Category: College Advice

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Finals Week at Grove City College

grove city college library

For me, the thought of my first finals week at the College was absolutely terrifying. I wanted to ace all my exams but had no idea how to manage all of the studying and retain any information. I have a few tips on how to relax and study well for your first finals week. Take a read if you are a freshman who is wary about your first finals week experience!

  1. Split up your studying time by class and when your final is.
  • For example, if you have two finals on Friday–one at 9:00am and one at 7:00pm–on Wednesday write out your study guides for both finals so you do not have to do that on Thursday. Then on Thursday (study day) you could spend your morning studying for your 9:00am final, take a lunch break, spend the afternoon continuing to study for your 9:00am final, review for your 9:00am, take a dinner break, begin studying for your 7:00pm final after dinner, take a break and review for your 9:00am final until midnight, then go to bed, wake up to review one last time and be confident taking your 9:00am final and use the rest of your day to review and study for 7:00pm final. There is no one right way to study. This is just one of my favorite and most effective ways of studying.
  1. Take small breaks to refresh, spend time with friends, and reenergize.
  • While I could give you many more study tips to be prepared for finals, I want to give you the most important tip when getting ready for finals: take breaks and rejuvenate. Studying for hours on end will result in nothing productive if you do not take breaks to relax and recoup. I have found that I am the least productive when I study for more than three or four hours without taking a break to go hang with friends or eat something. If I study for much longer than that without taking a break, my studying becomes useless because I do not retain anything, and I am not in a healthy headspace to continue studying well.

It is completely normal to be nervous about your first finals week at the Grove. But, with some tips from me, hopefully you can be a little bit more prepared and relaxed!

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Interning at a Mom and Pop Shop

As a Business major, I used to think that the best thing that you could put on your resume is that you interned at a large corporate company. I believe that many college students think that that they need to work at a big company in order to gain quality experience. However, I interned at a small mom and pop shop this summer and I gained wonderful experience and learned many new skills.

The name of the company that I interned at is called At Home Senior Services and it is a non-medical home health care company located in Pittsburgh. It is owned by a husband and a wife, so I really appreciated the closeness of the relationships that I made within the internship. Since I interned at a small company, I was able to express my ideas because they were very open to new ideas. The job was flexible, and I got to test out a lot of different ideas. I loved that I was not given a “to-do list” each day. Instead, I was able to brainstorm my own ideas for marketing the company to both clients and caregivers.

Interning at a small company allows you to be creative, and you also are given one-on-one advice and training from the bosses. Not only did I learn many different marketing skills and ideas, but also I was able to spend a lot of time talking to my boss. This allowed me to gain first-hand business experience from a businessman himself. Overall, I was very pleased with my internship this summer, and it helped me to learn that I would work much better in a smaller, private business than in a corporate setting. I would not have known that if I did not intern. Interning allows you to discover what you like and what you do not like, so that you can get a better idea of what path you want to take after college.

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Transitions: Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of the “Transitions” series! Transitions can be difficult, but I want to continue to ease your mind about a few of them.

  1. Transition to leaving family.

One of the most difficult things for people going to college is moving away from family. This is completely understandable seeing as you will have lived with your family for your entire life. Something to acknowledge when you come to college is that yes, it will be weird at first sharing a bathroom with 20-30 other people and not having your mom around to help do your laundry or cook for you. But, going to college is such a beautiful first run at being independent from your family and making big, daily decisions for yourself and by yourself. Also, you will have plenty of breaks to go home and visit your family if you live far away. If you live close, you can go home on the weekends to catch up and reenergize for the week ahead! You can do it. Missing family is so normal. Lean on your peers who are also missing their family and in the same transition with you and they will become your family.

  1. Transition to being autonomous.

As mentioned above, you are most likely moving out of your family home and pretty excited about going to college to become independent. Of course, there are some responsibilities that only come post-graduation, but for the most part, college is the first time you will be independent from your family unit. It is truly so exciting coming to Grove City and making decisions for yourself without having to consult your parents or anyone really except yourself. You can decide what you do when, what you eat when, how late you stay up or wake up in the morning, if you work out or not, and a whole lot more. College is a great space to learn the ropes of being independent while in the safe confines of a phenomenal school like Grove City College.

College is one of the biggest transitions you will ever make in your life–moving away from family into a dorm, new classes, new experiences, etc. It can all be terrifying from an outside perspective, but when you break it down day by day, moment by moment, you will soon learn to thrive at Grove City College.

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Transitions: Part 1

Grove City College

College is one of the biggest transitions a person will make, aside from getting a full-time job post-graduation. These four years are full of newness and change and excitement and anxiety all wrapped in one. Transitions can be difficult, but I want to ease your mind about a few of them.

  1. Transition to dorm life.
  • Going from having your own space at home to living with approximately 20-30 people on the same hall can be daunting. It can also be slightly annoying to have this newfound recognition that you now have to be careful with your stuff and make sure people know it is yours. Let me tell you though, dorm life is kind of scary at first, but turns into the coolest thing ever fairly soon after move-in. Once you realize that you are living with your closest friends and do not have to drive anywhere to hang out with them, you will quickly learn to love it. Also, the dorms provide ample opportunity to share things with your friends (i.e. clothes, shoes, video games, hats, etc.). You basically shop for free in your friends’ closets and rooms, with their permission of course.
  1. Transition to college classes.
  • I talked about this in a previous blog, but the transition to college classes can be really scary. It is easy to come into college thinking that college classes will be significantly harder than the ones you took in high school. I am here to tell you that you will be just fine. Yes, Grove City is academically rigorous. That is definite. However, you learned how to study and work hard in high school and that is no different here. You will be fine. The Grove is well-known for being difficult but take it from me, you work hard, study hard, and learn so much from your classes here. And, if you need any help with your classes, the College has a free tutoring service offered to each student who attends Grove City College. Please take advantage of that, many students tutor other students, so it is a great way to not only learn but also meet new people!

College is one of the biggest transitions you will ever make in your life–moving away from family into a dorm, new classes, new experiences, etc. It can all be terrifying from an outside perspective, but when you break it down day by day, moment by moment, you will soon learn to thrive at Grove City College.

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Working Part-Time and Being a Full-Time Student

Coming to college as a freshman, most would never think of getting a job while being a full-time student. I realized, however, that it is indeed possible to be a full-time student as well as a part-time employee to make extra money as well as gain experience.

I interned with a company called FCB Health, NY this last summer as the editorial intern. After a summer working remotely for the healthcare network, I accepted a freelance editor position with FCB beginning September 1st, 2020. While school is super important, it is also important to be proactive about finding a job for post-graduation. I kept in contact with my supervisor from the network and landed a job for the next year prior to graduation. The primary point is, even if you are a freshman, it could be beneficial to get a part-time job during the semester career related or not. It could be beneficial for a couple of different reasons. One, you will make some money to help with the cost of books or whatever else you would like. Two, you can learn the value of hard work before starting your career.

The most valuable thing I learned from working part-time while being a full-time student is first, the importance of prioritizing finding a career while at Grove City. Your academics are equally as important during your four years at the College, but that does not mean you should not also focus on getting a jump start on finding an internship or part-time job. It does not matter if you’re a freshman or a senior, it is never to early to make connections and gain experience while also being a student. Secondly, I learned that everything would work out how it is supposed to. If you get a job during school, you will be okay and able to make it work. But if you don’t, you will also be okay. All in all, during your time at the Grove, if you can start building connections with people in the work industry, do it. It will only be beneficial to you in the long run and there is time. Do not let anyone tell you that you are only a freshman, and this does not apply to you. It is never too early to start networking and getting yourself out there.

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The Importance of Faith

Faith is something that most assume when coming to Grove City College is all around you in everything you see and do. Now, faith is a deeply integrated part of the Grove City community. But with that said, it is easy to let your personal faith slip because you assume with chapel and Bible studies that you are covered. As a senior, I can personally attest to the fact that your faith and relationship with Christ can easily fall to the back burner if you are not actively and daily pursuing The Lord. There have been times when I got to the end of a semester and realized I had not spent a single day with Jesus in quiet time or prayer. This affected the health of my spiritual, emotional, and physical life in ways you cannot imagine.

I have found that the only thing that brings me peace when I am stressed, overwhelmed, or anxious is spending time with Jesus every single day. As a senior this year, I took a look back on the last three years of my college career and how I felt when I was spending consistent time in the word versus when I was not. I do not mean to say this in a condemning way–as if you are a bad person if you do not spend time with Jesus every day. NO. Not at all. I am saying that, in my opinion, if you want a beautiful, healthy, life-fulfilling experience during your time at Grove City College, fix your mind on Jesus and His word as much as possible.

I have found that starting my day by reading one or two chapters of the Bible and writing out a prayer for my day has been the best way to start said day. With that being said, you ultimately have to do what is right for you. And your time with Jesus can look different every day, it does not have to be the same thing over and over again. Spending time with Jesus is spending time with Jesus.

As I write this post, I pray that your time at the College is full of joy, beauty, community, and faith. Faith in the unseen. Faith in the God who created you and has walked the path before you. The God who has won all of your battles, so you do not have to. When you come to college, keep your faith for He is with you.

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How a Student Athlete Manages

Gretchen Elsey, a senior Exercise Science major from Pulaski, PA, is a dual sport athlete here at Grove City College. She is a shooting guard for the women’s basketball team, along with competing in the high jump for the track and field team.

As Grove City College is an academically challenging school, I asked her how she balances her school work while being a collegiate athlete. She responded, “The best way for me to balance my work is by working ahead as best I can. I also look ahead in all my syllabi in the beginning of the week, so I have an idea of what needs to be done. Also, playing a sport in general really helps me prioritize not only my time, but what I do outside of my schoolwork. It really is about being diligent in your work. If you are diligent and finish your work on time, then you will be able to do other things.”

Gretchen also mentioned that the basketball team offers a study table on Monday nights. This is required for freshmen players to attend, and lasts for two and a half hours. “Some upperclassmen go to study table because while we get our work done, it is a good time to bond with the freshmen,” she said. Even though I do not play a sport here on campus myself, I would agree with Gretchen that the best way to stay on top of your studies is by setting enough time aside to accomplish what you can, along with working ahead in any way possible.

I also asked Gretchen if she feels like she missed out on some college experiences since she plays two sports. She responded, “I do miss out on some social aspects in a sense. Like if some of my friends are meeting in the Student Union, or if people are going off campus to hang out for a little bit. But other than that, not really because all my friends are on the basketball team, so I see them every day and during the season we spend an absurd amount of time together.” Gretchen also told me that her closest friends have come from the basketball team: “Without basketball I do not know if I would’ve met them. They are some of my closest friends and for sure will be there for me even after college.” Although it can be super fun to play sports at the collegiate level, you can give up most of your weekends to games, long tournaments, or practices.

To conclude the interview, I asked if there is any advice she would give to incoming freshmen and students interested in playing sports. Gretchen said, “I would just say why not? You have four years of school so might as well spend some of that time playing a sport you love. You also have a great opportunity to meet a lot of new people, so I definitely think it is worth it.”

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Things I Wish I Knew as a Freshman: Part 2

Welcome to part 2 of the “Things I Wish I Knew as a Freshman” series! If you have not read the first post, be sure to check it out for more tips. Here, I will be focusing on two more pieces of information I wish I knew as a freshman.

  1. Take time in your day, each day, to do something for you. Do not be worried about what anyone else thinks. If it is relaxing to you, do it.
  • I came into college worried about what others would think of me. I was also stressed out of my mind freshman year, so I truly cherished the moments I took for myself to relax. Even if it is just once a week if you feel too busy, take a break. Over the years, I have found that the things that relax me are going home on the weekends to visit my family, napping, watching New Girl on Netflix, or listening to music. Now, many people gave me a hard time about going home so often to see my family and for a while that really bothered me. But as I continued my time at the College, I learned that going home on the weekends brings me extreme peace, so I am going to continue to do so regardless of what people think. And I did that because I needed to recoup and be ready for the week to come. I wanted to share this tip with you, prospective student, because I want you to feel the freedom to do whatever you need to do to relax as you begin your college career.
  1. Be present. You never know when your time at the College will come to an end.
  • As a senior at the College, I have a newfound appreciation for being present during your time at Grove City. I know you will hear this from a ton of different people, but you will blink and be a senior before you know it. Or, you could be sent home from school due to a global pandemic and lose an entire semester. But that is a different story. That being said, please take it from me, a person who was not fully present the first couple years of my college career, wishing to go home sometimes, being so excited for Christmas break, etc. Be present. You only have four years to live with your closest friends and make beautiful and fun memories. Do not miss it.
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Things I Wish I Knew as a Freshman: Part 1

Are you or have you ever been nervous about going to college? Me too. And so has pretty much every other person to ever attend college. With that being said, here are some pieces of advice to hopefully ease some of your nerves.

  1. You WILL succeed in your classes if you put in the effort. They are not as impossible as they seem. You learned how to study and work in high school, you will be fine.
  • One of the things I was most nervous about when coming to college was the workload and the classes. I always heard that college was significantly more difficult than high school and that I would get a rude awakening. While Grove City has rigorous academics, the classes and workload are doable. I was so scared coming to college thinking that I would not have a social life or that I would not do well academically. Let me reassure you as a senior at the College, if you put in the work you will figure out how to best study for you and get the work done without working yourself crazy. You CAN do it!
  1. The professors are here to help you, not to scare you or fail you.
  • In high school, I remember my teachers telling me that my college professors would not be lenient with me (i.e. no late homework, schedule was hard set, no extra credit, no conversations when extenuating circumstances arose, etc.). This terrified me for college. But I can assure you that I have not had a single professor at Grove City who has not worked with me when conflicts arose for either class or an assignment. Every professor I have had at the College has always been the most understanding when I have reasonable excuses or a difficult situation that requires an extension or simply the professor to work with me individually.
  1. It is okay not to find your lifelong best friends your freshman year. You will find close friends.
  • When I first moved into my freshman dorm, there was this weird underlying pressure to find your best friends the moment you got to school. It was like if you did not find your best friends within the first month of school you were somehow never going to find them. I am proof that this notion is simply not true. Yes, for some, freshman friends or roommates do become the best of friends. And that is awesome! However, I did not find my closest friends or friend circle freshman year. I found it sophomore year with my roommate who I have now lived with for three out of the four years I have been at Grove City. Also, I found my group of close friends sophomore year when I joined a sorority on campus. My point is, it is okay if you do not end up being best friends with your freshman year roommate. You will find your group and you will find your close friends.
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Making the Most of your College Career: Interning Early

The internship has taken the place of the entry-level job in today’s job market. It is more important now than ever before to gain this valuable experience on your resume. Most students believe that they are unqualified to perform an internship until their junior or senior year, but there are many great opportunities for younger students to get started early in their college career!

Internships are very competitive and waiting to apply later might be a mistake. Even though the more desirable internships might be earned by upperclassmen, you should take advantage of other opportunities. At a recent networking event on campus, an employer was asked, “What do you look for on the resume of the perfect applicant?” The response was, “First, I look at the student’s GPA, and second, I look for previous internship experience.” Accepting a modest internship during your sophomore year is probably the best thing you can do to prepare yourself for the internships that you truly desire in your years to come.

Some great opportunities exist in sales, non-profit, and management. These might not be positions that you are looking for, but they are excellent ways for you to gain real professional work experience. This will separate you from the rest when it comes time to apply for the next big opportunity.

What should you do when you start applying for internships junior or senior year? You should network with students and alumni and get your LinkedIn profile ready early because this is important. I would reach out to family and friends to see if you can use your personal connections. Informational interviews are a great way to meet new people and gain some information – additionally, there are many alumni that would be more than happy to talk with you about their profession. When it comes time to find your full-time job, the last thing you want to do is settle. It is important to intern early and make the most of your experience!