Announcements

Residence Halls Open Early on Saturday @ 12:00 PM Due to Weather

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The Department of Housing & Residential Programs in discussion with Dining, Facilities, and MUPD has decided to permit students to return on Saturday, January 19, 2019 starting at 12:00 PM due to the impending weather. Students may also return on Sunday or Monday, but due to those families traveling from afar, we are extending this courtesy to Saturday. Meal plans will not be active until brunch on Sunday, but students may use Flex, cash, Marauder Gold, and credit cards to pay to eat in the Upper Deck on Saturday. Please plan accordingly if you do come back early.

We kindly ask that students who return on Saturday to park in the student parking deck (West Cottage Avenue and N. Prince Street) after unloading your belongings in order to make ice and snow removal easier for our grounds crew.

We want all of our Marauders to be safe so please use caution if you intend to travel on Saturday. We encourage you to wait until Sunday or Monday if at all possible.

Academics, Lists

Tips For Surviving Finals Week

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?“It’s the most stressful time of the year.”? Yes Marauders, it is Finals Week. Finals week is one of the most stressful weeks in the whole semester. Somehow during this time you have what feels like a hundred papers due and an exam in almost every class. Tensions can run high and you may pull all nighters just to prepare for your exams. To get through this tough time, I created a list of some tips I have accumulated to successfully get through the storm.

 

  1. Start Early.

If you start studying or creating a study plan early, you will feel less overwhelmed when finals week arrives.

2. Stay Well-Rested

Getting a good amount of sleep each night is essential to feeling well-rested. This will also give you higher energy levels to get the right amount of studying done each day.

3. Attend Office Hours

This is a huge tip! Attending office hours can be very beneficial because it gives you one-on-one time with your professor to ask any questions on material you may not understand. Also, this is a big way to show your professors you are serious about your work and you are trying your best with the material. This can be very beneficial when grading comes around.

4. Create a Plan and Stick To It

If you have a plan in place, you are less likely to stray from it. This will act as a motivator to get your studying  done daily and to cross things off your checklist. I have to say crossing things off your checklist is one of the best feelings.

5.  Don’t Stick Strictly to the Study Guide

If your professors give you a study guide, make sure you also look at information that was not on it. Professors mainly give study guides to give students an idea of what can be on the test, but they might also add other information to make sure you reading the material and know it very well.

6.  Take Study Breaks

Sometimes spending too much time studying  without a break can be bad for your brain. If you take small breaks in between certain content, it can be beneficial. For example, you can take a quick walk outside or watch a short video in between.

7. Do Not Study In Your Bed

One of my biology teachers taught me this tip in high school and it has always stuck with me. Your brain associates your bed with sleep and relaxation, so when you try to study in your bed, you are less productive and you can disrupt your sleep patterns. The next time you will go to sleep, your body will take more time to adjust to it and you may lose out on hours of sleep.

8. Create Acronyms or Rhymes To Memorize Lists or Difficult Information

This is a very helpful tip that I use when I study. When I have to know long lists of steps or types of information, I create an acronym to spell out the first letter of every word. This is kinda like how teachers would use PEMDAS in elementary school to remember math operations. For example, this acronym stands for parentheses, exponents, multiplication , division, addition and subtraction.

9. Review Your Notes Daily

Taking time each day to review your notes will pay off in the long run. When test time rolls around, you will know the information better and be able to recognize the words in the questions quickly.

10. Dress Nice To Your Finals

“Dress well, test well” simply implies that those who dress well on the day of their exam or presentation are likely to perform better, or at least feel, better. Dressing nicer makes you feel more confident with the information and may help you do better.

11. Put Your Phone On Do Not Disturb or Turn It Off

Your phone can take away time from your studying and distract you from learning the information. Turn your phone off during your time studying to avoid this distraction and to decrease your time spent on one subject.

12. Eat Healthy

If you eat foods that are unhealthy and that do not provide nutrients, they can make you feel groggy. This can make you feel lazy and make you not want to study even more. Instead of choosing fried food or a bag of chips , eat a salad or some apples. Your body will thank you later.

13. Have a Positive Mindset

You are not going to get anywhere or have any confidence in yourself if you do not have a positive mindset. Studies have also shown that if you write positive affirmations on your exams, you will do better because it will make you more confident in your responses.

14. Study With Other People in Your Class

Having other people to study the information with you, will help you learn the information as well as teach you new study techniques. This is also good because if someone knows some information better than you, they can help you piece together what you are not understanding.

15.  Treat Yourself

This is a tough week and you are putting a lot of time into your studies, you deserve to treat yourself with a candy or maybe a coffee you like. Don’t feel bad about treating yourself or taking the time to do something you love, you deserve it!

We would like to wish everyone good luck on their final projects and exams! Stay motivated and do your best!

 

Picture source

 

Announcements

Millersville University Residence Hall Winter Break 2018-19 Bulletin

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The residence halls will close for the Winter break with residents expected to exit the residence halls as follows:  Residents not actively engaged and mandated to be present for commencement activities are expected to exit the residence hall by Noon on Saturday December 15, 2018.

Residents actively engaged in commencement activities are expected to exit the residence hall no later than closing at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday December 16, 2018.  Residents who need to stay in residence overnight on Saturday December 15, 2018 must contact the Residence Area Director of your assigned building to make this arrangement.  This includes those who are actively engaged in commencement activity.

Winter Break housing will start at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday December 16, 2018.  The residence halls will be closed during the Winter Break. Resident Students who are continuing in the residence halls to Spring 2019, and who have an approved reason for requesting Winter Break Housing may request break housing for all or portions of the Winter Break by completing the MyHousing registration for Winter Break Housing through the MAX account no later than 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday December 12, 2018.  This includes requests for both the December and January portions of the Winter Break.

All Winter Break Housing is in the regular residence halls.  If you are requesting Winter Break housing and you have scheduled a room change for the spring semester, you must complete the room change before the start of the break.  Please see your Residence Area Director to make that arrangement.

To request Winter Break Housing please follow these instructions:

  1. Open MAX (for best results please use Goggle Chrome, or Firefox, do not use Internet Explorer).
  2. Log into your My-Housing account.
  3. Select Application from the menu in black and then choose Break Housing 2018 on the drop down menu.
  4. You may get a message that says “Records indicate that you submitted this application on (date) at (time), what would you like to do with this application?
  5. From the drop down menu select “Revisit/Update This Application” and press submit.
  6. Select Winter Break.
  7. Complete the required information.
  8. You must select a reason for requesting break housing from the drop down menu.  If you select other, you must explain in the next box.
  9. Select “Continue” to submit your application.
  10. You only need to request Winter Break Housing if you need to continue your housing during the break period – Sunday December 16, 2018 6:00 p.m., through Sunday January 20, 2019, Noon.

The Residence Hall Staff will conduct Health and Safety Inspections in each residence hall suite at the start of the Winter break. Please carefully review the following instructions and information to avoid violations of the Student Code of Conduct for improper maintenance of your residence hall suite/room.

Winter Break Housing Information:

  • The residence halls will be closed during Winter break except for returning residents who have requested winter break housing.
  • Card access for all resident students will be discontinued during the Winter break. Only returning residents who have requested Winter break housing will have card access privileges.
  • Guests and Visitation is not permitted during the break.
  • All University Administrative Offices will close for the holidays after Noon Monday December 24, 2018 until 8:00 a.m. Wednesday January 2, 2019. Residence Hall Offices will have limited hours of operation during the break – see the hall front desk for contact information.
  • See Dining Services and Health Services websites for hours of operation.
  • SMC Desk will close for the holidays Noon on December 24 to Noon on December 26, 2018, and Noon December 31, 2018 to 7:00 a.m. January 2, 2019.
  • Non-urgent police and campus calls during holiday closing times dial (717) 871-4357. Fire, Police, and EMS Emergencies dial 911 at all times.
  • Students assigned to continue housing in the residence halls for Spring 2019 are not required to surrender residence hall keys to the staff prior to leaving for the break.
  • The Housekeeping and Facilities Management Staffs will be working in the campus residence halls to perform maintenance tasks during the break that require entrance to resident rooms.  The Housing Staff may post a courtesy sign on your door indicating that the room is occupied during the Winter break.  This sign will ensure that workers will not enter your room without knocking.  Please leave it in place for the duration of the Winter break.
  • All students assigned to the residence hall for Fall 2018 are assigned to continue in the residence halls for Spring 2019 unless: you have filed an official withdrawal from the University; filed and been approval for an official leave of absence for Spring 2019; filed for leave of absence due to call to active military service for spring 2019; filed and been approved for study abroad for spring 2019; are a current study abroad visa international student not returning for the spring 2019 semester. All of these circumstances require that you are not registered for classes at Millersville University for Spring 2019.

Winter Break Preparation Procedures:

Prior to the start of the break, all resident students MUST:

  • Dispose of all trash by removing it to the dumpster in the parking lots outside your residence hall.
  • Clean the room/suite including sweeping the floor and wiping down furniture.
  • Clean your bathroom and report any issues with constant run toilets, sinks, showers to the residence hall staff.
  • Remove food from your refrigerator and properly dispose of it through proper trash removal
  • Defrost your refrigerator
  • If you are leaving for the break, turn off the lights
  • If you are leaving for the break, set the thermostat to 70 degrees
  • If you are leaving for the break, close and lock your room window (Villages)
  • If you are leaving for the break, lower the blinds halfway but leave them open
  • If you are leaving for the break, lock your bedroom door and your suite door
  • If you are leaving for the break please move all items from your residence hall floor, especially computer equipment and any items that can be damaged by flooding.
  • If you are leaving for the break and you have a Learning Services approved animal in your room, you must take the animal with you. You may not leave animals in the residence hall in the care of another student or staff member.

Photo courtesy of Canva.

Announcements

Residence Hall Housing Deposit Process Open for Fall 2019-Spring 2020

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The On-Campus Housing Deposit process for Fall 2019 – Spring 2020 is now open for returning students. Submitting your housing deposit is the first step to securing your housing for the upcoming school year. The $200 non-refundable, housing deposit will applied to your account for the Spring 2020 semester.

You can pay your housing deposit through your MAX account. It is on the first page of options when you log into your MAX account and is the second-to-last choice on the page labeled “Housing Deposit.”  Clicking on the link will take you to the page to make the payment.

The housing deposit screen will show “Spring 2020” because the $200 deposit is being applied to your spring semester bill. This deposit will reserve your room for the entire 2019-2020 academic year. Making this payment makes you eligible for the room selection process, which will occur early in the Spring 2019 semester. Please note that paying the deposit does not guarantee your same room, suite, or building.

Further details regarding room selection and corresponding dates will be available soon. Good luck on your finals and projects Marauders!

Health & Wellness, Lifestyle / Hall Life

Quotes to Get You Through Your ‘Burnout’

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As college students it is very common for us to feel the sensation of ‘burnout’. This feeling very often comes right after we come back to school from Thanksgiving break to make our final stretch. We are experiencing  a cycle of ongoing stress, we are tired, lose motivation and are focused on other things like the holidays instead of our upcoming tests. The last couple weeks of the semester are very hard and after a break we do not want to get back into the work loads ahead of us. If you need motivation to make that last push and ace your finals, here are some inspirational quotes to get you back on the grind.

 

  1. “Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Teresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.
  2. “You’ve got to get up every morning with determination if you’re going to go to  bed with satisfaction.” – George Lorimer
  3. “Procrastination makes easy things hard, hard things harder.” – Mason Cooley
  4.  “A diamond is merely a lump of coal that did well under pressure.”
  5. “Destiny is for losers; it’s just a stupid excuse to wait for things to happen instead of making them happen.” – Blair Waldorf
  6. “Sometimes, you need to step outside get some air and remind yourself who you are and where you want to be.” – Gossip Girl
  7. “There is no secret to success. It is the result of preparation , hard work and learning from failure.” – General Colin Powell
  8. “When it’s finals week and you’ve been studying for five hours straight, you need three things to get you through the night. The biggest Slurpee you can find, half cherry half Coke. Pajama pants, the kind that have been washed so many times they are tissue-paper thin. And finally, dance breaks. Lots of dance breaks.” – Jenny Han
  9. “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
  10. “You are so close to the victory, don’t you dare give up now.”
  11. “Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” – Kerim Seddiki
  12. “Don’t let perfection become procrastination.” Danielle LaPorte
  13. “Don’t study because you need to. Study because knowledge is power. Study because they can never take it away from you. Study because you want to know more. Study because it enhances you. Study because it grows you.” – Anonymous
  14. “Recipe for success: Study while others are sleeping; work while others are loafing; prepare while others are playing; and dream while others are wishing.” – William A. Ward
  15. “Don’t stop until you’re proud.”

Happy studying! Good luck on all of your upcoming exams and projects and may the curve be ever in your favor.

Cover photo courtesy of Canva. 

Announcements

Avoid the “Winter Blues”

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Since it is Winter, there are less hours of sunlight  in the day and most of the time it is gloomy outside. During this time, it is common for many people to  suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder or (SAD). SAD is a type of depression that occurs during the cold and darker months of the year, mainly fall and winter. This disorder makes people feel moody and it takes away their energy levels.

Here at Millersville you do not need to brush off that yearly feeling as simply as a case of the “winter blues”. This feeling is very common, so the Counseling Center offers relief to those experiencing this during the winter months. The Counseling Center , located in Lyle Hall,  have launched Light Box Therapy which has been available since October and will be available until March.

Light Box Therapy involves sitting down in front of light boxes. During this time , students can sit there and relax or they can complete their work while in front of the light. The light that is projected mimics sunlight which can lift your mood. The science behind it is that when you are in the presence of the light there is a chemical change in your brain and more levels of serotonin are produced. Serotonin is a brain chemical that affects your mood. 

Light Box Therapy sessions may be scheduled on Mondays through Fridays  from 8 am to 11:30 am. The Counseling Center has found the best results when students make an appointment in the morning. Completing a session in the morning helps to create better regulation of the body’s sleep cycles. So if you have 20-30 mins in the day , why not try out Light Box Therapy to increase your mood.

Information was provided by Erin Haggard, the Graduate Assistant at the Center for Counseling and Human Developemnt here at Millersville University.

To make an appointment or get more information you can go to the Counseling Center’s website or call them.

Cover photo courtesy of Canva.

Lists

Best Study Spots On Campus

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Finals season is approaching and for many of us it is time to start putting our study plans into place. This time can be stressful and nerve-racking , but creating a schedule and sticking to it can help your grade. For me, I like to plan out when I will study for each of my exams. Another helpful tip I use is to make sure I am comfortable and focused  in the area I am studying. There are many different places to study and each of them have their pros and cons. Here is my list of the best places to study on campus.

  1. Study Rooms in the Residence Halls

Pros: These study rooms are very quiet and you also do not need to leave the comfort of your hall to trek to another spot. They also have whiteboards to help you study.

Cons: They are rarely empty because students fill them up real quick when no one is occupying them. 

2. Study Rooms on the 5th Floor in the Library

Pros: These spots are very private and provide a big area to study with friends. They also have TVs in the rooms incase you are working on something that needs to be presented.

Cons: These rooms are very hard to get and they are always taken by students. Also, there are not a lot of them.

 

This is a picture of my favorite study room. The room is very big, has a couch and many windows to look out!

3. Area Behind Starbucks

Pros: This is the perfect spot if you do not need to really focus on something. This area is close to Starbucks, so it is easy to get a pick-me-up while you’re studying. The big tables are also nice to spread your work on.

Cons: Sometimes this spot can get noisy because of its proximity to Starbucks. It also gets very busy around common hour.

4. The 6th Floor of the Library

Pros: This is the quiet floor of the library , so it is a very good place to go if you need to focus. There are also many individual desks.

Cons: Sometimes I feel self-conscious of the noise I am making which makes me uncomfortable. Many people go on this floor, so it is hard to find a seat.

5. Saxby’s

Pros: This is a great spot if you have work that does not require a lot of focus. This is also a good spot to meet with friends to get work done because of the large tables and location. It is also closer to the residence halls than the library or Starbucks.

Cons: It can get very noisy with people coming in to grab dinner or the music they play. During the day it gets very busy, so it is hard to study there.

If you have a favorite study spot, tweet us! Our username is @villehousing . Happy studying!

Cover photo courtesy of Canva. 

Announcements

Millersville University Residence Hall Thanksgiving Break 2018 Bulletin

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The Thanksgiving break will start at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday November 21, 2018. The residence halls will be available for occupancy during the Thanksgiving break, but resident students must register intention to stay on campus during the Thanksgiving break (this includes leaving late and returning early) between 4:00 p.m. Thursday November 1, 2018, and no later than 7:00 p.m. on Monday November 19, 2018.  This registration is for Thanksgiving break only.  You must register subsequent breaks separately as the portal becomes available for each break period.

Follow these instructions:

  1. Open MAX (for best results please use Google Chrome, or Firefox. Do not use Internet Explorer.)
  2. Log into your “MyHousing” account
  3. Select Application from the menu in black and then choose “Break Housing 2018” on the drop down menu.
    1. You may get a message that says “Records indicate that you submitted this application on (date) at (time), What would you like to do with this application?”
    2. From the drop down menu select “Revisit/Update This Application” and press submit.
    3. Select “Thanksgiving Break.”
  4. Complete the required information.
  5. You must select a reason for requesting break housing from the drop down menu.  If you select other, you must explain in the next box.
  6. Select “Continue” to submit your application

Remember, you must register for break housing even if you are just leaving late at closing, or returning early before opening.

The Residence Hall Staff may conduct Health and Safety Inspections in each residence hall suite at the start of the Thanksgiving break. Please carefully review the following instructions and information to avoid violations of the Student Code of Conduct for improper maintenance of your residence hall suite/room.

Thanksgiving Break Housing Information:

  • The residence halls will be operational during Thanksgiving break.
  • All University Administrative Offices will be closed on Thursday November 22nd and Friday November 23, 2018.
  • Guests and Visitation is not permitted during the break.
  • Residence Hall Offices will have limited hours of operation during the break – see you hall front desk for contact information.
  • See Dining Services and Health Services websites for hours of operation.
  • SMC Desk will be closed from 4:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 21st until Noon Friday November 23, 2018
  • Non-urgent police and campus calls dial (717) 871-4357.  Emergencies dial 911.
  • Students are not required to surrender residence hall keys to the staff prior to leaving for the break.
  • The Housekeeping and Facilities Management Staffs may be working in the campus residence halls to perform maintenance tasks during the break that require entrance to resident rooms.  The Housing Staff may post a courtesy sign on your door indicating that the room is occupied.  This sign will ensure that workers will not enter your room without knocking. Please leave it in place for the duration of the break.

Thanksgiving Break Preparation Procedures:

Prior to the start of the break, all resident students MUST:

  • Dispose of all trash by removing it to the dumpster in the parking lots outside your residence hall.
  • Clean the room/suite including sweeping the floor and wiping down furniture.
  • Clean your bathroom and report any issues with constant run toilets, sinks, showers to the residence hall staff.
  • Remove stale food from your refrigerator and properly dispose of it through proper trash removal
  • If you are leaving for the break, turn off the lights
  • If you are leaving for the break, set the thermostat to 70 degrees
  • If you are leaving for the break, close and lock your room window (Villages)
  • If you are leaving for the break, lower the blinds halfway but leave them open
  • If you are leaving for the break, lock your bedroom door and your suite door
  • If you are leaving for the break please move all items from your residence hall floor, especially computer equipment and any items that can be damaged by flooding.
  • If you are leaving for the break and you have a Learning Services approved animal in your room, you must take the animal with you.  You may not leave animals in the residence hall in the care of another student or staff member.

Photo courtesy of:

https://www.freeimages.com/photographer/petit_roux-49036

Lifestyle / Hall Life

Thanksgiving In the Halls

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Thanksgiving is right around the corner. This holiday celebrates thanking your loved ones and friends for everything they do and showing that you appreciate them. For college students, it also is a time to have a break from classes in order to celebrate the holiday. If you want to get a head start on the celebrations and create them here at Millersville, here are some ideas on how to kick off the holiday season with your friends.

  1. Host a “Friends-giving”

Use the kitchens in the residence halls to create a Thanksgiving dinner for you and all your friends!  Getting all your friends to pitch in to buy the supplies and actually cook the meal can be a fun and different way for you and your friends to spend a weeknight or weekend.  

2. Decorate Your Door For the Holiday

Decorating your door for the different holidays can get you into the holiday spirit and spread holiday cheer to the other residents. This can also give students time to be creative and show off their talents. You can see our Pinterest account for some ideas , our username is @villehousing .

3. Watch Your Favorite Thanksgiving Episodes of TV Shows With Your Friends

A bunch of TV shows have great Thanksgiving episodes. Every Thanksgiving, I make sure watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.  Also, I started a tradition with my college friends that we watch the Thanksgiving episodes of Friends and Gossip Girl together. This is a great way to relax and spend time with your friends while being festive. Here are the episodes incase you and friends want to watch them!

Thanksgiving episodes of friends

  • Season 1 episode 9
  • Season 2 episode 8
  • Season 3 episode 9
  • Season 4 episode 8
  • Season 5 episode 8
  • Season 6 episode 9
  • Season 7 episode 8
  • Season 8 episode 8
  • Season 9 episode 8
  • Season 10 episode 8

Thanksgiving episodes of Gossip Girl

  • Season 1 episode 9
  • Season 2 episode 11
  • Season 3 episode 11
  • Season 4 episode 10
  • Season 6 episode 8

4. Make a List of What You Are Thankful For

This may seem sappy, but at the end of the day this holiday celebrates all of the things we are thankful for. Taking the time to create a list, will make you realize all the great things and people in your life. You can even take it a step further and thank the people who mean a great deal to you.

5. Create Thanksgiving Themed Crafts With Your Friends

Remember in elementary school when we would make hand turkeys?  Why not do it now? This can be a fun and nostalgic way to celebrate the holiday and have a good time with your friends. Also, these can include other crafts as well, not just the famous hand turkey.

6. Volunteer

Thanksgiving can also be a great time to show your community you are thankful for them by volunteering. Taking the time to volunteer or donate supplies to make Thanksgiving dinner is a great way to give back to the community and make sure others have a great holiday as well.

We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!

Announcements, Lists

World Kindness Day

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November 13th, is World Kindness day! This is a day celebrated annually on November 13th and promotes making the world a better place by spreading kindness and participating in good deeds. On this great day, people are encouraged to participate in spreading love and kindness . Celebrate with these fun and easy random acts of kindness!

Picture source: https://www.ftd.com/blog/celebrate/kindness-quotes

  1. Compliment your friends or random people.

Tell someone you like their outfit, or they have a great smile or tell them they are smart and ambitious. Being complimented is one of the best feelings in the world and can make someone happy for the whole day.

2. Say good morning to people you see on your walk to class.

This is a friendly and easy way to make a stranger’s day.

3. Pay it forward at Saxby’s or Starbucks.

If you haven’t heard of this concept, it occurs when you pay for the person’s item or coffee behind you. It is a sweet little surprise.

4. Write a handwritten note to your friend or favorite professor.

This shows the person that they are appreciated and doing a good job or being a great person.

5. Say thank you to someone you appreciate.

Saying thank you is a kind and sweet way to show someone that you care for them and recognize how they impact your life.

6. Make someone smile.

Smiling is contagious and can make someone feel happy. This can happen by telling a joke, a story or just by talking to them.

7. Send an uplifting text to a friend or family member.

This is a great way to make someone’s day who you cannot see everyday. I like to send my best friend from home a small little text each day to inspire her to keep going and to show her my appreciation of her!

Let’s make kindness here at Millersville the norm. Being kind to those around you will create a fun and friendly environment. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

717-871-4200 | housing@millersville.edu