The college experience is unlike any other. Most students are recent high school graduates who are leaving home for the first time, so it is important to find a school that allows the student to feel more comfortable in their new surroundings. For every student, this comfort could mean something else, such as a well-cooked dinner or a dorm room in the woods. Choosing the right college can be difficult, but I am here to make sure that all the prospects in students know about one school in the most from their own experience That school is Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville.
The cost of schooling and finances in the big issue for some people. For me, my training is based on it. I applied for a grant, and I was pleasantly surprised that almost all of my expenses were covered, either from grants, loans, studies, or volunteer work. What I didn’t know was that this study program did not offer a position. As for the study of the works, it was awarded to me, but during the four years of the audition I never received it. The reason is that I have to find a job myself. SIUE does not place student work on the job. I tried and tried, applying to everything I could, but most of them have already been developed… by students without the desire to work. I felt disappointed. As a heads-up to each student’s financial aid needs, you’re better off finding an off-campus job.
Many students who attend SIUE are commuters from the St. Louis metro area. I know people who want to come to class 45 minutes each morning. With gas prices reaching high, it may be in your best interest to move closer to the countryside. The plain itself is completely separated from the rest of the city and is surrounded by forests and rolling mountains. The field is beautiful. The only people who walk in the space to class are the students who actually live on campus, either in the residence halls or in campus rooms. Everyone else must either drive or take the Madison County Transit bus. For those who drive are accustomed to walk long distances. Even though the campus is far from the rest of the city, lots of students are not on campus at all. On a good day, I would find a decent parking spot and walk briskly to class for about ten minutes. Other days, finding a parking spot can be daunting. Campus police are constantly running the parking lots, not even thinking about parking on the grass. The password is secure. Don’t forget that Illinois has the hardest seasons, so carrying an umbrella around is a painful idea. If students want to drive to campus, they need to set aside at least twenty minutes to find a parking space and walk to class.
For those students who want to live on campus, there are two options. Either live in the hall of residence, which is a glorious name for dorm rooms, or live in campus apartments. During the four years I attended SIUE, I lived in both. You’re not allowed to live in an apartment on campus, and since I lived about 100 miles away, living in a residence hall was the best option at the time. Since I didn’t have any friends living at SIUE, I tested compatibility to find a roommate with similar interests and interests. I was very pleasantly surprised that I was matched with a similar roommate with a similar older person who was just as I was. We never really became friends, but we were great roommates, and living in a dorm complex allowed us to socialize and get to know a lot. Everything I needed was within walking distance, and it was nice knowing I didn’t have to worry about monthly bills. In the halls of the resident’s residence there is a great passage to the house for the first time.
By the end of my freshman year, I felt I was ready to move to a full apartment. I got used to having my own kitchen, and sharing a bedroom the size of a matchbox was starting to make me feel claustrophobic. One of my friends I met freshman year wanted an apartment too, so we decided to live in an on-campus apartment for our sophomore year. A typical farm house has two or three rooms, with three or four people living there. Some wanted to live out of their room, some wanted to share a room. I shared a room with my friend, and with two other we were girls with girls who were each in their own bedroom. This time there was no proof of compatibility, and my friend and I soon discovered that we were having a nightmare. The Nazis were cleaning our rooms while my friend and I were on the news. We had arguments that led to a lot of stress. Next year we decided to live in campus apartments again, but in different apartments with different bedrooms. This time we shared our apartment with one other girl. We thought it would be much better this year, but it wasn’t. It was much more serious. This girl was mean and nasty to everyone except the guests, and was the self-proclaimed “chicken head” of the hen house. My steps went down, and I felt as if he was carrying himself around in my house. I feel today that I still have a bad feeling about not living with her. I don’t recommend living in campus apartments, just because of roommate incompatibility. It’s hard to deal with the stress of school, no one should have much at home.
The faculty at SIUE is very educational, and I learned so much from my teachers. They are passionate about their work and want to help a lot. Class sizes vary. For me, my smallest class had three students and my largest class had nearly seventy. I have never had a “bad” teacher or failed a grade because of a teacher. SIUE is a great school in terms of academics, and I do not regret the experience. There were quite a few things I wish I could have foreseen earlier, such as housing, work, etc., so that I could make better choices. Hopefully this article can save someone else from making mistakes.
