Transfer Quartet Find Easy Adjustment To Life At MSU
October 10, 2017 | Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. – One of the biggest decisions a college student can make is that of transferring schools.
When you factor in moving — sometimes across the country — deciding where to live and getting accustomed to new surroundings and new people, it is a transition that is difficult for some.
For four members of the Mississippi State soccer team—Catalina Perez, Hayden Oswalt, Brooke McKee and Olivia Hernandez—the big changes have not been near as difficult to overcome as it may be for many others.
Perez, who transferred to MSU from Miami for her final season of eligibility, noted that her new teammates helped ease her transition from South Beach to Starkville.
"It has been really easy," Perez said. "Everyone is so nice here. All of the girls were so welcoming and made us feel like we have been here for a while."
Oswalt, a Clinton, Miss., sophomore who moved back to the Magnolia State after a season at Sam Houston State, added that the entire university community welcomed them with open arms.
"Everyone on and around campus is super welcoming and friendly," Oswalt exclaimed. "Everybody you meet is just extremely friendly. Knowing that we have the entire community support feels good. The people here care about you."
Hernandez's journey, from a distance standpoint, may have been the longest of the four. Her hometown of Phoenix, Ariz., is nearly 1,600 miles from Starkville, and she said the biggest change she has had to make is learning to slow down and adjust to life in a much smaller city after spending her freshman year at Arizona State.
"I have definitely learned to slow down," Hernandez said. "In a small town, everybody just wants to stop and talk to you and ask you how your day is going. Where I'm from, it's always go, go, go."
Another big change comes after arriving on campus—in the classroom. McKee said that the size of the classes at MSU are much bigger than those at Troy, her previous school. However, MSU's first-class athletic academic support staff is always there to help all Bulldogs, new and returning, strive to do their best in academics.
"The classrooms are a lot bigger with more people, but the fact that we have really good academic services for athletics really helps," McKee said.
Perez praised Christine Exeter, the academic counselor for the team, for being a tremendous support system for her and her teammates.
"Christine is so great," Perez said. "She has helped make the transition so much easier and is always there to support us."
According to Perez, one of the things that makes Starkville—Mississippi's College Town—special is how the university and the city as a whole know and care about each program and its players.
"So many people in Starkville care about our games, so that's really cool," Perez said. "Here, you can go into a store and people are like, 'I saw your game last night,' which has been really cool. People know the schedule and they come to support us. It gives me a really big sense of pride to be a Mississippi State Bulldog."
When you factor in moving — sometimes across the country — deciding where to live and getting accustomed to new surroundings and new people, it is a transition that is difficult for some.
For four members of the Mississippi State soccer team—Catalina Perez, Hayden Oswalt, Brooke McKee and Olivia Hernandez—the big changes have not been near as difficult to overcome as it may be for many others.
Perez, who transferred to MSU from Miami for her final season of eligibility, noted that her new teammates helped ease her transition from South Beach to Starkville.
"It has been really easy," Perez said. "Everyone is so nice here. All of the girls were so welcoming and made us feel like we have been here for a while."
Oswalt, a Clinton, Miss., sophomore who moved back to the Magnolia State after a season at Sam Houston State, added that the entire university community welcomed them with open arms.
"Everyone on and around campus is super welcoming and friendly," Oswalt exclaimed. "Everybody you meet is just extremely friendly. Knowing that we have the entire community support feels good. The people here care about you."
Hernandez's journey, from a distance standpoint, may have been the longest of the four. Her hometown of Phoenix, Ariz., is nearly 1,600 miles from Starkville, and she said the biggest change she has had to make is learning to slow down and adjust to life in a much smaller city after spending her freshman year at Arizona State.
"I have definitely learned to slow down," Hernandez said. "In a small town, everybody just wants to stop and talk to you and ask you how your day is going. Where I'm from, it's always go, go, go."
Another big change comes after arriving on campus—in the classroom. McKee said that the size of the classes at MSU are much bigger than those at Troy, her previous school. However, MSU's first-class athletic academic support staff is always there to help all Bulldogs, new and returning, strive to do their best in academics.
"The classrooms are a lot bigger with more people, but the fact that we have really good academic services for athletics really helps," McKee said.
Perez praised Christine Exeter, the academic counselor for the team, for being a tremendous support system for her and her teammates.
"Christine is so great," Perez said. "She has helped make the transition so much easier and is always there to support us."
According to Perez, one of the things that makes Starkville—Mississippi's College Town—special is how the university and the city as a whole know and care about each program and its players.
"So many people in Starkville care about our games, so that's really cool," Perez said. "Here, you can go into a store and people are like, 'I saw your game last night,' which has been really cool. People know the schedule and they come to support us. It gives me a really big sense of pride to be a Mississippi State Bulldog."
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