Tag Archives: Tips For Success

Announcements, Lifestyle / Hall Life, Lists

Spring 2020 Is Coming Soon!

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It is almost time for the Spring 2020 semester to start! Residence halls will open January 19th at 12 pm for those of you who live on campus and classes will start on January 21st. This may not seem like a lot, but trust me it can be overwhelming. It’s tough to get back to campus and only have one day to settle back into dorm life. However, there are a few life hacks you can try to make this time of the semester less stressful.

  1. BUY YOUR TEXTBOOKS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE:

It is important to be prepared for your classes and most of your professors are going to want you to have them right away. If you end up not needing them it can’t hurt to return them.

2. GET YOUR SCHOOL SUPPLIES:

This goes along with number one. Some professors like to get started right away. Make sure you have your notebooks and writing utensils on hand, just in case.

3. TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR PAPERWORK:

Make sure your tuition is paid! You don’t want the added stress of finding out that you still owe money for your tuition. Also any kind of paperwork that needs to be done should be done as soon as possible. This may include, but not limited too, major or minor forms or graduation application.

4. GIVE SOME OF YOUR TIME TO YOUR TEXTBOOKS:

If you read the introduction of your textbook before you get to class you will have a better understanding of what your semester is going to look like. Similar to numbers one and two, this will help you be prepared for the first day of class.

5. GIVE YOURSELF TIME TO DO NOTHING:

Before the semester starts, make sure that you give yourself a little break. The holidays can be stressful and soon after the semester starts. It is important that you have some time to not worry. Some things to get your mind off of everything are:

  • Reading a good book
  • Watching a movie or TV show
  • Spending time with a few friends or family

It’s easy to get overwhelmed at the beginning of the semester with everything you have to do. Try not to add to your stress by not being prepared for classes and procrastinating on important paperwork. By following these steps the start of the spring semester will go smoothly.

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Announcements, Health & Wellness, Lifestyle / Hall Life

Stay Healthy on Campus

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As fall approaches, so does cold and flu season. Unfortunately, illnesses can sneak up on us, but there are a few ways students can get ahead of the game.

Get a flu shot.
Health Services offers free flu shots to all students. While Health Services usually requires an appointment to be seen, they provide walk-ins for flu shots. If you believe you’ve gotten sick, Health Services will evaluate and treat acute illnesses. You can schedule an appointment by calling 717-871-5250.

Exercise.
Exercise helps white blood cells travel faster through your body; white blood cells are the ones that fight against infection. There are a few ways to exercise on campus. The Fitness Center is located in the SMC and is free to all full-time students. There are numerous intramural and club sports, as well as fitness classes, offered as well. If you don’t have enough time for a formal workout and still have PokemonGo downloaded, there are 8 gyms and 45 PokeStops around campus you can walk, jog, or run to. Don’t forget to hatch your eggs!

Get enough sleep.
While it’s tempting to pull an all-nighter, sleep deprivation can lead to reduced brain function, fatigue, headaches, and more. Between 7 and 9 hours of sleep will improve your overall health. Try taking a short nap during the day and sticking to a schedule can help you to stay rested throughout the day.

Wash your hands.
Washing your hands is one of the easiest ways to avoid getting sick. Being in close contact with people through classes, the residence halls, and walking around campus means it’s easy to catch colds or viruses. Hand washing removes these germs. Wash your hands before meals, any time you will be touching your eyes, nose or mouth, or if you’ve been around others who are sick.

Drink lots of water.
Staying hydrated gives you more energy throughout the day by replenishing your body. It helps concentration and can help you from overeating. Refill the water you buy from the Anchor or Galley from water fountains with the EZ H2O filtration system — these water fountains can be found all over campus.

Eat right.
Eating healthy can help boost your immune system, maintain a healthy weight, and improve overall health. While it’s easier to grab a slice of pizza or cheesesteak, healthier alternatives are available at the Upper Deck, Anchor, and Galley. Even if you don’t have time before your 9AM class, always eat breakfast. Whether it’s a granola bar or banana, breakfast keeps you from overeating throughout the day. Never skipping meals is also important. Snacking can also help keep your appetite in check. Try keeping a good balance of dairy, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and protein every day.

Relax.
Stress is something that you’ll definitely experience in college. Relaxing and having down-time is essential to staying healthy. Stress and getting run-down can adversely affect your health. Creating a routine and giving yourself regular breaks is the easiest way to relax. Don’t forget to hang out with friends and de-stress by binging Netflix or Hulu or curling up with a good book.

Images courtesy of Pexels. 

Lifestyle / Hall Life, New / Prospective Students, Resources

Millersville University Resource List for Incoming Students

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Starting college for the first time can be daunting if you don’t know what resources are available on campus. Millersville University offers many different resources, so here is a compiled list of resources both new and returning students can benefit from.

Academic Advisement
Academic Advisement strives to help students develop educational plans, clarify career and life goals, and reinforce self-direction among many other things. Academic Advisement also spearheads the retention initiatives — these initiatives are for students in academic jeopardy. They are here to help you, no matter what!

Campus Ministries
Through Campus Ministries, there are several campus clubs, campus ministers, and off-campus worship opportunities. Wherever faith takes you, Millersville has something to offer.

Center for Counseling and Human Development
The Counseling Center is committed to providing quality mental health care to Millersville’s campus. The Center offers bibliotherapy, lightbox therapy, pet therapy, drug and alcohol counseling, crisis intervention, support groups, and counseling for issues such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, grief, homesickness, stress, and test anxiety. Students may receive up to five counseling sessions a semester, but if students seek long-term counseling, they may be referred to resources in the community.

Center for Health Education and Promotion
The Elsie S. Shenk Center for Health Education and Promotion (CHEP) educates students on topics including alcohol and other drugs, body image, dating and domestic violence, healthy relationships, safer sex, sexual assault, stalking, and stress. Students have the opportunity to train to become peer educators and teach their fellow students how to lead a healthy lifestyle and safely make the most out of their college experience.

Center for Student Involvement and Leadership
The Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL) is Millersville’s go-to place for students who want to get involved. CSIL allows students to get involved on campus, serve Millersville’s community, and develop their leadership skills.

Dating and Domestic Violence Awareness
If you are a victim of sexual and/or dating violence, Millersville and the surrounding community can help. Millersville provides resources and services on- and off-campus to students in need. CHEP has sexual assault and dating and domestic violence advocates that students can talk to on Mondays and Tuesdays, located in the Montour House. The Counseling Center, Health Services, and Title IX can help as well. The Millersville Police Department is also available to students, as well as the YWCA and Domestic Violence Shelter, both located in Lancaster City.

Digital Learning Studio
The Digital Learning Studio offers support for faculty and students with various new technologies, including Microsoft Office, Adobe Suite, iMovie, MU Video, 3D printing, and more. The Digital Learning Studio provides one-on-one instruction to help the Millersville community gain experience with state-of-the-art technology.

Dr. Rita Smith Wade-El Intercultural Center
The Dr. Rita Smith Wade-El Intercultural Center helps to create and sustain a welcoming and inclusive campus. The Center aims to provide students a space to explore their multiple and intersectional identities and learn about the background and experiences of others.

Experiential Learning and Career Management
Experiential Learning and Career Management (ELCM) provides student-centered career programs, experiences, and learning opportunities to help students achieve their personal and professional goals. They host job and internship fairs, graduate school fairs, and career week. ELCM also assists students seeking traineeships, internships, or volunteer opportunities.

Field Services
The Department of Field Services encompasses Early Field Experience, Advanced Professional Studies (APS), Student Teaching, and Certification. Students will complete several field experiences before obtaining their degree or certification. Clearances are required before students are allowed in the field. Information about clearances can be found here.

Financial Aid
The Office of Financial Aid helps students obtain financial assistance to help pay for college. The Office answers questions about FASFA, eligibility of financial aid, grants, scholarships, and loans.

Fitness Center
The Fitness Center, located in the Student Memorial Center, is designed to meet the fitness needs of students, faculty, staff, and the community. The Fitness Center has cardio equipment, free weights, weight machines, and open recreation areas. Kickboxing, taekwondo, yoga, and more classes are offered. Membership is included in tuition if students are enrolled in 12+ credits.

Health Services
Health Services sees students by appointment for a variety of services including, but not limited to, athletic physicals, pre-employment and driver’s license evaluations, STI testing and treatment, laboratory testing — both in-house and outside, and evaluation and treatment of acute illness and injury. There is a self-care cart located in the waiting area of Health Services for students who need wound care and upset stomach, pain, allergy, cold, and flu relief. Sanitary supplies and condoms/dental dams are also available in this cart.

Help Desk (IT)
The Help Desk is available to students who need help accessing their student accounts, have questions about Office 365, or need assistance in an on-campus computer lab.

ID Cards
Students will need their IDs to use the facilities and services at McNairy Library, the dining halls, Pucillo gymnasium, Biemesderfer Stadium, the Student Memorial Center, Health Services, the Fitness Center, and other areas around campus. ID Services assists students who have damaged or lost their IDs. If students wish to use Marauder Gold, they will use their ID to access those funds.

MU | Alert
Subscribing to MU Alert allows students to receive text messages and/or emails notifying them if there is an emergency on or near campus and if campus closes or is delayed due to inclement weather.

McNairy Library and Learning Forum
McNairy Library provides many different services to students. The library’s collection includes roughly 300,000 print books, more than 400,000 electronic books, government documents, videos, special collections, thousands of print and electronic journals, and several hundred databases. Students can also access resources held by other libraries through RequestIt and E-Z Borrow. Librarians have created course- and discipline-specific research guides. They are also here to assist students in formulating research questions and identifying, locating, and evaluating the information needed to answer these questions. The library also has an Ask a Librarian service where students can contact a librarian by chat, telephone, in person, or via email. A message board on the main floor of the library indicates who is responsible for answering questions for the Ask a Librarian service and where they are physically located.

Office of Learning Services
Students who are eligible for accommodations will work with the Office of Learning Services to ensure accommodations are provided. Documentation is required before Learning Services can complete a list of accommodations. You can learn about the required documentation here.

Office of Student Accounts
The Office of Student Accounts is responsible for collecting student tuition and fees. If there are any questions surrounding refunds, housing and dining rates, or payment options, the Office of Student Accounts can help.

Registrar
The Registrar assists students in registering for classes and with their degree audits. Degree audits are reviews of past and current coursework that provides information on completed and remaining requirements necessary to complete their degree. Transcript requests are also processed through the Registrar.

Shuttle Schedule
Students may access the MU Xpress, MU Park City Xpress, and Route 16 at no charge by showing their ID during the fall and spring semesters. Students can travel to other locations on Red Rose Transit Authority’s buses but will need to transfer.

Student Conduct and Community Standards
The Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards is in place to educate students about the expectations of Millersville University. Students who wish to file a report of sexual misconduct or aggressive, erratic, or hostile behavior can do so from the Office’s homepage.

Title IX
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” Millersville will not tolerate any acts of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. If students believe they are the victim of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, Title IX is here to help.

University Police
The University Police provides 24-hour coverage year-round with a full staff of state-commissioned police officers. The Department assists with investigating criminal and suspicious activity, enforcing University rules and regulations and Pennsylvania laws, directing pedestrian and vehicular traffic, providing security, and much more. The University Police are also available to assist with non-emergencies.

Veterans Resource Center
The Veterans Resource Center provides resources for veterans ranging from healthcare to education benefits. Any questions veterans would have for the VA, the Resource Center provides a stepping stone on where to go.

Writing Center
The Writing Center is available for students who are struggling to start writing a paper, are unsure if the paper makes sense, or need someone to look at the paper before turning it in. The Writing Center offers walk-in tutoring, online tutoring, and 30-minute appointments.

*** Image Courtesy of Free Images

Academics, Lifestyle / Hall Life

Helpful Tips To Help You Prep For Finals Week

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It is that time of the year again, the dreadful finals week. All of the 15 weeks of non-stop hard work leads up to this defining moment. Finals week can be intimidating, but very manageable if you plan ahead. Taking the time to fully process finals week and everything that comes with it is very important and can make a huge difference to how things play out. Here are some tips to help you prep for finals week.

 

 

  1. Write down each of your final times in your planner

The finals week schedule comes out early each semester so you can plan ahead and know when your test time is for each class. If you write down the date and time, you can plan out how many days in advance you want to start studying and what time you should get up each day during finals. This is also helpful so you do not forget the time you are supposed to be at a certain exam.

2. Start studying ahead of time

Studying ahead of time can help you learn the topics better and alleviate some stress during finals week. Each student most likely has an exam in each class which can total out to about 5 exams, so making time to study for each one can be tricky. If we utilize the week before finals week to study, we can take extra time to make sure our studying is not rushed and that we have adequate time to study for each exam we have.

3. Plan out time to relax

Finals week is very stressful, so it is also a great idea to take time for yourself and give your brain a rest. If you need a break from studying try taking a walk outside, watching a movie or going to the gym to get your mind off of your exams or projects!

4. Pack up some of your items in your room a week before you move out

Finals week also signifies the end of the semester which means it is time to move out. Moving out can also be an added stress during this already stressful time. To avoid getting even more stressed, try to pack a majority of items in your room that you are not using ahead of time so you do not have to do it last minute. If you live in the residence hall you can find a schedule of the move out times and other information here.

5.  Study with friends

Studying in a group can sometimes be more effective than studying alone. This can be very beneficial because if someone knows some information better than you, they can help you piece together what you are not understanding. Also, you can use the other person for moral support to get to the library and put the appropriate time of studying in.

6. Attend office hours if you have questions or do not understand a topic

If  you are not understanding a topic or have a question, your professor is a great source. This is also a great way to show your professor you are serious about this class and you want to succeed and get a great grade on the final.

7. Stay well rested

Finals week can be very tiring, especially if you are staying up late to prepare for exams night after night. Each night you want to make sure you are getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep. This is the recommended amount of sleep a person should get each night and it also gives you the right amount of energy you need  to get through the day.

8. Enjoy your last few days on campus

Whether you are graduating or returning next year, enjoy your last few days on campus! Over the summer you will not see this beautiful campus or a majority of your friends, so make sure you have some fun and make memories before you leave.

 

We hope everyone has a great finals week and may the odds be ever in your favor! Tweet us @VilleHousing if you have any finals tips to pass along.

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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!

 

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