Beginning college is exciting, but also a little scary. It’s a lot different than high school. You come to a new campus, and don’t know anyone or where anything is. Your life changes in a day after moving into a new space. Jump Start at CSH is here to help you make the jump to college.
Jump Start is a summer bridge program from Aug 11-13, for incoming Ball State freshmen that supports you as you transition from high school to college.
You will move into your residence hall room early, familiarize yourself with campus, participate in hands-on learning activities and make friends—all before anyone else arrives on campus and you begin your course work. You can relax, breathe, and ease into your new college life.
Your Jump Start Opportunity
“It’s an opportunity for new students to get a jump start on being a college student,” Dr. Melisa Stevens, Assistant Dean and Director of Student Success, said. “It’s a chance for them to connect with some of our top faculty, meet fellow incoming students, start to learn the lay of the land, and build that sense of belonging and community that we know makes a difference with students and their success.”
This year’s theme is different environments. Faculty from five different disciplines—psychology, natural resources, biology, criminal justice, and philosophy and religious studies—have developed hands-on mini-classes for you to learn about different environments. Each professor will approach the topic from the unique perspective of their area of expertise.
You will have a full itinerary before you. First, you will go to a class at the Muncie YWCA to learn about the home as environment, with a focus on safe and unsafe spaces, taught by criminal justice faculty Dr. Keisha Warren-Gordon. Then, you will immerse yourself in the natural environment at Christy Woods for a session with Dr. Matthew Hotham titled “The fowl of the air and the beasts of the field: religion and human-animal relations.”
Next, you will journey to the Juanita Hults Environmental Learning Center with Dr. Joshua Gruver and Dr. Jessica Peebles-Spencer in Albany, Indiana for two classes: “Environmental Invaders: Invasive Plant Species” and “Our Food System and Questions of Environmental Justice.” The final session is back on campus in the Cooper Science Building, taught by Dr. Kelly Fischer taught through the lens of psychological sciences and titled “Can your address affect your mental health?”
At the end of each day, you will return to campus where the Office of Student Life will provide entertaining activities for your evening. To cap off your Jump Start experience, you will visit President Mearns’ home, where he and Mrs. Mearns will host a picnic and provide a variety of outdoor games.
As a reward for working hard and completing Jump Start, you will earn one free credit hour on your transcript.
To get the most out of these activities and ease your transition into college, consider these tips to make Jump Start a great introduction to your time at Ball State.
6. Begin with a positive attitude and a growth mindset
College is a transformative time of life, and you will be confronted with new ideas and interesting people. Approach each situation as an opportunity to learn more about yourself and the world. Don’t be afraid to change or revise pre-existing beliefs or practices as you learn more about yourself, others, and the world.
5. Meet new people and make at least one friend
Jump Start is a wonderful opportunity to make connections with other students in a small, close-knit group setting. Get to know your peers and start making friends! See if anyone in your group is in one of your classes, and exchange contact information with anyone you want to get to know better. Forming even one connection can have a significant impact on your freshman year.
4. Remember that everyone else is nervous
What you’re feeling is not unique. Everyone else is intimidated and anxious – even if they aren’t showing it. Anyone who has been to college has experienced some nerves, including your professors, advisors, and RAs. Take solace in knowing you aren’t alone. Reach out to new or old friends or the dedicated success staff on campus if you need help or someone to talk to. They are here to help you.
3. Learn and get curious
Jump Start provides you with the opportunity to mentally prepare yourself for a college learning environment. Now is the time to ask questions, dive into new and complex topics, and become curious about the world. You have an exciting but long semester ahead of you, so jump off on the right foot and get ready to learn.
2. Engage
Be present. Don’t dismiss the activities as embarrassing or beneath you. You will get out of Jump Start what you put into it. So, put all of your energy into it! Freshman year at college is a lot of things, but most importantly it is unique. This new, frightening, exciting, and thrilling moment in your life is temporary, so don’t let it slip away.
1. Stay off your phone
The number one, most important, supreme, critical thing for you to do: stay off your phone. Talk with the people next to you. Look around you and soak in this brand-new experience. Focus on the real world and the opportunities ahead of you. Make a great first impression on college and your classmates!
Take these tips to heart and make the most of your start to freshmen year. You have lots of excitement ahead of you!
After Jump Start concludes, the rest of the freshmen class will arrive for Welcome Week. You can then use your new experience on campus to help your new classmates adjust to campus and make more connections along the way.
“It’s a great opportunity for Jump Start students and all Summer Bridge students to be positive role models, mentors, and helpers to the next group who will be just showing up,” Dr. Stevens said.