EVENTS TO CHECK OUT AT
FEB. 21; Student Life Events
Arts and Crafts Time
David L. Eisler Center
2 pm - 4:30 pm
FEB. 24; Campus Event Panel and Community
Discussion - The Anxious Generation Ferris Library for Information Technology & Education 6 pm-7:30 pm
FEB. 25; Anti-Violence Alliance
Teen Dating Violence
Awareness Table
David L. Eisler Center
2 pm - 4:30 pm
FEB. 25; Prospective Students Bulldog Bonus Virtual Financial Aid Workshop 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm
FEB. 26; Campus Events Spades Tournament Ferris Library for Information Technology & Education 3 pm - 5 pm
FEB. 26; Athletics Women’s Basketball Ferris State at Grand Valley State 5:30 pm
FEB. 26; Athletics Men’s Ice Hockey at Superior State 7:07 pm
FEB. 26; Williams Auditorium Ferris State University Festival of the Arts Jazz Concert 7:30 pm - 9 pm
FEB. 26; Athletics Men’s Basketball at Grand Valley State 7:30 pm
FEB. 26; UAM Events 2026 Ferris State Bulldog Ski and Ride day at Crystal Mountain Crystal Mountain 8:30 am - 8:00 pm
(Student Position)
Big Rapids, MI 49307 1 Apr 2026
Student Foot Patrol Officers are responsible for providing a visible public safety presence on the Ferris State University campus. Foot Patrol Officers patrol campus grounds and residence halls on foot to observe, detect, and report criminal or suspicious activity. This position supports the Department of Public Safety by enhancing campus safety through proactive patrol, communication, and assistance to the campus community. Student Foot Patrol Officers do not possess arrest authority and perform their duties under the supervision of sworn officers and professional staff.
Facilities – Custodian (Student Position)
Big Rapids, MI 49307 30 Apr 2026
Custodian positions are open for anyone who enjoys being busy and active while at work. This position includes multiple responsibilities that will have you traveling around campus. Please apply to this
posting for starting hours of 5:00pm or 7:30pm
Facilities – Custodian (Student Position)
Big Rapids, MI 49307 30 Apr 2026
Custodian positions are open for anyone who enjoys being busy and active while at work. This position includes multiple responsibilities that will have you traveling around campus. Please apply to this posting for starting hours at 10:30pm
Facilities – Custodian (Student Position)
Big Rapids, MI 49307 30 Apr 2026
Custodian positions are open for anyone who enjoys being busy and active while at work. This position includes multiple responsibilities that will have you traveling around campus. Please apply to this posting for hours starting at 6:00am
Pharmacy Intern (Student Position)
Big Rapids, MI 49307 1 May 2026
The Pharmacy Intern supports the department’s health informatics and medication-use research initiatives by assisting with the management and analysis of electronic health care data. This role contributes to projects focused on prescribing patterns, healthcare interventions, and medication-related outcomes. The position also provides student pharmacists with hands-on experience applying clinical knowledge to real-world health data and research workflows. This is a supervised, student-level training position for pharmacy students interested in research, informatics, or public health. Interns work under the direction of faculty investigators and research staff, with structured tasks and increasing responsibility as skills develop. Interns do not make independent clinical decisions but provide meaningful project support. Work is conducted under direct supervision, with training provided in data privacy, research ethics, and proper data handling procedures.
Websites that College Students may find Useful:
It’s a good age to be a college student. The internet provides a vast amount of resources for students to navigate for higher education. These websites could help students learn more about degree programs, learn about their future professions, study for tests, choose which professor to take classes from, and so much more. Here’s a list of helpful websites out there for college students:
Quizlet
Gone are the days of spending hours writing out
notecards and getting a cramped hand in the meantime. Quizlet helps you study for literally any class you may be taking by offering simple, free learning tools like flashcards, games, and more. https://quizlet.com
Grammarly
Your professors will LOVE you for using this one. Grammarly is a widget available for download that will correct spelling and grammar anywhere you are typing on the web browser, and it is far more advanced than your typical Word spell check. It will even suggest better words
to use and has a thesaurus available on hand. https://www. grammarly.com
theSkimm
College students easily get wrapped up in all things school-related, but as voting-aged adults, it’s important to keep up on current events. theSkimm is a daily email newsletter you can sign up for to make reading the news easy, engaging, and even funny. https://www. theskimm.com
Habitica
Life in and out of college is made a whole lot easier by
Only valid for Pickup or Dine –In Orders.
You must c all store to order and show ID when picking up your order. Not valid for Online, Tex t or Deliver y orders. Valid at the Big Rapids location only.
forming good habits. Thankfully, in today’s world, there’s an app to help you get there. Habitica “gamifies your life” by helping you achieve goals in a fun way. The app tracks your progress and grants rewards for productivity. https://habitica.com
StudyBlue
As far as we’re concerned, you can never have too many useful study resources. Like Quizlet, StudyBlue helps you prepare for tests with handy online flashcards, excellent resources for organizing class notes, and more. You can even share study materials with other students
around the world.
https://www.studyblue. com
The Owl
Memorizing APA and MLA formatting can seem like a nearly impossible task. Luckily, you don’t have to cram all the information in your brain thanks to websites like The Owl. This site was created by the Purdue University Online Writing Lab and helps guide you through the formatting of any papers you’ll have to write during your college experience. The site has extensive information about research and citation. https://owl.purdue.edu
TED Talks
As interesting and inspiring as they are informative, TED Talks are a great way to learn about the world around you, learn about industries, and come up with new ideas for class projects. https://www.ted.com
RealCalc
In today’s world, there’s no need to fork out cash for an expensive calculator. RealCalc is a scientific calculator you can download to your phone or computer and use to accomplish almost any math assignment you may have. This app can be downloaded from google.play or on android
Courtesy
Photo: FSU, ferrisphotos.smugmug.com
Study smarter, not harder: Study tips to employ
It would be convenient if every student had a photographic memory, making it a snap to recall pages of text or concepts in great detail. Photographic memory is not real, but a very small portion of the population, around 2 to 10 percent of children, has something called an eidetic
memory, which is a similar phenomenon and one that’s virtually nonexistent in adults, according to Psychology Today. That means that students will have to rely on other skills to get ahead in their coursework, perhaps none more important than effective study skills.
Some students recognize that
their study habits simply are not cutting it and they’re just squeaking by in their courses. What might get a student by in high school may be ineffective for college classes. Learning effective study skills early on is a key to academic success.
Don’t cram
Many students procrastinate with their study sessions, leading to last-minute studying before a big test. According to the American Psychological Association, students may perform well on a test for which they have crammed, but that doesn’t mean they’ve actually learned the material. Studying with the goal of long-term retention is best for learning.
Engage in active studying
Reading and re-reading texts or notes is not engaging with the material. Therefore, it likely won’t help with information retention. The Learning Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill says a student will need to make connections with the material, which can include making a study guide, becoming the teacher and teaching the concepts to others, deriving examples from one’s own experiences, or working problems out and explaining why they work.
Ask for help
Students do not have to struggle through difficult material alone. In addition to
studying with fellow students, who may have different ways of interpreting and sharing the information, individuals can seek assistance from a tutor or an academic resource center inside of the school. Working with someone else also helps students stay accountable and remain on track.
Determine a study style
Students may need to employ some trial and error to identify the study methods that work best for them. This can include a combination of note-taking, summarization, reviewing what already is known about the topic, and individual or group study sessions. Environment also is an important study variable.
Some students thrive in a quiet environment, while others need ambient noise to sharpen their focus.
Work intensely
Studying in intensive, short sessions may enable students to get more done with less wasted effort. Taking breaks can boost attention, says the National Institutes of Health.
Eliminate distractions
The more research that is done on multitasking, the more data indicates it isn’t effective. Studying while browsing the web, texting or looking at social media will increase the amount of time needed to learn the material and decrease the quality of the study session.
Courtesy Photo: FSU, ferrisphotos.smugmug.com
Tips to off-campus housing and how to budget your income
hen looking for off-campus housing, there are questions you need to be sure to ask, some things you’re going to need to look out for during tours and it’s always smart to learn how to become a savvy renter.
If you’re not sure where to begin - don’t worry! Fastweb has you covered with this all-inclusive college housing and apartment guide to help you through the process, from start to finish.
We’ve even given you areas to check off, fill in pricing and check yes or no so you can take this guide along to remember all of the information you need!
Also, remember, it’s never a bad idea to ask for help with the process if you need it!
Follow the below lists to guide you through the process with questions, tips on what to look for during housing tours and what to look for in leasing agreements.
Rent-Related Questions
• What’s included in the rent?
• Are any utilities included within the rent?
• What’s the typical monthly cost of each of the utilities?
Water: $ _____ . _____
Heat: $ _____ . _____
Electricity: $ _____ . _____
Gas: $ _____ . _____
• Can you pro-rate* the rent for scaled bedroom sizing?
*For different bedroom sizes, ask for pro-rated rent so that the rent is scaled and those living in smaller bedrooms pay less rent.
Pet-Related Questions
• Are pets allowed? Y / N
• If so, is there an additional fee? Y / N
• Is the fee the same for both dogs and cats? Y / N
• What is the fee to have a dog? $ _____ . _____
• What is the fee to have a cat? $ _____ . _____
Questions Regarding Amenities
• Does the house/apartment have air conditioning? Y / N
• What is the laundry situation?
• Where are the machines located?
• Are they shared by the entire building? Y / N
• Is there a cost to use them? If so, what is the cost?
$ _____ . _____
(Keep in mind that this can become expensive!)
• Is parking available? Y / N
• If yes, is there an additional cost? Y / N
• What is the additional cost? $ _____ . _____ per month
During a walk through, check: Lighting
_ Is there a good amount of natural light?
_ Locks
Do they work properly? Would you feel safe being alone at night?
_ Window quality
_ Are they old or drafty? This may affect the temperature inside!
_ Faucets - Are they leaky or rusty?
Toilets
_ Are they functioning properly?
_ Shower’s water pressure. Never underestimate great water pressure in the shower!
Tile and grout
Is the bathroom tile and grout well-kept or scummy?
_ Walls for marks, holes, scratches, patches, etc.
_ Keep note if the walls are well taken care of because it reflects on the landlord.
Closet sizes - Can you live with the size of the closet?
_ Pantry and cupboard sizesDo you have enough storage space?
_ Carpeting/Floors
Is the carpeting/flooring clean?
_ Appliances - Are the appliances up to date or will you be living in the Stone Age?
_ Front landscape and Entryway - Are they well-maintained? This may give you a good idea of what the landlord and/or neighbors are like.
_ Outlets - Check the location and number of outlets, noting both. Also, check to see if the outlets work! It can certainly help with your furniture planning.
Landlord
What are your initial impressions of the landlord? Does he or she seem trustworthy? What about his or her relationship with the neighborsdoes it seem positive?
Research
Safety of the Location: Find out the crime statistics in the area by contacting the local police department. They’ll be able to give you information on the area and recommend whether or not they feel
it’s safe for students.
Convenience: What’s the proximity to the nearest grocery store? What about the nearest coffee shop? Consider what you’d like to be nearby and then map out if the places are located within the area. It may help you decide if the location is right for you.
Campus: Can you get to classes, the library and other campus locations quickly and easily when you need to?
Reasonable Rent Rates in the Area: Research what typical rent rates within the area are. You can research this by asking around locally, researching online at either apartment websites or rent comparison websites or by calling your local police station.
Remember…
• Always trust your initial instincts!
If something doesn’t seem right or you don’t trust the landlord, go with your gut. It’s usually (or, at the very least, more often than not, correct).
• See before you sign.
Never sign a lease without visiting the property first. Students often regret doing so because the property is misrepresented either online, in writing or over the telephone. If for some reason you are not able to visit, have a friend or parent do so on your behalf before you sign.
• Your school may have resources, too.
Some schools have lists of approved landlords, property management companies or properties that previous students have rented. Check with your college’s student affairs office to see which resources they have available.
• Consider renter’s insurance.
Purchasing renter’s insurance can safeguard you just in case the unthinkable happens. It’s certainly up to you but it’s definitely worth considering!
• Read the lease.
The realtor or landlord may be in a rush to sign you but don’t let them! Take your time reading over the details and, if you need help understanding, do not be afraid to ask for help.
Look for details in the agreement such as:
Do you have the option to renew your lease? Y / N
For instance, you don’t want you landlord renting to someone else if you want to stay!
Are there options to sublease? Y / N
If not, will you or a guarantor (usually a parent/guardian) be charged the full amount?
For example, what if you’d like to live at home for the summer to save money? Or, perhaps you want to study abroad for a semester? You don’t want to get stuck paying the rent somewhere you’re not even living!
How College Students Can Cut Living Expenses
The cost of college tuition is a concern for many college-bound students and their families. The cost of a college education continues to rise, but it’s not just tuition and room and board that students and their families must account for.
College students may underestimate cost-of-living expenses when planning their school-year budgets. But such expenses can be substantial, catching even the most wellprepared students off guard. Fortunately, there are several ways for college students to save money on living expenses and still make the most of their time on campus.
• Venture off campus. Towns
that rely heavily on colleges or universities to support their economies typically offer great deals to students willing to venture off campus. Local businesses, including bars, restaurants and entertainment venues like mini golf facilities or bowling alleys, may offer student discounts to entice kids to leave campus. Students can take advantage of these offerings to save on food and entertainment, which tend to be among the more pricey cost-ofliving expenses college students contend with.
• Buy secondhand furnishings. College students living in their own apartments or dorm rooms may not have the financial resources to purchase
new furniture. Rather than purchasing brand new items they are likely to discard after moving out or graduating, college students can purchase secondhand items from local thrift stores or used furniture retailers that offer sturdy furnishings at low prices.
• Become a resident advisor. Resident advisors, often referred to as “R.A.’s,” typically receive free or reduced room and board in exchange for living in the dorms and monitoring the floors they live on. Competition to be an R.A. can be competitive, but students who become R.A.’s can save thousands of dollars on room and board costs over the course of their time at school.
• Make your own meals. Meal plans may be ideal for college students during their freshmen years, when students may still be adjusting to campus life. But older college students can skip the meal plan in favor of preparing their own meals. Doing so can save students substantial amounts of money, and some students may even prefer the variety available at the local grocery store over the more limited offerings available at dining halls or other campus eateries.
Cost-of-living expenses at colleges and universities can be considerable, but savvy students can find various ways to save money.
