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Jariah's transition from Dallas, Texas, to Massachusetts seemed daunting at first, having no family in the Northeast. Her fears soon melted away when in her freshman year she met people that welcomed her with open arms. “My freshman year friends were offering to drive me to the airport to visit my family,” said Jariah. Currently a senior, Jariah is majoring in accounting and minoring in Spanish. She mentioned that minoring in Spanish is important to her because growing up in Texas she was surrounded by the Latinx community, and wants to better communicate with those around her.

 For Jariah, going to college was about a fresh start: “I was excited to build a new path for myself.” What really drew Jariah to UMass was her hunt for business schools, and Isenberg was rated the No. 1 public undergraduate business school in the Northeast. What sealed the deal was her campus visit: “You know how in high school, guidance counselors say ‘you’ll know when you know.’ I never believed that, but on my campus visit I just got that feeling.” 

Of course there were times she felt homesick, but through smaller communities at UMass Jariah found places and people that made her feel at home. She became a tour guide, which allowed her to make friendships with people from all different backgrounds at UMass, and some of those people remain her closest friends today. She also joined Advancement of Diversity and Business, where she found a community within the business school ensuring BIPOC students have a place to connect with others who share similar experiences and are able to see themselves in leadership positions. 

It took Jariah some time to learn what works best for her at UMass when it comes to her routine and taking care of herself. She explained that now in her senior year she understands herself so much more and has learned to recognize patterns within herself. She knows that when she is feeling overwhelmed by school she needs a social outlet to de-stress and have some time with friends.

Her advice to anyone coming or transferring to UMass is to “get comfortable with being uncomfortable.” Jariah explains that when you are just starting out you're going to feel a little out of place so it is important to put yourself out there, whether it is at campus events, getting involved in clubs, or just going for opportunities that you are interested in."