5 Things MTSU Students Should Know Before Living On Campus
The first year of college is a difficult time for many students because it presents a variety of different experiences and situations that many have never had exposure to. Not knowing where you are, the people around you, or how to manage new found time can be especially difficult when away from home for the first time. Here are 5 tips that every MTSU student should know in regards to living on campus.
1. There are activities for everyone!
MTSU offers a large variety of extracurriculars that anyone can get involved in! This ranges from Greek life, Young Life College Club, intermural sports, band, and theatre all the way to sports, academic clubs, ministry groups, and the Student Government Association (SGA). There are multiple organizations and clubs to get involved in that cater to any hobby or career that you may be interested in! For example, if you are majoring in Nursing, MTSU offers a club called Sigma Theta Tau, which is an Honors Society specifically for nursing students. MTSU also introduces the Student Nurses Association (SNA), which allows nursing students to connect with other local, national, and international nursing students. This helps current nursing students because it allows them to prepare for licensure as a group, as well as advocate for high quality health care by raising money and making the cause well known. This is just one career and one example of the multiple organizations that MTSU has to offer!
To know more about on-campus MTSU activities and organizations, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/campuslife.php.
2. Get to know the people who surround you!
Familiarizing yourself with everyone around you can be a difficult task, especially since everyone seems so different than you. According to Forbes, MTSU is home to about 22,000 students with different backgrounds, which means there are plenty of people to talk to! Overall, Forbes describes an increased success, an increase of twelve percent, in graduation rates from students who decide to live on-campus for their freshman year. This can allow students to meet and interact with different types of students on their floor, as well as allows the students to make friendships or study partners within their building. There is a direct relationship between study partners and better grades, especially if you do not understand certain topics or concepts in a class. They can explain what you do not understand and help improve your ability to learn.
To know more about the diversity statistics or dorm life on campus, visit https://www.forbes.com/colleges/middle-tennessee-state-university/ or https://www.mtsu.edu:8443/living-on-campus/living-learning.php.
3. There are resources to help you succeed!
Whether it be questions about writing a paper or trouble with homework, there are resources on campus that can help! The University Writing Center can help any student with presentations, papers, speeches, websites, or any writing advice beyond these mentioned. To learn more about the writing center, you can visit https://www.mtsu.edu/writing-center/services.php. In regards to homework help, there is a free tutoring service that can match you with the perfect tutor that will understand the subject and concepts you are studying. Even if you are not living on campus, or simply do not feel like leaving your dorm, there is an online tutoring service that can help in the exact same ways! For more information about tutoring services, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/studentsuccess/tutoring.php. These resources can help any student grow and can improve his or her ability to think. Eventually, any student will be able to understand the concept with a little help from another knowledgeable student!
4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!
If you have no idea what you are doing or where you are, I guarantee you are not the only one! Befriend an upperclassman, academic advisor, or your Student Orientation Assistant (SOA). They can point you into the right direction to ensure that you get the answers you need. If you have no idea how to these people, let me help you out. If you make an appointment with your academic advisor at https://www.mtsu.edu:8443/advising/index.php, they can answer any questions you have about your major. If you need some advice from an upperclassman, such as what classes to take, ask your dorm Resident Assistant (RA) or SOA. They are trained to answer any questions you have or listen to any problems or concerns you have about living on campus. If you cannot find any of these people, do not be afraid to ask a passing student! They can probably point you in the right direction and give you advice if you ask nicely enough.
5. Don’t forget to take care of your personal health!
Although everyone probably has been told many times to take card of your personal hygiene and health, it truly is very important! At MTSU, the Recreation Center provides everything you could possibly need, such as exercise machines, personal training, nutrition advice, and group classes that are free to students. According to Purdue University, there is a direct correlation between physical exercise and outstanding grades in the classroom. This is because exercise increases your alertness and attentiveness, which leads to faster learning. Overall, it is very important to eat healthy and exercise in your free time.
For more information about Purdue University’s study about how exercise affects your grades, visit https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2013/Q2/college-students-working-out-at-campus-gyms-get-better-grades.html.
For more information about MTSU’s REC Center, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/camprec/index.php.
