Category: Inside Student Life

We’ve all had that super long week, where the majority of your time is spent studying. Whether its finals, or you are just hit with five exams, two quizzes, and a 20-page paper in a single week. Some weeks you just may not leave the library. However, during weeks like these, it is absolutely necessary to take study breaks to recharge and refocus. After doing this for four years, I have found some pretty creative and refreshing study breaks. Let me share five ideas with you.

1. Have dinner with a friend – This may sound super simple, and also like something you do every day, but it is all about the friend you choose to have dinner with. We all have that friend who is super refreshing, encouraging, and brings a little extra joy to your life. I encourage you to schedule dinner with this friend during you most stressful weeks. No doubt you will leave refreshed and ready to get back to studying. It always helps to have a little bit of encouragement.
2. Spend the morning in prayer – I have found, during my most stressful weeks, when I wake up a little earlier to spend some time praying while I drink my coffee, my time seems to be multiplied and I handle my stress much better. Waking up early to pray and read your Bible may be the last thing on your mind when you stayed up until two the night before to finish studying for an exam, but I encourage you to try it and see how it completely changes your day and week.
3. Call your parents – Both my parents had slightly different ways of helping me handle stress. Both were loving, however one parent kept pushing me and one was more of a comforter. Because I was raised with my parents helping me manage my stress this way, whenever I call home to tell them I’m stressed, they always know exactly what to say to motivate me to keep going. Both styles work very well with me – they are my life long parents after all – and they always give me the little push I need to keep going.
4. Know when enough is enough – So its 2 in the morning. Your exam is at 9. You’ve been studying for the past four days straight. Enough is enough. It is time to go to bed, and get some sleep before the exam. Plus, during your really busy weeks you’re probably going to need energy for the next paper, quiz, or exam.
5. Order a pizza – This is one of my all time favorite study breaks! Not only does it give you the opportunity to talk with a couple friends to coordinate your pizza order, but who doesn’t love a good pizza while they are getting some studying done! Everyone knows its nearly impossible to study while hungry, so order the pizza.

Freshmen entering their first year of college have quite a few adjustments they encounter. Adapting to the close quarters of dorm lifestyle living where they are surrounded by other people 24/7, realizing exactly what a rigorous academic standard means, and trying to reach their own high expectations can be overwhelming. A helping hand in the form of a Resident Assistant (RA) can be the support overwhelmed freshman students need.

An RA is part comforter, advisor, supporter, friend, and even enforcer to all students living on their hall. They are required to enforce the rules and guidelines set by Grove City College so that the students are not abusing their freedom and rights of others while living on campus. Needless to say, the job of an RA is not an “easy,” but rather a full-time investment of time and attention. RAs are required to have at least three to four programs they provide for their students to build hall unity. Another example of their hard work is the requirement to cover shifts throughout the week or weekend where they have to patrol the halls and inspect bathrooms and lounges – a job most college students probably prefer not to do on a Saturday night.

Despite the hard work and responsibilities that are affiliated with being a RA and the rigorous hours that pile on top of being a full-time college student, the impact they have on the students who live on their hall and the investment they make in the lives of others make it all the more worth it. Being a RA provides a unique opportunity where he or she can witness the growth of students from the uncertain and emotional freshmen entering the start of the school year, watch them adapt, grow, and persevere through two semesters, and then realize the maturation by the school year’s end.

Certainly, Freshman RAs see this on a more emphasized spectrum because they see the new freshmen, who have not adapted to college life as sophomore or junior GCC students, start off timid and then grow into themselves. The amount of effort and energy that is required of a freshman RA is much higher than compared to other RAs simply because freshmen residents are going to be going to their RAs room all times of the day and night asking questions like, “Where do I print my eight-page paper for Bib Rev?” or “What do I wear for Fitwell?” while upper classmen already know the answers. Freshman RAs need to be sacrificial with their time because they will have their freshmen residents knocking on their doors, needing an ear that is willing to listen or arms ready to hug. However, the job is so much more than that of an enforcer and provides more than a check every month; it is a relationship with their students. RAs of upperclassmen are not has occupied with their residents, because upperclassmen are already established and rooted on campus. They already have their friends, mentors, and groups so they are not worried about “fitting in” or finding their new best friend. In fact, many Upperclassmen RAs wish their residents talked to them more and spent more time with them.

Each hall has its own personality and character with no two being the same. For instance, North MAP ground floor may be very quiet and reserved, whereas North MAP third floor may be very loud and energetic. That’s what makes life as a freshman RA more unique, because each hall is different and requires their RAs to be adaptable and flexible. The RAs learn very quickly that they cannot have set expectations and assumptions about what their hall will be like. The reliance freshmen have on their RA is very strong, especially in the beginning months of college. North MAP Freshman RA, Emily Barker, shares how she has learned through her experience. “Freshmen in college are a rare breed of student. They come in and they don’t have any friends, they don’t know the people they are living with, some of them have never been in a Christian environment before, some of them miss home, some of them have never talked to a boy who wasn’t their brother, the list goes on,” says Barker, “but they all are being thrown into a brand new environment alone and they only person they kind of recognize is their RA.”

Despite the unpredictability that comes with the job, life as a Freshman RA is never boring or dull. There is always something to do, or someone to be with, and calls for a lot of involvement. Barker continues, “I love freshmen! They have so much energy, enthusiasm and such a fresh perspective that makes each day a brand new adventure.”

So you’ve decided to come to Grove City College. The process is over, you’ve announced your decision to friends and family, and you just submitted your deposit. You can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Almost.

It’s time to start considering the details of your freshman year at Grove City College, one of which is determining who will be your first roommate(s).  It can seem like a daunting and slightly overwhelming task. I mean, there’s a lot to consider when it comes to choosing which total stranger will be your roommate for your first year away from home.

But you need not fret. Here are several tips and considerations for finding a roommate.

How to find a roommate:

1. Use Schools App. Schools App is an app you can use to connect with other students who have been admitted to the GCC class of 2021. It resembles the Facebook platform. You can find information about it in your acceptance folder! Log on to the app to see who your peers will be during your time at GCC. Take time to post and meet potential roommates!
2. Try out the Roommate Finder. Over the summer you’ll receive information about the Roommate Finder. It’s an online service provided by the College that allows you to take a survey about your living habits (i.e. when you go to bed, if you sleep with the lights on, etc.). Your survey answers are then compared with that of other individuals and the program develops a list of people that you might consider rooming with. This is a helpful place to start your roommate choosing process.
3. Go random. If you don’t have an interest in choosing a roommate, the college will pick one for you. Some people love the surprise. Some people end up meeting their best friend because they chose to go random. Of course there’s some level of risk involved, but it could end up being the best decision you make!

Things to consider when choosing a roommate:

1. Do you have similar interests? You don’t have to be best friends with your roommate but if you’re completely opposite people, you might find it hard to connect, talk, or hang out while you’re living together. Find a common point of interest (i.e. sports, music taste, major, etc.).
2. Who’s the extrovert and who’s the introvert? Figure out each other’s social style. If you’re a social butterfly, you may have a hard time motivating your introverted roommate to hang out in groups outside of the room. If you’re a major introvert, you may be bothered when your extroverted roommate wants to host a game night in your room. Extroverts and introverts can certainly room together but it’s helpful to know some about your potential roommate’s personality before agreeing to room together.
3. Do you prefer a clean or messy room? This may sound cliche but for ages, cleanliness (or lack thereof) has been the source of roommate conflict. Find out if your potential roommate is clean or messy. Be honest about which you yourself are. If you classify yourself as a “clean freak” you probably won’t appreciate a pile of dirty laundry collecting at the foot of your roommate’s bed or the left over pizza sitting out from last week’s movie night. If you know you tend to be a messier person or “less neat”, you probably won’t appreciate when your roommate asks you to take out the trash, vacuum the floor, or fold the pile of laundry at the foot of your bed. Think about finding someone with a similar level of cleanliness.

Finding a freshman roommate can be an overwhelming task, but I can assure you, you have nothing to fear. My freshman roommates ended up being some of my best friends. During this time, take the opportunity to search, connect and talk with your future peers.

And don’t forget to pray. Who you room with during your first year at GCC will drastically shape your experience. Pray that the Lord would direct you to the right person and that your relationship would be healthy, encouraging and uplifting.