For freshman and transfer students, attending a new university can be intimidating. Juniors and seniors may look back and say “I wish I knew…,” too many times to count.
Here’s some helpful insight from UMKC’s upperclassmen.
“My biggest piece of advice is to step outside of your comfort zone and get involved,” said senior Josephine Taylor.
Taylor decided to try out Greek life through Panhellenic sororities on campus. She discovered something she loved. She explained that this experience shaped her university journey.
Taylor used RooGroups, a resource for students to find clubs and events, to find her own community.
Students can create their own clubs if they aren’t finding a community that fits their interests.
“I actually started my own student organization to build a community on campus for neurodivergent students,” said senior Z Kemp, majoring in civil engineering & communications. “Built in friends with scheduled socialization is fabulous.”
Students emphasized the importance of balancing friends with class work.“Go to class,” says senior Zachary Green. “Once you have the freedom to just go wherever you want, whenever you want, you start thinking I can just study for it later, but then it kind of has a snowball effect.”
For students who struggle with procrastination, use the Miller Nichols Library, the Writing Studio or friends to help with accountability.
For students who are academically competitive like seniors Sydney King and Ashley Appleberry, they live by one statement, “Done is good.”
“Meeting all of your goals, getting A pluses, absolutely doing your best is great, but done? Done is good. Done is turned in,” Appleberry said.
King said that academic goals are important, but that new students should be realistic about what they want to accomplish.
“Some of these professors will say they have high expectations, but they just want you to turn something in,” King said. “My three-paragraph discussion point is getting the same grade as the guy who wrote three sentences. Done is good.”
With balancing school work, friends and new surroundings comes stress. It’s important that students remember that well-being and mental health come first.
“You will have to treat yourself as a good houseplant,” said Kemp.“Do I have sunlight? Do I have friends? Do I have water and food?”
Another resource suggested by students is the Women’s Center.
Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, a junior, said she wished she had known about the Women’s Center sooner.
“I knew they provided help, but I didn’t know they provided free menstrual products,” said Oliva-Espinosa.
The recently renovated Women’s Center is located in Haag Hall room 105.
Roo Wellness can be another helpful resource for mental and physical health needs.
They offer counseling, accessibility services, STD testing, immunizations and other health-related services.
Appointments can be made online and are available to all UMKC students.
“For my besties who struggle with academic perfection,” said Appleberry, “Remember , you’re a human first!
