hall, we would explore our abilities at the panini machine, and we began to call ourselves experts in the field. The small convenience stores on campus (located in the PSU, Hammons House, and Bear Park South) are all great resources if you are looking for a quick frozen meal to pop in the microwave for a night in. Missouri State is continuing to add services to our campus to provide alternative options, and I highly encourage everyone to try them out.

The benefit of friends

One way I have found to get the taste of homemade food I had long missed was by making friends with peers older than me. Through organization involvement, I have gained some amazing friends who have the resources to cook in the comfort of their homes. What I like to do is split the cost, or help clean while conversing with these friends. It is a great way to spend time together, and eat a good meal, and I always walk away having learned something new. Another option is to find a friend you can meal prep with. I personally haven’t done this, but I know others who enjoy cooking together and splitting the proportions to serve each other throughout the week. Next time you make plans with a friend who has a kitchen, maybe ask if they would like to cook together as an activity!

Couponing

The very last tip I have for getting crafty outside the walls of the dorm is couponing. Grocery shopping can be daunting as a college student especially when you are budgeting so going in with a few coupons helps guide you. I would pick out the free newspaper in the lobby of my dorm and cut out any coupons that appealed to me and my roommates, and we would use them throughout the week to add a change in routine while not spending too much to do so. Using this technique got me out of the dorm gave me experience shopping for food as a single person and not for a whole family, and gave me the responsibility I was longing for.

Conclusion

I would be lying if I said I don’t miss the dining hall at times. It truly is a convenience to walk down to the dining hall and have a meal ready especially now that I am in charge of feeding myself throughout the week. However, I was a freshman too, and I know that sometimes eating in the dining hall is the last thing you want to do and so I hope I’ve sparked some creativity through this post.

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well.” – Virginia Woolf

~Aubrey

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

How to Ensure a Holiday Break is a Break (Fall 2022 Week 16)

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How to Ensure a Holiday Break is a Break

Hello Missouri State! It wasn’t long ago that we were on Thanksgiving break and soon we will be on winter break. I encourage you to finish these last weeks of the semester strong and to stay motivated in your coursework. As we prepare for another break I wanted to share my advice on how to ensure a holiday break is a break. 

Adjusting to a New Routine

Whether you go home, stay on campus, or do something in between you’ll have to adjust to a new routine for a month. My biggest piece of advice is to give yourself time to figure out what works best for you. It will take a few days before you remember how to live with your parents or what to do with all your newfound free time. You could also find that you have a lot that you need to get done over break and finding time for it all quickly becomes overwhelming. Whatever your break looks like, give yourself grace as you figure out what your new normal may look like.

Productivity or Laziness

A big mind game I play with myself when I go home on a break is if I want to be productive or lazy with my time off and I always leave frustrated that I didn’t do the other. I’ve concluded though that either one is okay in moderation. As college students, breaks should be used to rest and refuel but the extra time can be used to our benefit to get things done. If you spend your whole break on the couch watching movies you may find that coming back to a busy semester is a real challenge. If you spend your break working you’ll enter the new semester restless and potentially anxious. I think it’s wise to make a plan of all the things you hope to accomplish while on the break with implemented times to rest. If you find yourself bored or lacking productivity check back in with your list of to-dos and check one off. This also works vice versa, if you are working long hours remind yourself that you’ve earned a break and do something mindless. 

Preparation for the Upcoming Semester

I’ve talked frequently about the next semester after winter break because it’s the next milestone. I’m constantly thinking about the next thing and when on break all I can think about is the upcoming semester but it’s also important to reflect on the previous. Benefits to reflecting include knowing what worked and what didn’t, your favorite memories, showing gratitude for your new community, and a check-in with your goals. After you finish reflecting, it’s wise to apply it to your upcoming semester. For example, if you found that you did not study well in your dorm room, make an adjustment to find a new space. Maybe you’ve decided you want to get more involved on campus and so you find an organization that you’re interested in. A good way to be held accountable for these adjustments is meeting with a peer mentor when you return from break. Letting your peer mentor know what your goals are for the upcoming semester will allow them to share resources and support along the way. Everyone’s semester looks different but anyone could benefit from a time of reflection and adjustment.

Take a Break

This is a piece of advice for myself just as much as anyone else. As college students, there is an underlying pressure to make money or to stay busy but we all need a break. We’ve all worked hard from August to now and our reward is the time off, what you do with that time is your choice. From my experience moderation of productivity and laziness with reflection time is the best way to spend a break. I hope you were able to take something away from my experience and that you remember to truly rest however that may look.


“Taking time to do nothing often brings everything into perspective.” – Doe Zantamata 

~Aubrey

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

Managing Homesickness (Fall 2022, Week 6)

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Welcome back to the blog everyone. It’s literally only been a week but who’s counting, certainly not me. This week I chose a topic that is really special to me and has become increasingly persistent in my life these past few weeks. If you have read the blog post before, I always list information about myself and my family at the end of each post. My family is a big part of my life because without them I wouldn’t have the motivation to continue my education or even want to learn new things. I’m extremely close to my family members and these past two weeks have been hard because my younger brother is turning eleven and my younger sister is having a hard time adapting to her new fourth-grade class.  

Drawing from these experiences, I’ve created a list of things that I do to manage my homesickness and keep myself grounded and looking forward to graduation.  

Managing Homesickness 

Call your family or friends 

It might be hard at first but keeping in contact with the people that you care about can really make you feel better. You shouldn’t cut yourself off from talking to others but make more of an effort to stay connected with everyone. You can start to feel more alone if you don’t put in the effort to maintain the relationships that you have. So, call, text, or even email your parents, siblings, or friends as much as you can.  

Do the things that make you happy  

College is no fun if you can’t continue to do the things that make you happy or smile. You can think about your family and care about what happens outside of class, but you have to prioritize yourself. I’m at my best when I’m able to express myself and do the things that I like.  

Let your emotions out  

It’s better to get your emotions out than to keep them in because at some point you’ll just explode. It’s okay to cry, scream into a pillow or journal about how you feel. You hurt yourself more emotionally and cause yourself stress when things remain pent up.  

Stay productive and busy  

Distracting yourself with your classes and even a job (if you have one) can help your mind not to wander. You chose to come to Missouri State for a reason so keeping your goals in mind can help you to stay grounded. You can eliminate stress and work in a way that gives you more time to do what you want or take naps.  

Give yourself something to look forward to  

It always helps to bring yourself some happiness whether that is your favorite food or some new clothes you ordered. This can be a form of reward for yourself and can keep your mood elevated as you go through the semester.  

Self-Care 

One of the best things to do from this list is self-care because you’re the one that’s experiencing homesickness. Self-care is all about keeping yourself healthy so you shouldn’t avoid it but welcome it into your routine. For example, take relaxing baths or even put on a face mask to end the night. Self-care can eliminate things like stress or depression while increasing happiness and improving your energy.  

Takeaways  

I realized after being a student for so long just how important it is for me to stay happy because the world doesn’t look the same when I’m not. I love my family and how they support me and want what’s best for me. The connections I have with my family and friends help me to be a better version of myself. Homesickness can come out of nowhere or just be at the forefront of your mind for weeks but doing things like this helps me to become more aware of myself and just how much I can handle in order to reach my goals. Being a big sister, daughter, cousin or friend is always going to bring some challenges, and managing homesickness is just one of those challenges.   

I’ll leave you with this quote by Jodi Picoult, Handle with Care:  

“MAYBE YOU HAD TO LEAVE IN ORDER TO REALLY MISS A PLACE; MAYBE YOU HAD TO TRAVEL TO FIGURE OUT HOW BELOVED YOUR STARTING POINT WAS.” 

~ 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 to Avoid Burnout (Spring 2022, Week 15)

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Tips to Avoid Burnout

The spring semester is coming close to its end, and if you are anything like me, you are tired. Let’s face it, being a college student is exhausting work. The result will be so fulfilling, and we will all be smiling bright with our accomplishments, but we must get there first. That means that taking care of your health must be a priority. Burnout is a syndrome caused by poorly managing persistent stress, and many college students struggle with it. Because it is so common and difficult to manage, I would like to provide you with a list of tips that I’ve discovered and utilized to avoid burning out (or recover from it).

 

1.      Take care of your physical health

Sometimes it can be easy to get distracted and start neglecting your physical health when you are busy with your classes, work, friends, and just life itself. It is a lot, and we may forget to care for ourselves physically. It is imperative that we make conscious efforts and take time to make sure our bodies can function at their best. I know you’ve heard it before, but it is true. Drink plenty of water, move your body in some way every day, and eat good meals. Make these seemingly simple things into habits that you take real time for.

2.      Take care of your emotional, mental, and spiritual self

I have found that people often overlook the importance of their emotional, mental, and spiritual health. These things are so important to us as human beings, and what is healthy can look different for each and every one of us. This means take time to sit with yourself, reflect on your values and goals, and what makes you happy and fulfilled. If you have spiritual or religious practices, make time to do that. If not, simply make time to reflect or do something you enjoy. Some of us struggle with our mental wellness, and it may be beneficial to seek out professional help in those situations. Whatever you need to do or get done, make sure that you feel okay doing it. You must take care of yourself first before you can do anything else.

3.      Spend quality time with friends and loved ones

It is so important to take breaks from studying and working. This goes along with the previous tip in caring for your emotional health, but it is important enough to have its own category. Spending quality time with the people you love can make the difference in burning out and thriving. Confide in your friends and family, they want to be there for you.

4.      Remember why you started

We are all here for a similar reason; we want to further our education. That said, we all have our specific and personal reasons for wanting to do that. Remember why you did. Take time to set goals and reflect on past ones. Think about the things you have accomplished so far and what you want to do in the future. How can you make that happen? What are you doing right now to make it happen? It is important to note that the previous tips should always come first. You cannot give what you do not have, so once you’ve taken care of your health you can think about these things.

5.      Seek help

If it has gotten to the point that you are already on the downhill side of burning out, there are always people out there to help you, you only need to ask for it. In the Center for Academic Success and Transition, we offer Peer Mentors and Success Coaches if the problem involves academics or transitioning to college. We are here to support you and want to make sure you have access to the right resources. If the issue you are having pertains to your mental or emotional health, reach out to Missouri State’s Counseling Center. You get eight free counseling sessions every semester, already paid for. If it’s about being a multicultural student and everything that goes along with that, you can contact Multicultural Services. If you are struggling with anything else, reach out to someone. That person can be someone from the university, a friend, or a family member. This is always someone out there who wants to help you.

Takeaways

Burnout is a real problem for college students, and sometimes it can be unavoidable. These tips are useful in an effort to try to avoid it, or as ways to recover. All you can do is your best. Try your best to take care of yourself, have empathy for your own struggles, and be gentle with yourself. You deserve to be here and to meet your goals. Help is there if and when you need it, you only have to ask. Thank you for reading, I will leave you with this quote from Banksy,

“If you get tired, learn to rest—not to quit.”

(Bio: My name is Georgia Grace Wright, a junior at MSU majoring in Communication Studies. I also have minors in both Creative Writing and Anthropology.)