College Life 101

Wondering what being a student at Bradley is like? There is no one better to ask than current Bradley students! We received questions from admitted students asking about the college life experience and had current students share their responses.

Any tips you think incoming first-year students need to know?

“I’d say one tip is just getting involved and getting active on campus. There are so many things for you to do on campus. Another is to always reach out to your professors. If you have a question in class, don’t ever be scared to ask. The professors here really work with students. They’re very accessible, available, and want to help students succeed.” – Jorell W.

“My biggest tip is to come in with an open mind and be honest. Coming in, I was really afraid if I had to skip a class because I was sick. I was afraid to tell my professors, but honestly, they want to treat you with the same respect that you give them. If you’re open and honest with them, they will be open and honest with you and put all that energy that you put into them back at you. Starting that from the beginning is going to make your life so much easier.” – Claire P.

“My number one tip for incoming freshmen is to try things that you might not have wanted to try originally. You never know that if at one club meeting you might end up finding your best friend. Something I did personally, coming into college I did not think I wanted to study abroad. I had a few friends that studied abroad and they absolutely loved it. They convinced me to go and I had two of the best weeks of my life in London. It was a ton of fun and I highly recommend it.” – Evan K.

“I think it’s so important to get involved. Bradley has so many resources and activities that you can join. Whether that be a club or a social sorority or fraternity. I think that ties in with using your resources as well. Bradley really wants you to get hands-on experience. For me, it was going into the classroom my freshman year as an elementary education major, learning how to lesson plan and work with the teacher. I wouldn’t have gotten that experience anywhere else. Bradley offers a multitude of resources, and it’s up to you to utilize them.” – Noelle B.

How hard is it to balance a job (or multiple) and still keep up in all your classes?

“It is hard, but it is definitely manageable. One thing that I do is utilize the Google Calendar to let me know when I have to be at a certain class or what event I have at a certain time. I also keep a notebook that I write in every day. I make a checklist and mark things off as I get them done.” – Jorell W.

How did you choose your residence hall, and how did you meet your roommate during your first year?

“Like many other Bradley students coming in, I used the ZeeMee group. I posted a little bio about myself, things I was involved in during high school, and what I was planning to major in. I had multiple people reach out, so I added them on Snapchat, texted with them, and just got a sense of who they were. One of the girls that reached out to me, her name was Makayla, and we clicked right away. We ended up Facetiming for hours, and she actually visited me before school started. Makayla and I ended up getting along so well!” – Noelle B.

What do you do on the weekends? Are you usually hanging around campus, or do you find things to do off-campus?

“I just stay in my apartment on the weekends. That’s really when I do all of the stuff that I neglected throughout the week, like my laundry or making sure my room looks nice. Sometimes I’ll go to one of the music buildings and practice. But most of the time I dedicate a to myself, sleeping in and watching Netflix. After that, I’ll take another day to do homework. So I tend to stay on campus, but I know a lot of people do other things.” – Claire P.

“Typically on the weekends, I hang out with my friends. Normally, I’m very busy during the week with academic work and I have meetings all of the time. So the weekend is my time to hang out with friends and enjoy my social life.” – Jorell W.

“I like to use my weekends to rest, but I also get to enjoy Peoria. Last weekend I went to Zion Coffee Shop for the first time, and I’m also a big hiker. I like to go to state parks because there are a lot nearby. There is also a place called Grand View Drive which has perfect scenery.” – Noelle B.