Tag Archives: College students

Best Student Discount Sites and Deals Part Two

Love saving money? So do I! That’s why I wanted to make a part two of my previous blog post, “Best Student Discount Sites and Deals”. If you missed out on Black Friday or Cyber Monday deals, don’t worry, there’s plenty of other deals out there for you to take advantage of just in time for Christmas. Here are some more helpful links to sites and discounts that will make you and your wallet happy (again): 

*Disclaimer: We are not endorsed by any of these sites or brands. This post is simply offering suggestions based on popular student discount sites and deals*

Sites

1. BrokeScholar

BrokeScholar | Scholarships for college, Scholarships for college students, School counseling

BrokeScholar is a great resource for students to find tons of student discounts. They have a web page dedicated to showing student discounts for a variety of brands like Target,  Apple, Nike, Levi’s, Gymshark, and much more. 

2. Offers.com

Offers.com: Today's Best Coupons, Promo Codes & Deals

Offers.com is a website that posts coupons and deals for various stores and brands. They have a blog called “Saving Tips” where they offer advice and recommendations for how to save money. They have a blog post titled “100+ Student Discounts for 2020” which was written by Lisa Davis. The post shares student discounts in a variety of categories such as Tech and Software, Clothing, Food, and more. 

3. Dealhack

Dealhack Press Kit

Dealhack is another site that shares promo codes, coupons, and deals. They created a student discounts guide, which is a massive compilation of deals for students to take advantage of. The guide breaks down discounts into 17 categories and is also available in PDF format. Click here to access it and download the PDF. 

4. The University Network

The University Network is a website that has tons of student resources such as college prep, internship and job opportunities, student budgeting advice, and much more. A section of the site is dedicated to sharing student discounts, coupons, and deals. They have a “student save engine” which is a search engine students can use to lookup their favorite stores and brands to find deals. 

Deals

  1. Keds: Students as well as teachers, nurses, first responders, and military can receive 20% off their purchase at Keds if they have an ID.me account. 
  2. Champion: College students can get 10% off at Champion by verifying that they are a student with ID.me.
  3. New York Times: The New York Times is giving students unlimited access to articles from any device for $1.00/week.
  4. Vineyard Vines: Students save 15% at Vineyard Vines once they verify their student status on the website.
  5. Best Buy: Students can create a Best Buy account (if they don’t already have one) and can sign up to receive student deals which are accessible through their “Member Offers” page.
  6. Pacsun: Pacsun is offering students a 10% discount when they register through UNiDAYS, a site that offers a variety of student deals.
  7. Caseable: Students can get a 40% student discount at Caseable, a shop where you can create custom phone cases, through StudentBeans, another site for student deals.
  8. Missguided: Get a 15% off discount code for Missguided when you verify your student status with StudentBeans.
  9. Adidas: Students get a 15% off discount at Adidas when they verify their student status through UNiDAYS.

Happy shopping!

___________________________________________________________________________

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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Self Care Tips

It’s so important that we take care of our bodies and our minds in order to stay healthy and happy. Make sure to make time for self care in your daily routine. Even little things like taking a walk or listening to your favorite music can have a positive impact. It can be easy to forget to take good care of ourselves when there’s so much going on around us, so here are some tips to remind you of how and why you should look after yourself:

1. Get Organized


Source: https://cartl.tumblr.com/post/52858406827

I’ve noticed that when my room is cluttered, my mind is cluttered too. Having a clean and organized living space makes it easier to focus. When I’m finished cleaning, I always feel accomplished and like I have one less thing to worry about. It can be hard to get the motivation to organize your stuff but once you do, you’ll thank yourself for it! Check here to check out an article that shares 100 organization tips.

2. Meditate

Source: https://gph.is/g/4oydmO0

Breathe in. Breathe out. Repeat. Meditation is a great way to help you relax and reflect. It’s a nice pause from everything going on around you. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or just want to spend some time to yourself, meditating is a great way to clear your mind and be calm. There are plenty of YouTube videos, articles, and apps that help you learn how to properly meditate, like this article or this website that also has a free app you can download.

3. Take Time for Yourself

Source: https://tenor.com/view/amy-adams-party-alone-myself-solo-gif-9401802

Even if you have a super busy schedule, it’s so important to take time (even if it’s just a few minutes) to do something that makes you happy. Whether it’s online shopping, drawing, playing a game, calling a friend, or listening to your favorite song, just schedule time in your day to spend doing what you enjoy. You’re never too busy to show yourself some love! Click here to read an article on Oprah.com about how and why you should prioritize spending time with yourself. 

4. Stay Healthy

Source: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=354975365104205

Getting a good night’s sleep each night, eating right, and exercising are all good ways to take care of yourself and your body. Sometimes, it can be hard to get the motivation to workout, eat healthy foods, and not stay up until 3am watching Tik Toks, and that’s okay! You don’t have to be a gym rat or vegetarian to practice self care, but staying healthy in a way that is sustainable and makes you happy is really beneficial. Click here to learn some simple ways to improve your health and happiness. 

5. Don’t Pressure Yourself to be Great

Source: https://gph.is/2Kzmpkm

I’ve seen a lot of posts, articles, and videos about people using the extra free time they have because of quarantine to lose weight, develop a new skill, etc. Don’t feel pressured to use this time to be more productive than usual. It’s okay to take this time to relax without making a major change. As long as you’re doing what makes you happy, there’s nothing else you need to do. 

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Dr. Clyde S. and Pauline F. Stine Endowed Scholarship Award

The presentation of the Stine Award has been a tradition in the Department of Housing and Residential Programs for three decades. The 2019-2020 academic year marks the 32nd year for the award. 

The Dr. Clyde S. and Pauline F Stine Endowed Scholarship was seeded in 1988, by Dr.’s George and Helen Stine as a tribute to the memory of Dr. George Stine’s parents.  Dr. Clyde Stine was a member of the Millersville University Administrative Faculty for 22 years (1946-1968).  He provided administrative oversight for the residence hall program as the Dean of Men. 

Dr. George Stine, Professor of Sociology, and a founding member of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, retired in 2003, after a distinguished 37 years at Millersville University.  Dr. Helen Stine retired in 2003, after many years as a Reading Specialist serving the School District of Lancaster. 

Dr. George Stine has a unique relationship with the residence hall system at Millersville University, having spent the years of his childhood living in the residence halls during his father’s tenure as Dean of Men.  He holds fond memories of living in the original Bard, Harbold, and Diehm Halls as a child and later holding summer employment as a construction crewmember in the completion of the Dilworth Administration Building. 

Dr.’s George and Helen Stine chose to recognize a Resident Assistant because Dr. Clyde Stine viewed the residence halls as an important experience in the life of a scholar, and realized that Resident Assistants provide a fundamental role in the transition from student to new professional. 

The Housing and Residential Programs Stine Award Recipient for the 2019-2020 academic year is Adam T. Bachman Adam has been a Resident Assistant for the past three years assigned to the West Village Residence Hall complex. West Village Residence Area Director, Julia Collett describes Adam as exceeding Department expectations, greatly concerned about the success of his peers and residents and the promotion of Millersville University – a phenomenal Resident Assistant and an outstanding student, mentor and friend. 

Adam has a very distinguished history of service to Housing and Residential Programs and the campus community. A Government and Political Affairs major minoring in German, Psychology and Economics, Adam discovered his passion to help others early in his Millersville University journey, joining the Alliance for Social Change (formerly Social Work Organization) and participating in community food drives, sexual assault awareness training and advocacy events for marginalized groups.   

As Organization President and a Resident Assistant Adam implemented participation in PrideFest, Multicultural Showcase, New Admit Student Day, and hosted a campus Narcan training through the Lancaster Division of Project Lazarus.  

Incorporating advocacy principles into his Resident Assistant position he created a Tie-Dye-Versity program to promote awareness of marginalized groups.  He joined the R.A. Council to advocate for resident student concerns and was elected Student Trustee for the Millersville University Council of Trustees where he currently serves on the All University Council and the Strategic Advisory Council. Adam was selected for an internship in the Office of Homeland Security for the Governor of Pennsylvania where he learned about national and state security initiatives. This experience led to his successful application for a Federal Pathways Program with the Department of Homeland Security Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Security Agency.  He will transition into employment with the Agency upon graduation.   

The Department of Housing and Residential Programs is proud to recognize and endorse Adam T. Bachman as our Stine Award Recipient for the 2019-2020 academic year. 

2019-2020 Housing and Residential Programs Resident Assistant Awards

Each year, the Department of Housing & Residential Programs (HARP) celebrates our dedicated student staff with awards for the hard work they put into making sure our residence halls are safe and engaging living-learning communities.  We are very proud to announce the winners of these various accolades our department awards to outstanding service to the department, the University, and our students:

Overall Awards:
Best Returning RA Award

The recipient for the Outstanding Returning RA Award is awarded to the RA with at least one year of experience.  The Recipient must show the utmost leadership not only among their residents, but among their staff as well.  

Recipient: Rachel Crispin, East Village

Rachel takes it upon herself to do what needs to be done to create and build community, provide intentional support to assist her residents, and be consistently good at both. She met the challenge of having a floor to herself and did an exceptional job there. She planned and coordinated large scale programs such as East Village’s Halloween Party, is willing to help with open desk shifts and other department needs. Through many different circumstances in her life which has proved challenging, Rachel has displayed amazing resiliency, which is what I’ve been impressed by the most. It brings me a great deal of excitement and pride to nominate Rachel Crispin for Best Returner.

Best New RA Award

The recipient for the outstanding new RA of the year award is awarded to the newest member of the RA staff that has shown exemplary leadership and the ability to show constant flexibility, positivity and willingness to help.  This individual must also show support for their residents academically and personally and makes an effort to interact with residents on a personal level and create an exceptional community within their floor. 

Recipient: Larry Jeter, West Village

Larry has taken a lot of initiative this year. He invests a lot of time into getting to know his residents and sees every opportunity as a way to grow. Larry is a great team player and has very high emotional intelligence.

DA of the Year Award

To the Desk Attendant who best exemplify the HARP mission, teamwork and awesome customer service skills.


Recipients: Leah Bahl (pictured on left), South Village and Megan Nolan (pictured on right), West Village

Leah is a hard worker and a great team player.  Her positive attitude has allowed her to excel at her job.  She is helpful and welcoming with residents and is always willing to work when needed. In the short time she’s been with us, she has built friendly relationships with the other DAs as well as the RAs of South Village.

Megan is always at the desk on time. She knows the names of the residents and she makes people feel welcome in West. She knows how to do her job well and she has great customer service skills. She has been a great addition to the DA staff in West.

Programming Awards:

Through the Residential Curriculum, HARP created goals for RAs to meet with their residents through four pillars: Participation, Understanding, Well-Being, Transformation.

Participation Programming Award

To the RA that has best exemplified getting their residents involved in club/org involvement, campus & RA events, study groups.

Recipient: Jade Ryan, Reighard Hall

As someone who is actively involved around campus, Jade did a great job showing others the importance of being a part of the MU community.  Whether in the hall or on campus, Jade encouraged her residents to not just come to programs, but to become a leader and take an active role in shaping the programs being offered here at Millersville.

Understanding Programming Award

To the RA that best exemplifies helping residents identify peers for study groups, utilize academic resources, confidence in analysis skills.

Recipient: Jaelinn Leftridge, West Village

Jaelinn’s ability to develop relationships with others is what allowed her to create and educational community. She brought others together to study in the front lobby and used the study lounges to do homework with residents and peers.

Well-Being Programming Award

To the RA that best exemplifies helping residents identify campus resources for holistic wellness, healthy dining options, good sleeping habits, revisit roommate agreements.

Recipients:Amanda DiPaula (pictured on top) and Jack Kopp (pictured on bottom), South Village

Floor partners Jack and Amanda have worked tirelessly during the school year to ensure the holistic health and wellness of their residents.  They created an intramural team and participated in several intramural sports with their residents.  Jack and Amanda teamed up to work with their residents regarding conflict resolution skills to create better relationships with roommates.

Transformation Programming Award

To the RA that best exemplifies helping residents identify social identities, share learning moments with RA, accomplish goals.

Recipient: Phil Romansky, West Village

At the beginning of the school year, Phil had all of his residents write down semester goals. During his 1-1’s, he checked in with his residents on where they stood in accomplishing their goals. At the beginning of the spring semester, Phil helped his residents revisit their goals. Phil wants his residents to accomplish their dreams.

Congratulations to all of our award winners!! Thank you for all you do and keep up the amazing work!

Things To Do Before You Graduate From MU

For many of us on campus, graduation is coming up very quickly, 12 days and counting to be exact. It feels just like yesterday the school year was starting. I know I am starting to get nervous for graduation and everything that comes after it, meaning  ‘adulting’. Before we leave campus and start our way into the workforce, I think there are things each student who goes to Millersville should do in order to make their time on campus complete. As we came to MU for our first year, we thought we had a lot of time, but with classes and everything in between, time went by quicker than we expected. So, I created a list of things you might want to cross off your checklist if you are graduating in May.

 

  1. Place a penny on the Marauder Statue.

We have all heard the stories of placing a penny on the statue for good luck. Many of my friends do not believe it helps or does anything, but I actually place a penny on the statue before every finals week to give me the extra luck I need to ace my finals.

  1. Watch Miller and S’ville swim around in the pond on a beautiful day.

Miller and S’ville are our campus swans who inhabit the pond located by Dilworth and Wickersham. They are very interesting and many students like to watch them make their way around the pond. Just be sure to not ruffle their feathers!

  1. Get something to eat from the Marauder Express.

Many students are passionate about the food truck and it is starting back up again just in time to grab something if you have not yet. They have the campus favorite, ‘the Ville-a-nator’, which many students love and enjoy, so make sure to give it a try!

  1. Go to a sporting event with your friends.

Cheering on our Marauders is a great way to show school spirit and display your Marauder pride in your last couple days on campus.

  1. Spend some time exploring the city of Lancaster with your friends.

Lancaster is a very interesting city and was recently named ‘one of the coolest U.S. cities to visit in 2019’ by Forbes. So make sure you visit some of the trendy cafés and local businesses before you leave the area!

  1. Buy a coffee or other drink from Saxbys.

Saxbys is our campus café that attracts many students each day with their delicious bagels and coffee drinks. Make sure to visit to grab a cold brew or to just sit in their beautifully decorated café to listen to some great playlists!

  1. Play a game of frisbee or catch on the Quad.

The quad is the area located between the residence halls and Gordinier. It is the perfect area to hang out with friends on a sunny day or start up a game of catch.  You will often see students relaxing and playing music to get away from the stress of schoolwork. It is a must if you have some free time to spare!

  1. Take a walk through campus.

As a result of  many busy schedules and having classes in only certain academic buildings, chances are you have not been inside a lot of buildings or places on campus. Taking a walk through can show you some of the hidden study places you have been missing out on.

  1. Go to the dining hall and eat like you are trying to gain the freshman 15 just one more time.

Some of us have moved off campus and do not have a dining plan anymore, so we do not eat at the Upper Deck as often as we used to. It can be nice to go there one more time to eat a bunch of the foods you used to eat all the time as a freshman. You can also try to meet up with some of your old friends you would eat dinner with every night.

10 . Hangout with your friends from freshman year.

Sometimes because of schedules and living situations, we do not see our friends we made from freshman year as often as we would like. So in your last couple weeks on campus, try to contact them to see if they would like to meet up and reminisce about your first couple days or months on campus and the best memories you shared.

11. Pull an all-nighter with your roommate(s).

Sometimes schedules are crazy and you do not get to spend enough time with your friends or roommates. So in your last couple nights, try to stay up all night with them to spend that extra time with them because in a little bit you will not be seeing them everyday.

12. Buy a t-shirt or sweatshirt with your graduation class on it  or alumni items from the University Bookstore.

Buying a t-shirt with your graduation year on it is a great keepsake to have to look back on your time at college. Also, alumni items are great to wear around to show your Marauder Pride after you graduate! You can find Class of 2019 items and alumni merchandise here.

13. Take pictures in front of famous MU landmarks.

If you are graduating, chances are you are going to want to take  pictures to remember your time on campus. So, grab your friends and take pictures in front of the most recognizable places on campus or the places you spent the most time at. For example, I know I want to take pictures near the big Millersville University sign at the front of campus, the Biemesderfer Center and of course the pond. Here are some other great places to get pictures taken!

14. Look back at the all the hard work and courses you have taken during your time here.

Sometimes it is good to look back at all the assignments and projects you had to complete to get you to where you are. These assignments can show you how much you learned and the type of things you are capable of completing.

15. Thank the people who were with you for the last four/five/six years of your life.

However long it has taken you to get to this point, you are graduating and I am sure there were people in your life who have helped you get to this point. It is important to thank your friends, parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers and anyone else you may  have gotten advice or support from. This is a big moment and it is important to look back on how you got to this point and who supported you! You should be proud of yourself.

 

Tips For Surviving Finals Week

?“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

 

Quotes to Get You Through Your ‘Burnout’

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. 

World Kindness Day

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.”

National Mental Health Awareness Week: Tips on How to De-stress

October 7- 13, 2018 is National Mental Health Awareness Week (Also known as Mental Illness Awareness Week). This week is important because it brings awareness to the crucial topic of mental health and mental illnesses. In a recent study from spring 2017, researchers from the American College Health Association found that nearly 40% of college students said they felt so depressed it was difficult to function (Reilly, 2018). The researchers also found that 61% of college students said they had felt “overwhelming anxiety.”  Anxiety, depression, stress and sadness are all challenges that college students face , but there are many resources and ways to cope with these challenges.

To help you cope with stress and anxiety here is a list of tips and tricks on how to de-stress and relax.

  1. Make minor adjustments to your room.

A cluttered space can make you feel disorganized. One way to create a less stressful environment is to open your bedroom blinds to let natural light into your space. Students can also decorate their rooms in soothing colors such as light blue or grey. These colors may make you feel calm . Another option is to buy a small plant. Plants bring life to the room and give you a chance to take care of a living being.

  1. Take time to read a book.

One of the best things to do when stressed out is to engross yourself in a book. Some of the best books to read during stressful times are motivational or inspiring works. Examples of books that help you feel great again are Eat, Pray, Love, The 5 Second Rule, or Milk and Honey

  1. Write in a journal.

Putting pen to paper is one of the best ways to avoid stress. If you write out your troubles, it can help you express your worries and help you assess the situation with fresh eyes. Writing in a journal can also help you to recognize when you overcame obstacles and give you the confidence to overcome obstacles in the future.

  1. Plan and get work done ahead of time.

Personally, one of the best tips when it comes to lessening stress is to plan ahead to get work done. There are so many deadlines for assignments, and students tend to get overwhelmed and forget to do them. If students make the switch to writing out deadlines in the beginning of the semester and using free time to complete work, they can get ahead and alleviate the stress of completing the assignment on time.

  1. Turn off your phone.

Sometimes phones can do more harm than good. They can produce constant worry about likes, retweets or receiving messages back, that by the end of the day this adds stress. Turning phones off for a couple minutes a day can help to relieve stress and give more time to think or do other activities.

  1. Visit the University Counseling Center.

Millersville has  resources on campus such as the Center for Counseling and Human Development where students can set up counseling appointments to talk about their stress or anxiety. The Center for Counseling and Human Development will also be introducing light box therapy starting October 2nd, which can help students who experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) or depression during the winter months.

  1. Just breathe.

This may sound cheesy, but it can really help in any situation. If you take a deep breathe, it can slow thinking down and release built up tensions. It can also bring the realization that things will be okay and to just be patient.

 

Photos courtesy of Canva. 

Reilly, K. (2018, March 19). Anxiety and Depression: More College Students Seeking Help. Retrieved from http://time.com/5190291/anxiety-depression-college-university-students/