When I moved out to Millersville to begin my freshman year of college, I had no idea what I was doing. Now, as a junior (soon to be senior), I, along with some of my closest friends, have learned so much that has helped us survive life on campus and fall even more in love with Millersville as time has gone on. So, here are some of the best tips that my friends and I have compiled into one convenient list for our incoming freshman!
Tips for surviving the first year (and beyond) at Millersville University:
1. When first moving out to MU, only bring what you will need for the first few weeks.
Not everything they suggest on the checklist will fit in your itty bitty living space, and some of that stuff is unnecessary (for example, you won't need a crockpot, blender, or an iron). You will also probably go home at some point in the first month you are out here, and you can bring more back with you if you feel it's necessary.
2. DON'T ROOM WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND!
No matter how much you love each other going into it, living together is very, very different from having sleepovers; you may not want to be friends after living together for a while (I've seen it happen so many times). You and your best friend may beat the odds, but I'm warning you now, it's better to room with someone new. That way you can always retreat to your friend's room when things get difficult!
3. Be open and honest with potential roommates before moving in with them.
4. Lock your doors at night.
This will prevent potential unexpected visitors from sleepwalking in.
5. When decorating your room, don't bring Christmas lights.
The school doesn't allow them in the dorms as they pose a potential fire hazard; the same thing goes for candles. You can have candle warmers, though.
6. Don't hole yourself up in your room.
7. Go to your RA's programs!
They work really hard to create fun activities for you to participate in, and they allow you to meet some of the awesome people in your hall! (Who knows: you could meet your best friends at these programs!)
8. Keep your room clean!
If you don't, you will probably lose some important papers and more than likely, you'll piss off your roommates.
9. Buy noise-canceling headphones or earplugs.
The walls in the new dorms are thin and you can hear EVERYTHING (and I mean EVERYTHING...).
10. School WiFi sucks.
And you can't just buy your own router (because that's illegal), but Ethernet cables work really well.
11. Don't be scared if you and the people in your orientation group don't stay close once the semester starts.
You'll make new friends, and sometimes, it's for the better if you don't stay close with your group! (Some people from my group got arrested two weeks into the semester...)
12. If you and a group of your friends from high school come out here together, you may not stay friends all through college, but that's okay.
As much as it may suck at first, it is sometimes a reality in college; you end up in different majors, clubs, and having schedules that don't work together. While it doesn't happen to everyone, it can and has happened.
13. Prepare a "sex-ile" bag.
For those who don't know what that is, it's your grab-and-go bag with a change of clothes, a spare toothbrush, small shower items (if you need them), pajamas, a towel, and a blanket. You will probably need this if your roommate brings someone back to the room. (You and your roommate should also come up with a warning system, just so you don't walk in on them. YIKES!)
14. BUY SHOWER SHOES.
I know people who didn't use them and have ended up with warts on their feet. Trust me: YOU NEED SHOWER SHOES.
15. Be nice to the cleaning ladies.
If you just say good morning to them when you see them, they will be so much more willing to work with you then the people who just walk right passed them.
16. Always take a change of clothes with you to the bathroom.
If and when the fire alarms go off, it will, without a doubt, be when you are about to get into the shower, you're in the shower, or you've just gotten out. Be prepared for this so you don't freeze your butt off outside when you have to evacuate because someone burnt their popcorn...
17. BRING RAIN GEAR!
This is potentially one of the most important tips you'll get. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, which are typically the only days it rains on campus, you'll need: rain boots, umbrellas, possibly a canoe, and a rain coat, otherwise YOU WILL GET SOAKED. (Insert reference to Princess Diaries here...)
18. Aim to take the early trolley around campus
If you have class at 10:50 and you get on the trolley at 10:30, you will be late to class, guaranteed.
19. Be on time for your classes.
And by on time, I mean 5 to 10 minutes early. I know you may believe that because you started high school at 7 a.m. that you can definitely handle getting to an 8 a.m. on time, but trust me, it's so much more difficult than you think. You'll also get your pick of the seats around the room if you get there early.
20. Don't raise your hand when you need to go to the bathroom in class.
We are trained to do this in high school, but in college, it's not necessary. You just get up and go.
21. Ask upperclassmen about the professors you have for your Gen. Ed. classes.
Chances are, one of the upperclassmen you meet will have had that professor or knows someone who has had them, and they can tell you all about grading procedures, what the exams look like, and how far in advance you need to start working on your projects.
22. Look up your professors on RateMyProfessor.com.
A lot of students use this website to see how other students have found working with their professors. It's a very useful tool, especially when it comes time to schedule your classes for the next semester.
23. Make friends in all of your classes.
Even if you don't like the class, make friends. It's important just in case you miss class for some reason (i.e. if you oversleep your alarm, or you just don't feel well enough to go to class).
24. Go to your professor's office hours.
No matter how intimidating they seem in class the first day, they will be your greatest allies throughout the semester. If you feel like you are struggling with the material, go and talk about it with them. This has been a very useful tool for me throughout my college career, especially in my first semester. Some of the professors you work with now will be the professors that will write you letters of recommendation for grad school and jobs when you graduate, which makes forming a bond with them during office hours all the more important.
25. Don't procrastinate!
While I say this, I know that it will still happen. (I am a queen of procrastination, but I still believe that if you can get your work in early, you definitely should.)
26. If you get waitlisted for a class, try and check it out during the first week of classes.
This is important because then you can get a feel for the class, the professor, and the students you could potentially be working with in the class.
27. If you drive to campus, get here at least 30 minutes before class so you can find a parking space.
If you come to campus 5 minutes before class and are looking for a parking spot, chances are you won't find one and you will have to be late for class because you had to drive around and look for a place to park, which brings me to my next tip...
28. Don't try to park in a spot that is not the same color as the color on your permit.
MUPD drive around the campus parking lots frequently during the day, and if they catch you, they will ticket you, and you will have to pay a fine.
29. When living in the suites, don't try to sneak people in after hours.
The RAs on duty will more than likely catch you and you will be written up.
30. When walking around campus, be aware of WIND TUNNELS.
These are areas around campus where the air passes in between buildings and wreaks havoc. These areas are: between the Winter Center (aka the VPAC) and Stayer (aka the Education and Social Work building), by the pond, and between the buildings of both East and South Village Suites.
31. Whatever you do, DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES FEED THE SQUIRRELS.
You see, once you feed the squirrels, they will follow you, and they will probably steal food right out of your hands. The squirrels also hide in the trash cans and will jump out when you throw stuff away, so BEWARE THE NINJA SQUIRRELS.
32. Don't mess with the swans. EVER.
Miller (always on the left) and Seville (always on the right) are territorial, and they don't appreciate when you mess with their pond. Gentlemen, here's a VERY IMPORTANT PROTIP: don't get close to the swans to look good for the girls. It doesn't look cool, the girls will laugh, and THE SWANS WILL BITE YOU.
33. Don't get lunch during Common Hour.
Everyone has off during Common Hour and will try to get food. The lines are ridiculously long, and if you don't get there right at 12:05, you run the risk of not only having to wait an eternity to get food, but also being late if you have a class after Common Hour.
34. On Wednesdays, the Anchor has chicken nuggets during Late Night and they are THE BOMB.
Get to the Anchor around 8 pm if you want some, though, because they go fast.
35. If you decide to go to parties around campus anytime Thursday through Saturday night, make sure to stick to the Buddy System.
In sticking to this system, make sure you have a buddy that will stay sober so you have someone who can look out for you.
36. If you do go partying on Thursday nights, and you happen to walk by Brookwood, stop by Jesus Dogs.
Jesus Dogs is run by some students from our campus ministries who want to make sure that you get something to eat, and they are willing to sit there and talk with you for a while.
37. On Friday nights, swing by the A-Frame church on campus (by the pond and next to the old library) and join fellow students at French Toast Friday!
French Toast Friday, or FTF, is where a bunch of students hang out together, eat french toast, play pool or video games, or just sit and chat with each other. It's a lot of fun and everyone is welcome!
38. If you wanna grab food off campus, here are some suggested places to go:
- Sugar Bowl: amazing mozzarella sticks, chicken nuggets, wings, etc. (They also have some pretty awesome gluten-free pizza!) (You can use Marauder Gold here too!)
- Sheetz: Their tots are life!
- Lancaster Cupcake: delicious cupcakes at affordable prices! (They were featured on Cupcake Wars!)
- Jack's Family Tavern: if you order the fries, you only need one order for the table. Seriously, each order is a mountain.
- The Rabbit and the Dragonfly: (based off of the Eagle and the Child in Oxford, England where C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien wrote their stories!) They have amazing Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia-themed foods and drinks! (I highly recommend the Shireish Potato Latte and the Hamwise Gamgee sandwich! Also, try the Rose Tea Latte if you're not a coffee person!)
- Sugar on Top: This is the donut shop on George Street when you are driving on to campus. Each donut only costs $1.25. They have warm donuts that you can put all different toppings on; for example, you can get a Maple Bacon donut or an Oreo Cheesecake donut (both of which are delicious).
39. When dining on campus, you should know that FLEX and Dining Dollars are essentially the same thing.
You can also use FLEX if you want to eat at the Campus Grille (located in Gordinier Dining Hall on the South Side of campus).
40. You will probably spend most of your FLEX at the Starbucks in the library, but be warned: IF THE LINE IS TOO LONG WHEN YOU GET THERE, COME BACK LATER FOR COFFEE. STANDING IN THAT LINE IS A TRAP AND YOU WILL BE LATE TO CLASS.
41. When you learn that the abbreviation for the Student Memorial Center is SMC, remember this: it's pronounced SMACK.
42. Putting a penny on the Marauder statue may seem like a stupid superstition, but it works.
Doing this has helped me and my friends, as well as many others before us, have a little bit of extra luck at the start of every semester and during Finals Week.
43. Once you have gotten yourself settled into living on campus, GET INVOLVED!
I know it's hard feeling like the outsider when you first get to campus and getting involved with the different organizations on campus may not be on the top of your priority list, but I promise you: it is so worth your time and stepping out of your comfort zone. I have met some of my best friends this way. Campus clubs and organizations love having new people come out, so check them out during Org Outbreaks and Superfest!
44. If you get nothing else out of this list, please, please remember this: DON'T WEAR YOUR LANYARD AROUND YOUR NECK.
If you do this, it makes it very obvious you are a freshman, and it is kind of awkward. I don't know why, but it is.
I hope this list helps you get through your first few semesters here at MU, and I want to welcome you to our family! I hope you have an amazing time during your 4 years here.
WELCOME TO MARAUDER COUNTRY!
Sincerely,
The former freshman who figured out these protips along the way.
