A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Exploring Your Values (Fall 2023, Week 7)

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Exploring Your values

Hello, Missouri State, It is week seven and we are near the halfway point of the semester. Regardless of what year you are in college, I’m sure you’ve done a lot of growing as an individual. Each semester brings new challenges, community, and experiences; reflection is essential. Explicitly reflecting on the exploration of your values as a college student is what I want to write about this week. 

What are Values and Why are They Important?

Values are individual to you and are in place to motivate or direct you. They are important because they help you navigate the small and big decisions that college and life itself can throw your way. It is also important to note that values inform your thoughts, words, and actions, and taking the time to explore the values or values you desire to have is insightful. You may find after your reflection that something is more important to you than you gave it credit. 

How to Explore Your Values

Setting aside time to write, walk, or meditate on all that you do or all that makes you unique is a good first step to take. I have found that sitting down with someone and having them just listen to me is a helpful tool. This allows me to talk out everything and hear from an outsider what I seem to be the most passionate about or consumed by. The person I choose to ask looks different each time but I usually seek out a mentor one way or another because they tend to offer the best advice and listening skills. The Center for Academic Success and Transition Office is a great resource to utilize when looking for a mentor. Peer Mentors and Success Coaches help you navigate college and the challenges that you are presented with. After meeting with someone I would recommend reflecting on your own, documenting what you discovered. 

Takeaway

College is a transitional time for anyone and a lot of growing is done from the time you walk on campus to when you put on your cap and gown. The decisions you make now will impact your life beyond college so it is important to understand what is important to you. Values shouldn’t be something you feel you have to explore on your own, utilize your community to help direct you. Your community can help you see what it is that is important to you and hold you to it.

~Aubrey

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

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.)                                                                  

                                                            

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)