McKendree's Bearcat Blog
How to Prepare for Your First Interview After College
Interviews may seem daunting or nerve-racking, and you might be questioning how you’re going to get through it. Maybe you’re feeling excited to take this next leap but have no clue how to prepare or where to start. Luckily for you, this blog post is going to give you 5 easy tips on how to be confident and prepared for your first interview after graduation.
A Conference Through the Eyes of a Student
One thing you often don't realize when starting college is the fantastic opportunities you're granted during your stay. On April 5, Scarlett had the chance to attend the Sigma Tau Delta Centennial Convention in St. Louis!
Read more about her unique experience here!
How to Enjoy Your Last Weeks as a College Senior
During these stressful times, it's easy to feel weighed down and overwhelmed, like you have time for nothing but eating, breathing, and sleeping homework. Spring has sprung, and the end of your college days is near. Well, seniors, here is your reminder to still enjoy your last few weeks, along with 4 tips on how you can make it happen!
4 Useful Tips for Overcoming End-of-Semester Burnout
The end of the semester is quickly approaching, and the last thing you want to do is more schoolwork. Finding the motivation to stay focused is particularly challenging when you're so ready to finish the semester; however, it's important to end as strongly as possible. Here are 4 tips on how you can overcome burnout at the semester's end successfully!
The Trials and Thrills of Transferring and Accepting Change
Being a transfer student can be difficult, but it doesn't have to be, especially when you choose the right college for you. Read senior Scarlett Catanzaro's perspective on what it's like to be a transfer student at McKendree University!
6 Ways You Can Get Tasks Done and Say No to Procrastination
Sometimes you don't want to do anything, but procrastination can quickly become an issue if you do it too often. Read our 6 best tips to help you stop procrastinating here!
4 Fun Benefits in Becoming a Club Member at McKendree
Joining a club or participating in a group may seem scary at first, but it has countless benefits! Here are our top 4 reasons why you should become a member of your campus's organizations!
5 Things That Will Make You Stand Out in Your Admissions Application
Your admissions applications are highly important and allow you to show what kind of student you are and who you are as a person. Here are 5 tips we suggest following to make sure you stand out on your application.
5 Important Things to Consider When Choosing a College
Going to college can be challenging, but there's no need to make it harder by overthinking! Here are our top 5 things to consider when choosing a college.
Major General John Bartrum '90 Shares Wisdom, Inspires McKendree Community
The general relayed messages of strength, integrity, and perseverance that left us with lessons that will guide us toward success.
9 Tips to Help You Find and Cultivate a Positive Mindset in College
There's no doubt that college life can be hard sometimes. But did you know that your perspective can greatly help you get through challenges - and also equip you to better confront future obstacles? If you're not sure how to begin being more positive, follow our 9 favorite tips by reading this blog!
10 Tips to Help You Deal With (and Conquer) Homesickness in College
Homesickness is very common, whether you're moving across town or across country, and while the feeling will pass, you can make it easier to cope with those emotions as you settle in. Here are our 10 favorite tips to help you deal with – and conquer – homesickness!
How to Find Your Place at McKendree
You're about to enter your first year as a college student and you're probably feeling all sorts of things: excited, nervous, worried, and curious. Trust us, just about everyone who's gone to college has felt exactly the same as you do. Read on to find out how you can find your place at McKendree!
Words of Wisdom for Graduating Bearcats
Now that you’ve graduated, it’s a great time to reflect on what you’ve learned and can take with you as you approach the next chapter of your life. In the spirit of moving forward, McKendree’s faculty and staff have a few words of wisdom to share with you.
Meet 3 Alumni Who Triple-Degreed in McK’s Nursing Program
Everyone knows that nurses are dedicated, caring people who make a massive, positive, and crucial difference in our communities. Many nurses decide to further their education so they may have the opportunity to better serve their communities, advocate for patient safety, and illuminate a path forward for others who wish to follow in their footsteps.
7 Ways You Can Become a More Eco-Friendly College Student
For many college students concerned about the environment, living a sustainable, more eco-friendly life is often top of mind. Fortunately, making a few small changes can be an easy way for you to be healthier, save money, and be a kinder, more considerate earthling all at once! Talk about a win-win, right? Check out our top 7 ways you can become a more eco-friendly college student today.
A Go-To Guide for Newly Admitted Bearcats
If you’re a newly admitted Bearcat, first off, congratulations! We’re so excited to welcome you into the McKendree family and community. Now that you’ve been admitted, you may be wondering, what’s next? Look no further! We’ve created a go-to guide with a compilation of your next steps.
10 Tips for Turning an Unproductive Day Around
With midterms right around the corner, you may have started to procrastinate. It can be easy to put your homework and other tasks off until the last minute, but it leaves you feeling unproductive and unsatisfied when the day comes to an end. Don’t lose hope just yet, Bearcats! We’ve got 10 tips to turn those unproductive days around.
How to Network as a McKendree Student
Listen up, Bearcats! With a new semester ahead, there are new opportunities to start making connections and forming your networks. You may be wondering, what is networking? Networking provides a foundation for your future career and life after college by simply making a connection with someone who shares a similar passion or aspirational profession.
10 Facts You Didn’t Know About McKendree
You probably already know that McKendree is the oldest college in Illinois, but we’ll bet there are a few things you didn’t know about our campus. From our mascot, historic buildings and treasures to our campus history and traditions, there are many facts you probably would have never guessed to be true! Here are the top 10 facts.
9 Ways You Can Motivate Yourself after Winter Break
Everyone struggles to return to the real world after a nice long winter break. It can be so difficult trying to shake yourself out of the lack of routine and responsibilities you might have enjoyed throughout the holidays, only to find yourself lacking the drive to get ready for the spring semester. If this sounds like you, you’re in luck. We have 10 helpful tips to help you slide into the spring semester!
8 Ways to Get the Most out of Your Winter Break
The fall semester has finally come to a close – you know what that means. It’s time for winter break! While you’re away from college, you might be wondering what to do with all of your spare time aside from binge-watching your favorite TV series.
9 Ways to Show Your Bearcat Spirit at McKendree Games and Events
It’s one thing to simply attend a handful of games and events during your time at college. It’s quite another to go with the intent on donning purple and white and cheering your heart out for the Bearcats throughout your time at McKendree. Showing your school spirit doesn’t just make your time at college more enjoyable and memorable – it also can help encourage others, infuse a greater sense of collaboration and motivation, and even increase your own happiness.
11 Smart Ways to Make Friends in College
As a college student, you have so many unique opportunities ahead of you: the opportunity to learn about countless subjects, to become involved in all sorts of clubs and activities, and, of course, to meet wonderful people from all over the world. These people often wind up becoming your friends and, if you’re lucky, lifelong friends! The prospect of putting yourself out there and taking a chance on others can be daunting or even downright scary, but we promise.
How Do I…? Essential Resources for New Students at McKendree
You’ve moved in, attended convocation, made some new friends, and took notes in your first classes as a Bearcat in the past few weeks. You’re probably beginning to feel more and more comfortable in your new home away from home and have already become acclimated to your new routine. But there still might be a few lingering questions that you might have in your new life as a McKendree University student.
13 Ways to Get Involved at McKendree
College is one of the best times to try new things. When you participate in activities on campus, you’ll have the opportunity to make friends, gain leadership skills, build your resume, explore your interests, and much more! We’ve included 13 tips on how you can use your gifts and interests to get involved on campus.
The Move-In Day Survival Guide Every College Student Needs
The day you’ve been waiting for is finally here. It’s time to move into your college dorm and begin the new school year! Whether you’re moving into a residence hall or into one of our apartments, move-in day is an emotional, action-packed day for everyone involved. To help you have the smoothest, least stressful experience possible, we’ve compiled a list of move-in pro-tips to help you survive the day. Read up on these tips to help you be as prepared as possible for the big day!
Everything You Should Bring with You to College
Are you ready, Bearcats? The school year is almost ready to begin! Before you know it, convocation will be here and you’ll be moving into your new home away from home here on campus. Figuring out what to bring with you to college can be daunting, especially if this is your first year. Don’t sweat it!
What’s College Life Really Like?
As a prospective college student, you probably want to know what to expect from the college experience before you set foot on campus. Even if you’ve prepared yourself as much as possible, you might be feeling anxious or maybe even worried about attending college. Will it really be like how it’s portrayed in the movies? Will it be more like what your family or friends experienced?
10 Smart Things College Students Should Do for a Productive Summer
Summer is here and in full swing, so it’s time to kick back, relax, and unwind while binge-watching your favorite shows. …Or is it? You might be tempted to empty your mind of everything you’ve learned this past academic year and spend the next few months scrolling through social media, but there are better ways you can spend your summer.
10 Pieces of Advice for Your New Path Forward
You did it, Bearcats! You put in hours and hours of hard work to earn your degree and graduate from McKendree University! This is such a momentous time in your life. While you’re undoubtedly floating on air with great excitement at the moment, you might be feeling a little stressed or scared. You might even be wondering what your next steps should be, or you might already have a plan set in place.
McKendree’s Literary and Art Magazine: A Catalyst for Change
McKendree offers several different student publications on campus where students are given the opportunity to express themselves. One of these publications is McKendree’s literary and art magazine that you may know as Montage.
10 Ways Busy College Students Can Prioritize Self-Care
We are honored to recognize Michael “Mike” Howie ’71, who passed away in December 2020 and left behind an incredible legacy of time, talent, and treasure. Originally from Chester, Ill., Mike graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. While on campus, he was a member of the faculty/student committee on student life, faculty/student discipline committee, psychology club, and the inter-society council. He was also a resident assistant, student congress representative and vice president and president of Ferox, (Phi Rho Chi).
13 Ways to Rock Your Next Career Fair
As a college student, especially if you’re a soon-to-be graduate, putting your name out there is important when it comes to reaching your career goals and aspirations. Whether you’re interested in finding job openings or learning more about a specific industry, career fairs are a great way to network and meet with company representatives.
How to Pick (or Change) a Major in College
If you’re currently pursuing a degree or are preparing to attend college soon, you might be wondering what your major should be. Perhaps you’ve known since you were young what you’ve wanted to be, or maybe you’re unsure or can’t decide between a few options.
9 Smart Ways to Prepare for a Successful Semester
Are you ready for your next semester, Bearcats? The next round of courses is set to begin very soon – now is your chance to prepare yourself for your most successful semester yet! All you need to do is plan a little bit, and you’ll be able to make your dreams and goals a reality! Here are 9 ways you can do just that.
10 New Year’s Resolutions Every College Student Should Make
As the new year approaches, now is the perfect time to think about the past year and make new plans for your future. What goals do you want to achieve next year? How do you want to improve your life? It’s never too late to make a fresh start.
Throwing Strikes: How One Bearcat Bowler Represented Team USA While Pursuing Her Master’s
Degree
Being a college student is definitely challenging; however, it’s arguably tougher to be a graduate student. After all, graduate students often have more responsibilities they need to tend to on a daily basis – their work, their family life, bills, and more – and this is on top of their demanding coursework.
13 Tips to Help You Ace Your Final Exams
Where did the semester go? It only seems like yesterday since you’ve returned to campus and set foot in your new classes. You might be feeling a sense of dread when it comes to your upcoming final exams. We won’t lie – final exams can be demanding, but they don’t have to seem insurmountable.
11 Ways You Can Get in the Zone and Study Like a Pro
You’ve arguably come to McKendree University to study and become an expert in your chosen field, but let’s face it – studying is hard. Even though the thought of reviewing those psychology notes or history facts might have you feeling on edge, don’t worry – studying and retaining information isn’t an insurmountable task.
Fantastic Fall: 12 Things You Can Enjoy on Campus This Fall
Fall is in full swing at McKendree! Now that midterms are over and Homecoming has passed, you might be wondering what else you can do here on campus. Guess what? There’s plenty of fun activities and events you can enjoy this semester!
8 Ways You Can Get the Most Out of Homecoming Weekend
Homecoming is just around the corner and believe us, you won’t want to miss out! After last year’s virtual homecoming, McKendree is now thrilled to celebrate together in person on our beautiful campus. It’s the perfect time to put on your purple, grab your friends, and show off your Bearcat spirit all weekend long while making amazing memories along the way.
Say Hello to the New Bogey the Bearcat!
You might have seen a cartoon version of our beloved Bogey here and there at McKendree University this summer. If you take a close look, you can see a happy, athletic purple Bearcat on some of the banners adorning the streets around campus as well. Did you ever imagine that your favorite Bearcat would come to life?
15 Tips to Help You Thrive in Your First Semester at McKendree
Beginning your life as a first-year student can be daunting, especially if you move far away from home. You might feel nervous and wonder what your classes will be like, if you’ll get along with your roommate, or if you’ll be able to juggle your academics with your social life.
Starting Your First Year at McKendree? Here’s What to Expect
The big day is just around the corner. You’ve graduated high school, enjoyed the summer the best you could, and are preparing to start your very first semester as a college student. You might be feeling all sorts of emotions: excitement, anticipation, nervousness.
