A Bear's Life: Student Stories

Student stories from our peer counselors

Planning for Success During Finals Week (Spring 2024, Week 16)

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Welcome back to another blog, Missouri State Bears! This week marks the last week of the spring semester with finals following. Each semester has looked different for me depending on my final schedule and I have found that to be true for other students as well. In this blog, I wanted to discuss what a finals week can look like and ideas to implement throughout the week. 

 

Start of the Week

At the start of the week, I would advise all students to create a schedule of finals, studying times, planned breaks, and other activities. Having a plan at the start of the week will hold you accountable and keep you on track to success. All professors will communicate when the class final or project is due and this will help create a timeline of what courses will need to be prioritized before others. Once you have an agenda of when finals will be tested and when projects and papers are due you can create a study schedule and implement brain breaks. I have found this to be an extremely helpful practice because you can ensure that you study in even increments of time and take fair amounts of breaks. 

 

Middle of the Week

At midweek you may have already taken a final or you may be on your last day of preparation before heading into one. If you have already taken one or many, pat yourself on the back and take a moment to reflect. Reflecting on all of your hard work and what you took away from the course will aid you in your next endeavors. If you are still preparing for finals that take place at the end of the week, remember to look back at your schedule of studying. Looking back at what you wrote at the start of the week will allow you to see if you have stayed on track with what you planned to achieve by this point. 

 

End of the Week

You made it! You completed a semester of hard work that you should be proud of and celebrate. I hope that everyone has great success during finals week, but I also know that finals week can be a hard week with final grades being determined. Regardless of your results at the end of the semester, if you feel that you would benefit from meeting with someone to discuss your options, joys, or concerns you should consider the Center for Academic Succes and Transition. Success Coaches and Peer Mentors are available to meet with students through request or drop-in hours. (Drop-in hours change every semester; see the Student Academic Assistance page for this semester’s hours.) Come by and see us in Meyer Library 116 if you need help or have a question!  

 

Takeaways 

If preparation is completed beforehand, finals week does not have to be a week to be afraid of. Before next week, write out all of your end-of-semester requirements and deadlines, plan study times, and plan brain breaks. Stay strong throughout the week utilizing the resources offered at Missouri State University including meeting with a Success Coach or Peer Mentor. Good luck!

 

~Aubrey

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

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.) 

A Week in My Life (Spring 2022, Week 9)

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A Week in My Life at Missouri State University

Hello everyone, happy Women’s History Month! I hope you all had a brilliant Spring Break. This week, I want to share a bit of what my life is like here at MSU. Life at Missouri State looks a little bit different for each student depending on a number of factors. So, I thought it would be nice for our readers to get a little insight into what it’s like for me to be a Communication student at Missouri State for a whole week.

Monday

Mondays are my busiest days. After waking up to my alarm, I get dressed and ready to go out for breakfast with my roommates. Breakfast is quite convenient to grab with friends when you live in a residence hall. After that, I grab my bag from my room and head to my first class at 10:10 AM. I am in my communication classes until 12:05 PM, so afterward it is time for lunch! What I have for lunch really depends on my mood, but it’s usually something simple that I can make in my dorm. My last class is at 2:00 PM, so I relax until then. Once that class is finished, it’s time to go to my counseling session. I use Missouri State’s eight free sessions at the Counseling Center, which I highly recommend. By the time I’m finished with my session, it’s time to head to the dining hall with my friends for dinner. After dinner, I spend time relaxing, watching TV with my roommates, or doing some homework.

Tuesday

Tuesdays are less hectic for me, though that does not mean I am not busy! Breakfast is the same every day for me, but on Tuesdays I go into work at the Center for Academic Success and Transition as a Peer Mentor from 11 AM – 1 PM. After work, I like to grab lunch at Einstein’s over in Glass Hall and sit down to do some homework. Homework for a COM student who is also studying Creative Writing as a minor means a lot of reading and writing. I nearly always have a paper or poem to write and edit, or research to do so I like to sit in Glass Hall to work on it. Finally, I have a night class on Tuesdays at 4 PM and I grab dinner at the dining hall afterward.

Wednesday

My Wednesday is nearly identical to my Monday! I have all the same classes, but no counseling session, which is only on Mondays. The only other difference is that I have dinner with only my best friend because our other friends are attending their night classes.

Thursday

Thursdays are fairly chill for me. Similar to Tuesday, I head into work at the CAST office for a few hours. I don’t have any classes on Thursdays, so I spend it reading for the next week. Despite not having classes, Thursdays are probably my most productive days. I sit and try to finish everything that needs to be done by Sunday, and then get prepared for the next week so that I can have a relaxing weekend.

Friday

I, like most people, love Fridays! I only have two classes, both in the morning. This means that I am done for the day by 12:05 PM. All I need to do afterwards are the things that I did not manage to finish the day before. After my work is done, I get to unwind from a long week and focus on taking time for myself.

Weekend

My weekends are reserved for spending quality time with my friends, doing laundry, and grocery shopping. I do all my grocery shopping with my friends, and we even pick up stuff to go down to the community kitchen in our residence hall and cook our “family dinners” at least once a week. I highly recommend this practice! It’s super fun and you get yummy food. Other than that, I like to spend time doing some self-care on Sundays in order to prep myself for the week to come.

Takeaways

While I am studying Communication here at MSU, I think my weekly life is applicable for the average student at MSU, regardless of major. The most important thing you should take from this is that while it is so important to apply yourself and work hard, it is also vital to set time to relax. Work hard when you need to, but be sure to take breaks! This is just a general overview of a typical week in my life, but things aren’t always this smooth. Some weeks are harder than others, and there are rough times, like we all have. Scheduling time to relax and unwind during the good times will make you better prepared to deal with the stress when it comes.

Thank you, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading! I will leave you with a quote from Tina Turner,

“You must love and care for yourself because that’s when the best comes out.”

 

(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.)

The Daily Life of an Online Student (Fall 2021, Week 9)

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Hello Bears,

We are rolling into week nine after the chaos that was week eight, at least for me. I hope your semester at Missouri State is going well and that you are excited about what’s to come.

Due to the pandemic, I have been an online student these last few semesters and I’ve been actively figuring out how I operate during the day and with each individual class that I’m taking. I’ve discovered that being online and being on campus are two entirely different experiences. For this blog post, I thought I would give you a look at my daily life as an online student. Hopefully, you find my daily life to be a little interesting — I know I do.

The Daily Life of an Online Student (Me!!)

7 a.m. – 8 a.m.

I wake up for the day around 7:30 or 7:45 a.m. I like to help my mom in the morning with getting my little brother and sister ready for school. I often go along for drop off so I can spend a little time with them before seeing them off.

8 a.m. – 10 a.m.

After dropping off my siblings, my mom and I spend some time talking about the day or things that have been going on. While we are in the car, I usually make phone calls or schedule meetings, such as with my advisor.

10 a.m. – noon

My mom and I make a couple stops on the way home; it’s easier to get in and out when it’s just the two of us. We typically get groceries, shop for clothes and just eyeball shops to see what they are offering. We may eat breakfast out or get something to have at home. I spend most of my mornings with my mom and my sister because we don’t usually have any other time free.

Noon – 1 p.m.

This is the time when I typically have my meetings, plan which assignments I’m going to do for the week and handle emails or things that I need to do for my job. I work as a peer mentor for the Center of Academic Success and Transition, so I could be drafting a blog post, filling out my timesheet or checking in with students. I’ve found that my afternoons have become the most chaotic for me as an online student, so the more organized I can be, the better.

1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

During this time, I’ll work on my assignments. I could be taking notes, reading, typing up a discussion board or even taking a quiz. I start with the assignments that are a priority; otherwise, I might forget about an assignment or think that I have done it already. At some point I’ll also get a snack and take a break from sitting at my desk.

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

I try to have lunch at this time so I can take my eyes off my laptop and catch up on some tv shows. (I’ve learned that if I don’t have a set time for lunch, I will sit at my desk all day.) If I’m not in the mood to eat or if I finish early, I might take a nap.

5 p.m. – 7 p.m. 

These next few hours, I help my mom with my siblings again, especially with my younger brother and his fourth-grade homework. My mom and I will also see my dad off to work.

7 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Unless I have an assignment that I couldn’t get to or that’s due at midnight, I usually spend this time with my siblings. We’ll watch a movie or play games like Uno or Roblox.

8 p.m. – 9 p.m.

I eat dinner, take a hot shower and spend some time reading. Nights are when I take the most time for myself and attempt to unwind from any stress from the day. I like to read, so you can catch me reading a mystery book, my Bible or a textbook for class so that I’m ahead in the reading.

9 p.m. – 11 p.m.

I could be doing anything but typically I’m getting some clothes washed and cleaning the disaster that is my room. With online classes, I have to keep everything orderly so that I can keep up with all my classes and all the papers that I need. I do sometimes work on assignments at night, if something is due or if I want to work ahead.

11 p.m. – midnight

I should be asleep and on my way to dreamland or watching some television to help me get there.

Takeaways for the Week

Everyone has their own daily routines. Take some time to think about how you operate throughout the week because it can help you in the long run. Taking notes on what you do during the day can help you figure out when you are the most productive and what you need to do to get your work done.

See you next post! There are some interesting topics coming up.

~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.)

Spring 2021 Week 11 – Michael

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A Week in the Life of a Cell and Molecular Biology Major

At some point in college all of us will come around and find out what major we fall into. Usually our choice lines up with our end career goal or a research interest that we want to study one day. But have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a different major for a day? Well, luckily today I am going to share what it’s like to be a Cell and Molecular Biology (CMB) major!

Whenever I tell people that I am a CMB major, they usually cringe and tell me it’s too much science for them. Little do they know that’s the best part! Because of all the science we do in our major, every class we take is always something a little bit different. This semester I have four different classes: Molecular Cell Biology (BMS 521), Peer Instruction in Biomedical Sciences (BMS 490), Introduction to Physics II (PHY 124) and Abnormal Psychology (PSY 304).

In BMS 521, we learn about the small processes and cell functions that make life possible. For me and other students who are planning on going into a medical field, it is important to understand the little complexities of the human body. BMS 521 also has a lab attached to it. This year we have a semester-long experiment revolving around a desensitization pathway in our cells. This requires us to be in and out of the lab many times throughout the week, culturing cells, making solution calculations and observing changes in our cells that lead to a better understanding of what we are trying to study.

BMS 490 is a class that gives undergraduate students a view into the life of a professor and shows us ways that we can help teach students. In my case, I work with a professor in her BMS 321 (Biomolecular Interactions) lab. Throughout the week, I do lab prep, zoom meetings with the students and help facilitate labs that the students do during the semester. Along with this, I meet with the other students in BMS 490 once a week to talk about teaching strategies and how we can use our own past experiences to make a better learning experience for students taking the labs. This course really does give a great opportunity to step up and do something for the students following in our footsteps, while also reinforcing our own knowledge and interest in our field.

Although I am a CMB major, I also have the opportunity to dive into some other fields of science. In the case of Physics 2, we get to learn things about electromagnetic fields and magnetism. Believe it or not, learning physics can teach us a lot about medical machinery and even some cell processes driven by physics concepts. Who would’ve guessed!

My last course this semester is Abnormal Psychology. This class is very interesting, and I know many people agree with me. As the name describes, we learn about people who face psychological disorders that cause distress in their lives and how those people can find help. I get a lot out of this course because it gives me another way to understand people and be able to help them in any way they need!

It is true that my week consists of a lot of reading and lab work that is required to be successful as a CMB major. In some people’s eyes, this may seem horrible and hard to keep up with, but I wouldn’t have it any other way! Every day I go to class or the lab I learn more and more about how the world and the human body works. In the end, I hope to be a genetic counselor and use all the knowledge from my classes to help people one day! In my opinion, as long as you love what you’re doing, you can never go wrong!

(Bio: My name Is Michael Rexroad, a transfer student from Metropolitan Community College in Kansas City. I am a junior currently studying cell and molecular biology with a minor in chemistry.)