A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Advice for Move Out Day (Spring 2023, Week 14)

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Advice for Move-Out Day

Hello, Missouri State! It is week 14 and summer is right around the corner which for most students means move-out day is on the calendar. After moving out of the dorms last year I have some tips I’d like to recommend to others to ensure the process isn’t added-on stress during finals week.

Start Early

My first piece of advice is to start the move-out process sooner rather than later. If you are visiting home or you’ll have company from home visiting you before the end of the semester, make a pile of things that can be sent home so that you have less to pack. I find that taking home winter clothes or clothes you never wore and don’t see yourself wearing the remainder of the semester are the best things to pack first because it frees space in your room and you often won’t regret sending them home early. I personally like to wait until the last week to take home my decor because it’s what makes the room “mine” and when I take it down before I need to the room isn’t as comfortable to live in. But if seeing empty walls and desks doesn’t bother you, I advise taking these items home next. If you start early packing and moving the things you don’t need, the final move-out looks a lot less intimidating and creates an easier finals week. 

Keep, Donate, Trash

If you don’t have the option of starting early, one thing you can still do that will help ease the final week is to go through your space and create keep, donate, and trash piles. I like to start at my desk because it often holds the most items that can be thrown out or passed down. If you find that you have unopened school supplies or supplies in good condition, consider asking others around you if they could benefit from them. In the dorms, they will have bins in the lobby for any bed sheets, toiletry, and cleaning products students are able to donate. Any assignments or syllabi from the school year that you have collected can often be recycled. This method will also show you what you are keeping so that you can plan accordingly. For example, if you have accumulated several textbooks you plan to keep that you didn’t have when you moved in, it’s good to know this ahead of time before you start to pack.

Goodbyes

Once you’ve completed your packing and cleaning of the space, it’s time to say goodbye to your college community. I found this to be the hardest part of the move-out process because I had done life with these people all school year and wouldn’t see many of them again until the start of the next semester. One way I believe makes the process easier is making plans to connect over the summer. Several of my friends and I made sure to call each other during the break or see each other if possible. This helped when hugging goodbye because I knew that we had an agreement to keep in contact. Something I also reflected on was the beauty in hard goodbyes. 

 

Missouri State is here to support its students and moving out is not designed to create added on stress. If you feel that you need help or find yourself overwhelmed, a great resource to utilize is your Resident Assistant (RA). It is their job to offer you assistance and resources you may need during this time. I hope that your year was all that you hoped it to be and that this post helped you gear up for the break ahead of us.

 

“If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” – Rachel Wolchin 

~Aubrey

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

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) 

Personal Growth Tips and Tricks (Spring 2023, Week 10)

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These last few months I’ve been slowly taking everything in around me from my impending graduation to just figuring out what my life goals are. The last few years at Missouri State have been playing over and over in my head and I have been reliving my college career. I can honestly say that I have grown tremendously in all areas of my life since becoming a student at MSU. Personal growth is a big part of growing up and being a college student because you’re moving as an individual with more responsibility. For this blog post, I wanted to give you all some tips and tricks related to personal growth. Personal growth or personal investment can be attested to through any new skills you learned, changes in your attitude, or if you’ve improved your mental health. Personal growth lasts a lifetime and it’s beneficial to your relationships or just making yourself happier.  

Personal Growth Tips and Tricks

Experience new things and places

Personal growth is all about developing yourself in order to have a positive impact on life so why not take chances to experience new things and places. You get a chance to learn more about the world around you and what it has to offer. New things also bring a variety of challenges and learning about different perspectives.

Give this tip a try on campus: MSU is full of opportunities for personal growth! Check out a new organization, go to a campus event that’s new to you, and look for a service trip or activity you can join. 

Take a look at yourself and what you are capable of 

Use opportunities to learn about yourself, what you enjoy, and what you excel at, and look for ways to extend yourself. Avoid comparing yourself to others. You’re only in control of yourself so try to learn more about yourself and who exactly you are.

Here’s how you can practice this tip: you are your biggest motivator so make sure you are giving yourself the time, energy, and attention that you deserve. You can meditate, do some self-care or motivate yourself with positive affirmations in the morning.  

Accept your failures and mistakes  

Life is full of failures and mistakes no matter how small but accepting them and moving on shows how accepting of yourself you are. With this tip, you are allowing yourself to experience your emotions, come back stronger and lead yourself toward success.

Put this into practice at MSU: if you ever fail an exam or an assignment, use that opportunity to assess how you are studying. Check out ways to get support, such as the Bear CLAW or visiting your instructors during office hours. The Center for Academic Success and Transition (CAST) is a great organization that can help students with academic support and provides information about helpful student services; through CAST’s student academic assistance page, you can request to meet with a Success Coach or a Peer Mentor.

Evaluate your life 

You are ultimately taking the time to see where you are in life, and what you hope to accomplish or help identify areas of your life that need improvement. This enables you to identify your weaknesses and work to change them leading to a better version of yourself.

You can utilize this tip like this: take a little time each semester or throughout the year to think about your major and see if it’s still something you want to do, or if there might be a different major out there for you. You can take the opportunity to find any internships or other experiences that can help with your future.  

Takeaways  

I got a chance to experience life away from my family and looking back on where I started there were a lot of changes I went through on my own. I visited new places, accepted my bad decisions, and took time to learn about myself. The thing about college is that you aren’t always ready for the growth that comes with independence. You’re going to grow as a person whether it’s academically or with your self-confidence. I’m hoping that my tips and tricks can help you with your own personal growth or put you in a position to think about it more. Growth is only natural and with college added to the mix it’s inevitable.  

“Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” – Steve Maraboli 

~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.)  

 

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.) 

How to Guide to Campus Gadgets (Spring 2023, Week 7)

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How to Guide to Campus Gadgets

Hello, Missouri State! Recently as I walked on campus from work to class I passed by several Starship Technologies delivery robots. While they have been on our campus since September, this was the first day I noticed them. What caught my attention is that we have this resource, yet I have no idea how to use it. I asked several classmates and not only did they not know how to use the robots but they also made the comment that they were unsure how to use the Bird scooters. I then made it my mission to figure out both of the gadgets.

Starship Technologies 

The Starship robots deliver from all of our campus offerings of Einstein Bros. Bagels, Panda Express, Subway, and the Market Café 1905 (will be added soon). To order yourself a food or drink of your choice all you need to do is download the Starship Food Delivery app (iOS and Android). The service does work with the student meal plan dining dollars or you can pay through a personal account. Once you have the app downloaded you’ll be asked to “drop a pin” where you want the delivery to be sent. The app provides a map tracking how close your delivery is to making its way to you. Once your delivery arrives you’ll receive a notification through the app. Once you greet the robot you’ll be prompted to unlock and grab your delivery. An alternative use for the resource is the PSU pick-up. If you are headed to the PSU and want to skip the lines you can order on the app and pick up your order at the marked location.

As I learned more about the robots my curiosity grew and I found that they have technology that allows them to navigate obstacles, climb curbs, travel night and day, and they can even deliver in the rain and snow. This addition to our campus is a fun way to stay central to your location without skipping a meal. 

Bird Scooters

Like the robots mentioned above, you can access the scooters through an app. The app is called “Bird” and allows you to use scooters on and near campus. What I found to be the most helpful information when looking into this technology was the importance of not riding on sidewalks but using the bike lane when possible. Helmets and one rider per scooter are also expected regulations. When you finish using your scooter the process is pretty simple: leave the scooter at your stopping point (avoid blocking sidewalks, doorways, driveways, and all other right of ways) and take a picture. The Bird scooters do have a payment fee and the price increases the longer you ride. 

After understanding how these two additions to our campus work, I’m excited to try them. The two of these gadgets alone have made a fun atmosphere on our campus and I get excited now when I see both being used by students and staff.

“Technology is best when it brings people together.” – Matt Mullenweg

~Aubrey

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