Things I'll Do When I Return To Campus

This fall, the University of Massachusetts campus looked very different from it’s normal busy and bustling state. The campus, often thought of as it’s own mini city, hosted approximately 1,000 students on campus this fall. While life on campus may have been much quieter than normal this semester, we all look forward to a day soon when we can return to campus. Here are just a few of the things that I look forward to experiencing when I'm back at UMass! 

• Go to the Courtside Café for a fresh berry smoothie: One of my all-time favorite drinks comes from the make your own smoothie feature at the Courtside Café, located on the second level of the UMass Amherst Recreation Center. After finishing my workout, there’s nothing better than a cold berry smoothie. I highly recommend checking out the smoothie bar!
   
• Sit outside by the Campus Pond: One of my favorite spots at UMass Amherst is the Campus Pond. There's a lot of gorgeous green grass to sit on by the pond during the warmer months. On warm days you see dozens of students spread out on the greens, enjoying the sunshine and a small slice of nature right in the heart of campus.
   
• Get Frank stir fry for lunch: My favorite lunch when I'm on campus has got to be the Franklin Dining Commons (aka Frank) stir fry. While all the dining halls feature customizable stir fry, Franklin and Worcester dining halls include the option of adding noodles to your stir fry which are my favorite part! Well worth the wait, and a must-try meal while at UMass Amherst.
   
• Get Late Night from Berkshire Dining Commons: After doing some homework or coming back from a late night club meeting, my friend’s and I like to go to Late Night at Berkshire Dining Commons in Southwest to grab some food. Offered in both Worcester and Berkshire Dining Commons, late night starts at 10pm and runs until midnight. While the offerings change nightly, one of my go-to’s is a warm slice of cheese pizza offered every night. 
   
• Deck out in UMass colors for a Friday night UMass Hockey Game: It wasn’t until I came to UMass Amherst that I became invested in weekend night hockey games at the Mullins Center. Crowds of students are seen walking to and from the games each weekend night during hockey season. My friends and I love to dress up in our maroon and white gear to cheer on the beloved UMass Amherst hockey team, ranked top-ten nationally for the second straight season. The pep band and Sam the Minuteman are always there to help us cheer on the team and hype up the large crowds. Lively screaming and cheering booms through the rink, as we show our UMass pride.
   
• Visit the new Worcester Dining Commons: I am super excited to visit the new Worcester! Replacing an older building, the new building where Worcester is located opened during Fall 2020. Worcester is located in the Northeast Residential Area and includes all-you-can-eat dining, and the menus include sushi, pho noodles, stir fry, pizza, pasta and salad bars, Grab n’ Go, and Halal cuisine.
   
• Do my homework in the Isenberg Innovation Hub between classes: One of my favorite spots to do homework between classes is the Isenberg Innovation Hub. The hub was completed in January of 2019, and opened in April 2019 for student use. The hub features wide windows letting in lots of natural light, and has a very clean and modern style. It’s a great spot to do homework before or after classes, and is home to the Carney Cafe, where you can pick up Vietnamese Pho, pizza, and sandwiches.
   
• Watch The Bachelor down in the residence hall lounge with friends on a Monday night: The start to some of my closest friendships stemmed from watching The Bachelordown in the Thoreau Lounge on a Monday night. The lounge will always have a spot in my heart, as I’ve spent a lot of time bonding with my friends down there!
   
• Watch UMass sunsets: One of my favorite things about being at UMass Amherst is getting to catch the sunsets when heading back to my dorm from my evening classes, clubs, and dinners. I’ve seen some of the best sunsets while walking around campus, with bright orange and pink hues illuminating the clouds, setting the sky ablaze. One particularly great spot to see the sunsets is over the intramural fields, located next to the Mullins Center and across from the Honors College and Rec Center. Here the sun dips behind the mountains in the distance giving off a warm glow, making a perfect ending to a long day.
   
• Attend UMass a capella concerts: Two of my closest friends at UMass are in a capella groups and have individual, as well as group concerts, with the other a capella groups on campus. My friends and I love to attend the concerts and support our friends in the various groups. We’ve even made new friends from the groups, and it’s a great and unique way to feel connected to UMass Amherst. While I am not musically inclined myself, I am able to appreciate the hard work all of the groups put into the concerts!

There are so many things I look forward to doing back on campus once it’s safe to do so! I hope the Class of 2025 will be on campus to enjoy these things when they start classes in the fall.