Hello everyone, my name is Hailie Lewis and I am currently a junior here at Missouri Western! I am a nursing major, and I look forward to starting my first semester of nursing school this fall! I am going to give you the inside scoop on how to survive something that plagues many new incoming students: HOMESICKNESS.Ìý

I always knew that after high school I would be attending college once I graduated, but the actual act of going to college always frightened me so much! I am a first-generation college student so I knew absolutely nothing about college. On top of that, I was one of three people from my high school that attended MWSU, so I also didn’t know anyone or anything in St. Joseph. I dreaded going to college because all I could think about was how difficult of a transition it would be for me.

When move-in day came I had already cried a couple of times before we even made it to check-in at the residence halls. Long story short after I got settled, my family left and I was a MESS. I called my mom that night, crying again, and she told me it was time for me to jump out of the nest, and I could choose whether I would fall or fly. So on the second day of Griffon Edge, I took my mom’s advice and started talking to more people in my group. AND BOY I am SO GLAD that I did! I met two girls that day, they soon became some of my first and best friends that I have ever made in college. And it turns out they were just as nervous as I was about it all! During the first couple of weeks, us three went to most events that MWSU held because we all wanted to get involved on campus. Eventually, we decided to go through Panhellenic Recruitment together, where we ended up going to three different sororities. Even though we went in different ways, we still had almost daily coffee dates at Starbucks and study sessions in the library.

Eventually, I started to stop feeling homesick all together, getting involved on campus played a big part in that. To this day I thank those two girls for SO MUCH, without them I feel like things at MWSU would’ve gone much differently for me. All together my biggest piece of advice to those who are worried about leaving home is to just take the leap of faith. You are going to feel so uncomfortable at first, but those are the environments that you grow in! And nine times out of ten, your peers feel the same way, so yes, it may feel mildly uncomfortable reaching out to new people, but those few hours of discomfort can lead to years of happiness with the group you found because of it.

Hello everyone, my name is Caroline Langley and I am a Senior here at Missouri Western. My major is Biology with a concentration in Health Science and a Minor in Chemistry. I hope my tips will not only help you but affirm that you made that right choice by choosing to attend Missouri Western. Throughout your years at Missouri Western you will learn so many new things; how to do your laundry, how to go to class and be a good student, and lastly how to be successful. Here are some of the top tips that I wish I would have known before starting and throughout my freshman year.Ìý

• Tip Number 1, professors don’t bite. I am sure that you have seen movies or tv shows that showcase professors that are unbearable. Trust me that is so far from the truth, professors are willing to help you in so many ways! In addition, something that is nice about Missouri Western is that with the small student to faculty ratio you are a name and not a number. So the gist to tip 1 is don’t be afraid to talk to you professors, you never know how much help they will be until you try!  
• Tip Number 2, get involved on campus. I cannot say this enough, students that get involved have a better college experience. Believe me, I am not saying that you have to go out and join everyone club on campus, unless you want to;  however, by joining various extracurricular activities you not only are going to become more comfortable with the St. Joseph community but you will also get to know new individuals.Ìý
• Tip Number 3, go to class! This might seem like a self- explanatory statement but trust me when you get to college and don’t have someone waking you up in the morning it can become difficult to wake up easily. I totally understand how easy it is to stay up and watch Netflix, Hulu, or play video games into the early morning hours; but believe me some classes are harder than others and require many hours of studying.Ìý
• Tip Number 4, hit up all the free events on campus. If you need some awesome Griffon apparel go to the numerous events that are around campus. Usually you can get free t-shirts, pens, pencils, ramen noodles, etc. One thing that you will learn in college is that every little bit counts, therefore by attending these events you not only get free things on campus but most of them also give you the opportunity to meet new people and talk to potential employers.Ìý
• Finally tip Number 5, enjoy college. I feel like it was just yesterday when I started at Missouri Western, and now I am almost about to start my senior year. During your college years you will make so many new memories and will seek for adventures daily. My advice to you is to live every day like it was your last. Missouri Western is an awesome place and will set you up for so many amazing opportunities after you graduate.