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UMass Amherst grows into more than just a college for its students; it becomes home, as it did for Ria. Having spent her entire life in the sleepy Westchester County in New York and attending a high school with significantly fewer students, Ria chose UMass because she wanted the “bustling college town experience.” With more than 23,000 undergraduate students and an endless number of opportunities on campus, UMass is an excellent choice for anyone looking for that big-school experience. 

Besides the exposure UMass promises, the top-ranked psychology program and various research opportunities bolstered Ria’s decision to attend UMass. UMass’s academic flexibility and support have allowed her to pursue a dual degree in economics and psychology with a minor in business. Being a student in three colleges — College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, and Isenberg School of Management — has contributed to Ria’s interdisciplinary vision and allowed her to dabble in different fields. Another major factor in her decision was UMass’s legendary No.1 dining. She comments on how surprisingly good the food is in the dining halls, so much so that it reminds her of her mother’s cooking. 

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When asked about her first few days at UMass, Ria recalled the close bonds she formed with her floormates and how much the regular floor meetings organized by her RAs contributed to that. “I know I’ll always have them around because that’s how close we became over freshman year,” she said of her floor friends. Ria found community outside of the residence halls through events organized by numerous cultural clubs, particularly the South Asian Students Association (SASA). SASA’s events, such as Garbhangra and the SASA Formal, helped her connect with other South Asian students and “it felt like I never left home!” Her current job as a campus tour guide gives her the opportunity to expand her network and also give back to the UMass community by sharing all that this place has to offer with prospective students. 

Besides being a transformative experience on the academic and extracurricular fronts, being at UMass has also taught Ria so much about herself. Going from imagining never being able to live away from her parents to making big decisions and managing her days by herself, she has come a long way and that, she says, “I owe to UMass.” The biggest piece of advice she has for students considering UMass is to “not be afraid to reach out” and “have an open mind.” The immense diversity at UMass requires one to be open to new opportunities and offers the chance to interact with people from diverse sociocultural backgrounds. That, she says, “is the way to make it here!”