Category Archives: Academics

Academics, Advice, Lists

10 Motivational Quotes To Get You Through the Rest Of the Semester

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It is that time of the semester again, where the post Spring Break blues kick in. While the end of the semester seems so close, impending assignment due dates and school obligations are all but giving us comfort. As a senior, trust me, I get it. So, here are 10 quotes to help get you through the rest of the semester.

  1. “Education is not the learning of many facts, but the training of the mind to think.” – Albert Einstein
  2. “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” – Winston Churchill
  3. “You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.” – Michael Jordan
  4. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
  5. “A little progress each day adds up to big results.” – Satya Nani
  6. “It never gets easier. You just get better.” – Jordan Hoechlin
  7. “Whatever you are, be a good one.” – Abraham Lincoln
  8. “Just remember, you can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets.” – Arnold Schwarzenegger
  9. “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” – Steve Martin
  10. “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day-in and day-out.” – Robert Collier

While these quotes will not complete your assignments for you, I hope they tell you what you have been needing to hear. We are a short five weeks away from the end of the semester. Keep going Marauders.

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Gabrielle Krick is a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Management and minor in Marketing at Millersville University. Her interests include human resources, social media marketing, and content marketing. When she graduates in May 2023, Gabby hopes to work for a large company’s human resources department, specifically representing minorities and the LGBTQ community. She hopes to either stay in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area or move somewhere near Rehoboth, Delaware.  

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Academics, Advice, Student Life

Setting Yourself Up For Success

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Setting yourself up for success is easier said than done. The importance of preparing yourself to be successful is tremendous, so your semester runs as smoothly as possible. So, before you become too overwhelmed and way too busy to even consider this advice, here are a few tips and tricks to get you through this spring whether you are graduating senior or new student at the ‘Ville: 

Figure out a schedule: Whether that is early mornings or late nights, it does not matter. Just whatever works best for you and your class/work schedule. Even if this differs from day to day, that is not important. As long as time is being scheduled for homework, employment, classes, and whatever else is important to you and your daily routine, that is all that matters. This leaves no time for debate in your mind when you are going complete an assignment or squeeze the gym into your day.  

Consistency is key: You have heard it a million times before and here it is again. Now that you have a schedule in place for the semester, keep up with it. Everyone has their days. It is ok to take a random Tuesday to yourself just because you need it. But excuses will not earn you a college degree. If you stay consistent with your schedule, I promise you will be more successful in life. 

Get out: Whether that is out of your room, building, or campus, just get out. It is nice to have a change of scenery and some flavor in your routine. If you are in a rut or are having trouble staying consistent, this may be just what you need to get motivated. Try the library or a building that you have never had classes in before. Campus is way bigger than it may seem. If you have a car, venture into Lancaster. There are so many hidden gems, such as coffee shops, perfect for a study day.  

Use your resources: We pay a lot of money for the college experience and to earn a degree. Many useful places on campus fly under our radar because we simply never venture out of our residence hall rooms or out of our academic major’s building. Go to the library and visit every floor. Go to a building that you never have classes in and explore every nook and cranny to find something new. You might just find your new favorite study spot or even a campus service you did not know existed. 

Have fun: We are obviously all here for an education, but we are also here to make memories. Do not forget that. It is easy to get wrapped up in academics, work, and priorities at this stage in life. Suddenly, your first week at college turns into your first week of your last semester, and that is one of the scariest realizations. As proud as I am, personally, for getting myself through almost four years of college, I am most proud of the memories I have made. It is the friends, late nights, laughs, and happiness I have experienced I smile back on when reminiscing about my time here at Millersville University. If there is one thing you take from this entire post, let it be that!

Good luck to everyone this spring semester! May we receive more sunshine and warmth in these next few weeks. And to my fellow graduating seniors, enjoy this time we will never get back. It is bittersweet for sure, but so much success lies ahead!

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Gabrielle Krick is a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Management and minor in Marketing at Millersville University. Her interests include human resources, social media marketing, and content marketing. When she graduates in May 2023, Gabby hopes to work for a large company’s human resources department, specifically representing minorities and the LGBTQ community. She hopes to either stay in the Lancaster, Pennsylvania area or move somewhere near Rehoboth, Delaware.  

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Academics, Student Life

Tips for Increasing Your Productivity

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Some days, productivity can be hard to come by. It’s easier to say “I’ll do that tomorrow” than to actually do what you need to do. When tomorrow comes around, the vicious cycle starts all over again. So, how do you motivate yourself to be productive? How do you turn “I’ll do that tomorrow” into “I’ll do that today”? First, it’s important to remember that it’s normal to want to procrastinate. Sometimes it’s okay to leave things for tomorrow as long as you stick to your word. There’s no magic trick or method that will turn you into a super productive person overnight (as much as we all may want that), but there are some tips that can help you improve your productivity:

Plan your days ahead of time

When you create a schedule for yourself, you’re more likely to complete your tasks because you’ll feel encouraged to do what you said you’d do. I recommend planning out your whole week at the start of the week. First, I write down everything that I need to get done during the week I’m planning. Then I write out each day of the week and put a list of what I need to get done under the dates. Doing this helps me stay on track with due dates and exam dates. I also plan for times to relax or do something I enjoy, not just schoolwork. This helps me feel less overwhelmed by the tasks I have to do.

Dedicate a certain amount of time to assignments

When I plan out my week, I like to allot times to each activity. For example, I might plan to work on an essay from 12pm to 1pm. Sometimes I don’t use specific times and just decide that at some point during the day, I’ll spend one hour working on the essay. Doing this helps me stick to a schedule and encourages me to spend the designated amount of time on the assignment. This has been extremely helpful for me throughout college, but especially the past two semesters where I had asynchronous classes. For classes that didn’t meet virtually or in-person, I decided to concentrate on assignments for those classes during what would have been the class meeting time. This also helps me maintain a daily routine which has helped me get through quarantine.

Reward yourself

Sometimes finding the motivation to work can be hard, even if you plan out your days. To help with this, I give myself incentives to get my work done. I typically tell myself “if I do this, then I’ll get this.” For example, I’ll say “if I study for half an hour, I’ll get to go on my phone for 15 minutes.” I also like to decide on a reward that I’ll give myself after I do well on an exam or big assignment. Typically, I buy myself a food I like that I don’t usually buy for myself. College can be difficult, you deserve to reward yourself for getting things done!

Remind yourself of your goals

In the moment, it usually feels pretty good to log out of D2L and turn on Netflix. In the long run, though, procrastinating never feels good. The assignment or studying that I’m putting off will eventually need to be done, so why not get it over with rather than drag it out? One way I motivate myself to get my work done is by thinking about myself a few months from now. I imagine when final grades are released and how good it will feel to see A’s on my degree audit. I picture myself getting the email or phone call that I was hired for my dream job. I think about how those things would feel and use those feelings to encourage myself to try my best. Putting in the work now means reaping the benefits in the future. Sorry, Grey’s Anatomy.

Do you have any other helpful tips you use to increase your productivity? Feel free to share them in the comments!

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Lydia Shaloka is a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing at Millersville University. Her interests include digital marketing, content marketing, and social media marketing.  When she graduates in May 2021, Lydia hopes to work for a digital marketing agency either in or near her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 

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Academics, Advice

CAHSS & Lombardo College of Business Advisement Center

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If you’re a student in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences or the Lombardo College of Business, the McComsey Center for Academic Advisement and Student Success is here to help you get through the Spring 2021 semester!

If you need academic advising this semester, you’re encouraged to drop in during their office hours from Monday through Thursday from 12pm to 1pm. They are here to help you and support you on your journey to graduation.

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Lydia Shaloka is a senior Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing at Millersville University. Her interests include digital marketing, content marketing, and social media marketing.  When she graduates in May 2021, Lydia hopes to work for a digital marketing agency either in or near her hometown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania or in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. 

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Academics, Advice

The 5 Step Essay Writing Process That Will Help You Write Better Papers

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Whether you’re writing a 500 word paper or a 30 page paper, writing an essay can be challenging. Figuring out how to get your point across, the proper diction, paragraph organization, and more before a deadline can feel like a daunting task. Even if you’re a great writer, the writing process isn’t always going to be easy. Fortunately, I have a 5 step writing process that makes essay writing a bit easier, and that helps you write better papers:

Step 1: Determine your purpose for writing the paper.

This first step is probably the most important step you can take when writing a paper. Defining the subject of the paper will help guide you in what to write. It is much easier to research something and write about it when you know exactly what it is you’re trying to write. Look over the assignment carefully to gain a better understanding of what your professor wants from the paper. Ask yourself the following question: What do you want the reader to know after reading this paper? Remember: When you write with a purpose in mind, your paper will have purpose. Make sure you know the goal you’re trying to accomplish well and how you can convey the message to your reader.

Step 2: Write down everything and anything about your topic.

Before you can start to write or even outline, you have to have ideas. Ideas are the starting point of any paper. Think about the overall point you want to get across to your reader that you defined in step one. For example, let’s say you’re writing a paper on why business X is successful. Do research on the business and on what defines success for that business and dump thoughts, links, quotes, statistics, and anything you can find on the subject into a document. This doesn’t need to have any structure or clear reasoning behind it just yet. This is simply a chance for you to brainstorm and collect information. This will also help give you a better understanding of the topic of your paper and will be extremely useful when the time comes to start writing. 

Step 3: Organize your thoughts.

Step three is when you sift through the research from step two and find the most valuable pieces of information that you’ll want to include in your paper. This is the step where you can create an outline. Keep in mind that outlines don’t have to be extremely detailed and lengthy; just think of the main points you want to write about and underneath those points, include supporting information. While you may be eager to begin the writing process and want to skip doing an outline, I wouldn’t recommend it. Outlines are a great way to organize your paper in a logical way. Start with your introduction which should include your thesis (what you want the reader to know after reading your paper), then body paragraphs where you share information that supports your thesis, and a conclusion that ties the paper together and summarizes what you’ve written. It sounds simple enough, and you’ve most likely been writing papers with this structure for most of your life, but it can be easy to neglect the basics and let your paper go off the tracks. Create an outline to organize your paper and see how each element of the paper will work together to accomplish your vision.

Step 4: Start writing, then take a step back.

Step four is when the writing begins. It might sound a little late in the process to start writing the paper itself, but after you’ve done the first three steps, this part of the process will be made significantly easier. Use your outline as a guide for writing. It is also very important to make sure that you read all of your professors guidelines for the paper so you know you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing, as I mentioned in step one. If there is a rubric, make sure to look it over so that you know what you’re being graded on.

Remember that you can always go back to previous steps in this process and do more research or add things to your outline if you realize adjustments need to be made as you write. In fact, I strongly encourage you to do this to make sure your paper is exactly how you want it to be and satisfies the requirements. Refer back to your professors instructions regularly to make sure you’re on the right track. After you’ve written your paper, I recommend you step away from it for a while and do something else. This is so that when you come back to it, you can find mistakes that you may have overlooked before. It also gives you a mental break and prevents you from becoming overwhelmed.

Step 5: Grade your own paper.

This last step requires you to put yourself in your professors shoes. Once your paper is finished, read it over as if you weren’t the one who wrote it. When you’re done reading, write down what you believe the purpose of the paper was. If this matches the purpose you wrote down for yourself in step one, that’s great! That means you effectively conveyed what you wanted to to the reader. However, it’s always good to get a second opinion, so I would recommend having a peer, someone from the Writing Center, or even your professor look it over and give you their thoughts. You should also give yourself a grade and some feedback after reading it. It might feel a little strange to grade your own paper, but it’s very useful. If you feel like your paper was worthy of a B, think about what you could change to make it an A-worthy paper. What do you feel like was missing? What did you like about the paper? Was there anything you disliked about it? Being totally honest with yourself during this step will improve the quality of your paper. 

Try using this 5 step process for your next writing assignment!

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Academics, Advice

Should You Declare a Minor?

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In college, your major is your main focus as far as academics go; it’s what most of your courses are based around and it’s what you’ll receive a degree in. Picking a major can be challenging, especially if you have multiple interests. Fortunately, if you’re interested in a certain subject but don’t want to make it your major, you can minor in it! Minors are a great way to increase your knowledge on a subject, whether that subject ties into your major or if it’s just something you’d like to know more about.

Here is some advice that will help guide your decision of whether or not adding a minor is the right choice for you:

Minors have certain requirements that need to be fulfilled just like majors do. Click here to view the list of minors Millersville offers and their requirements. Your advisor is a great resource to go to with any questions about minors. It’s also important to talk to your advisor when considering a minor to make sure you are actually eligible to minor in that field. For example, a Business Administration major with a concentration in Marketing cannot minor in Management. They would instead have to add management as a second concentration. Before you meet with your advisor, I’d recommend doing some research on your own to learn more about the minor you’re considering. If you’re interested in minoring in Psychology, for example, you could look into Millerville’s Psychology Department, the faculty and staff, and research the required courses to see if it’s a good fit for you.  Having this information can help you decide if declaring a minor is the right choice for you. 

Minors related to your degree are a good way to learn more about the field you’re interested in, may expand your job opportunities after graduation, and can help your resume stand out among other job candidates. However, don’t limit yourself to thinking that you can’t or shouldn’t minor in a field that isn’t related to your major – you can! Robert Kiyosaki, a businessman and author, said that the most important thing a person can do to help themselves is “to know a little about a lot.” Having a minor that isn’t related to your major can help you graduate with a more varied skill set and knowledge in more than one subject area. 

The biggest piece of advice I can give you when deciding on whether or not to declare a minor is to know yourself. Can you handle the additional courses? Will you still graduate on time? Is it something you’re really interested in? What do you want to get out of it? These are all good questions to ask yourself during this process. You may want to declare a minor to appear more well-rounded and hard working to employers, but standing out to employers also requires things like good grades and participation in extracurricular events.  If a minor interferes with these things, it may not be the right choice for you. If you already have your plate full with other courses and maybe a part-time or full-time job, or if you’re struggling to keep your grades up, I’d recommend making a pros and cons list to help you weigh your options and reach out to your advisor for advice. 

It’s important to remember that even without a minor, there’s still plenty you can do to make sure your a good candidate for jobs once you graduate. Click here to read an article from the American Marketing Association where two recruiters answer questions about things such as what they look for in a resume and how to get noticed, or this article from Indeed.com about how to impress potential employers and coworkers during a job interview. Of course, you can also still explore a subject area you’re interested in without declaring a minor in it by simply taking a few elective courses.

You can remove a minor at any time, so there’s no pressure to stick with something that isn’t working out for you. To add, remove, or change a minor, visit this link and fill out the form called “Academic Program Change Request”. This form was called the “Academic Minor” form until very recently, so if you hear it called that, just know the person is talking about the “Academic Program Change Request”.

Whatever you decide to do, just make sure you’re happy with your choice and that you’re doing what’s best for yourself and your education. 

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Academics, Announcements

Congratulations!

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Congratulations 2020 graduates you have made it to the end! Through all the craziness and uncertainty it has finally ended. It may not have happened the way we had wanted it to, but we can proudly say that we are college graduates. Sadly, graduation can not be May 9th as was originally planned, but it has been postponed. If you have not seen ‘Ville Daily then you should definitely check out this. The Department of Housing and Residential Programs wishes you luck in your future endeavors.

We also want to congratulate the students, faculty and staff for finishing the Spring 2020 semester strong. It has been difficult, but everyone did an excellent job with the change in everyday life. We know life will not go back to exactly as it was for a while, but we hope to be back for the Fall 2020 semester.

Please stay healthy and keep up with your EPPIIC Values. Good luck to everyone moving forward!

Academics, Announcements

Finals Week Tips

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Finals week has finally come, though not in the way we had thought it would. Professors have had to change their syllabus and find new ways to teach their students. Finals is a bit tough though. Some have gone from having a test to having a final paper while others have decided to just make the final online. Either way students should still prepare for their finals.

One way to prepare is to go over the notes from class and online work.

It is beneficial to remember most of the information, even if the test is open book / notes. The test will most likely be timed and it will help you to know most of the information rather then looking each question up.

Another way to prepare is to not cram the night before.

Try looking over your notes each day leading up to the test. This goes well with papers as well. Studying or writing your paper the night before is not a good idea. Try doing a little bit each day. This will help you not feel overwhelmed.

If it is an option, skip questions and then go back to them.

Not all professors allow this on their tests, but if you have the option then use it. If you are unsure of the question and can’t find it in your notes skip it and then come back to it. Don’t waste time trying to figure it out and then not have the time for other questions.

Finally, take time to look over your test / paper before you turn it in.

Before turning in any work you should look over it and make sure you have the answers you think are right. Looking over your paper can help you with grammar and spelling. It is important to check your work before you submit.

Good luck to everyone with their finals!

 

Academics, Policies & Procedures, Resources

Making a Writing Assignment Easy

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Writing isn’t always easy, especially if you don’t have to do it often. There are different styles and every professor has a unique way of grading essays. This can make it overwhelming and sometimes difficult to get a good essay. There are a few things to keep in mind when you go to write an essay that will make it easier and might help produce a good grade.

First you need to understand the question.

You need to understand whether the essay is supposed to be a compare or contrast essay, analytical essay, maybe an evaluation of something or someone. There are different kinds of essays and you need to be aware of what kind your professor wants from you. Basically, the wording of the question is how you will know what the professor is expecting from your essay.

Second you need to plan and schedule.

Most people underestimate the amount of work and time it takes to produce a good essay. Setting up a schedule with deadlines for the different parts of writing an essay will help you in the long run. Here is an example of a schedule:

Third step is make sure your sources relate to your content.

When trying to find sources it is a good idea to read over the abstract or summary. This will let you know whether it is worth it to read the entire source or if it isn’t going to be what you need for your essay.

Don’t forget that you should always find reliable sources that work for your essay. Try the McNairy Library search page to find good sources. We may not be able to be on campus, but the electronic resources and services will remain accessible to students and faculty.

The fourth step to writing a good essay is be critical.

Most studies, arguments, and theories you research have some sort of flaw to them. Instead of just summarizing what you read, try being critical. Point out what works and doesn’t work in the research. By using critical thinking as the approach to your essay you show that you are not simply repeating what you read. Instead it proves that you have thought your topic through.

The fifth step is structure, flow and focus.

It is imperative that your essay be structured in a way that flows and makes sense. Throwing an essay together can lead to it not making sense to the reader. We all know where the intro and conclusion go, but the body paragraphs are important to organize as well.

Sixth step is to write academically.

It is common, especially for first and second year students, to write in an informal way. When writing an essay you should always try and use more formal and academic wording. It should not sound the way you would text.

Finally, do not plagiarize.

This should be obvious by now, but you never want to plagiarize someone else’s writing. Millersville University has rules about plagiarism which are important to know and understand. They also provide tips on how to avoid plagiarism.

You should always have someone look over your work as Millersville University has resources to help you. In the library you can find the Writing Center. Here they will help you revise and edit. Even though the campus is closed the Writing Center is still offering online help.

Even though Millersville has gone completely online, there are still services that you can use to help with your writing. Don’t be afraid to use the Writing Center’s online help or use the library’s online resources.

Academics, Lifestyle / Hall Life, Lists

Defeating Distractions While Working from Home

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Distractions are all around us. Sometimes we look for them, sometimes they sneak up on us. Whatever the reason we usually find ways of distracting ourselves. This is especially true now that most of us are taking online courses and / or working from home. However, there are ways of preventing yourself from getting distracted.

Recognize what your distractions are.

We don’t always notice when we get distracted until after the fact. If you can spot what distracts you from your homework or that important task you are working on then maybe you can prevent them.

Some distractions you may face at home are your family, social media, TV, computer and cell phone. Turn off your notifications and cell phone. You won’t need them. As for your family, try asking them for an hour or two of alone time. It is important for you to focus on your school work and not them.

Put yourself in distraction free mode.

Once you can recognize what your distractions are, you will be able to get rid of them. Your phone is definitely a distraction and when doing homework you should have it turned off or at the very least put it on silence. When it comes to your computer you probably can’t turn it off, but keep social media platforms off. Try to organize your favorites or saved websites so that you aren’t tempted to let yourself get distracted.

Do the hardest (or most dreaded) task first.

It isn’t as hard to do the homework for the class or homework assignments you enjoy. Try doing the task that you do not want to do first. It will make the assignment easier and help you get done with it sooner.

Remove those bad habits that prevent you from getting things done.

The “I will do it later” or “It can wait” sayings are just some bad habits that you should rid yourself of. Instead try getting a head start on your homework or projects. Don’t put off what can be done now.

Declutter your mind.

Try to find relaxation techniques that help you. It is important to take time for yourself. If you need a starting point on finding the perfect relaxation technique for you check out the following article from the Mayo Clinic . By finding a good way of relaxing you will be able to declutter your mind.

Prepare your work place.

Clear your desk and get rid of the knick-knacks and photos on your desk. they may be cute but ultimately they will distract you from what you are doing. You also don’t want your desk to be cluttered because it can be distracting. This goes for the room you plan on working in. If the room is messy you will have a harder time focusing.

Set your time.

Do not try and get everything done at once. It will cause you stress and anxiety that you do not need in your life. Instead set a specific time frame for your projects. Between each project take a little break and relax. The breaks are when you can let yourself get distracted.

With all that is going on with COVID-19, it is important for us to find a way to limit the distractions in our lives. By getting rid of our distractions we can be more productive. This will lead to less stress and anxiety and ultimately make our lives easier. If you can find a way to get rid of your distractions then do it, it will help you in the long run.

Need a new Desk Organizer? Leave a comment below on how you are currently dealing with your distractions in order to be eligible to win a desk organizer with various school supplies (*supplies will vary from those in the photo*). A winner will be randomly selected on 4/10/2020 at 12:00 PM and will be announced. Only current Millersville University students are eligible to win.