Since enrolling at UMass I have always wanted to go apple picking, but never knew where to go. My friend was visiting for the long Columbus Day weekend and I was determined to find us an orchard. As I was mindlessly scrolling on my phone, I found my answer. Funnily enough, it was in the form of an Instagram post from our page @umassadmissions. In the post, I was introduced to the UMass Cold Spring Orchard Research and Education Center in Belchertown, Mass. When I saw it was less than a 25-minute drive from campus I knew I had discovered my new apple picking spot.
One of the hardest parts of college is learning to live on your own. It was daunting at first (realizing how many things I would have to conquer on my own). Making new friends, having fun, and juggling classwork were all issues constantly floating around my mind. No longer would I have my mother and father to constantly rely on whenever I needed them; it seemed I was completely on my own. To help you out, using my experience, I have compiled a list of important things to remember to do when first living by yourself!
I lived in Southwest Residential Area towers my first two years of college (Kennedy Tower my freshman year and Washington Tower my sophomore year). When I first toured UMass, I remember feeling as if these giant, concrete buildings were looming over me.From one of the high floors, someone yelled “PICK UMASS!” At the time, I was slightly intimidated by the aggressively enthusiastic Southwest population. However after two years, I have come to love this corner of campus.
This semester, I am taking six courses versus my usual five. I’m in a combination of upper-level journalism and communications classes. My Tuesdays and Thursdays are jam-packed with four classes in a row, going from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Each subject gives a good amount of homework, too. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming when Monday rolls around every week, but these are my tips for keeping on top my work while staying relatively stress free.
On a brisk autumn day, I decided to venture out my beloved UMass and explore the greater Pioneer Valley. I decided to go to Look Park in nearby Northampton...
A common misconception at a school with such a large population is that every class is made up of hundreds of students. Though it is inevitable that some of your 100-level lectures could be around one hundred students or more, this does not apply to the majority of your classes, especially not your major-based classes.
This might sound a little sad, but I’m convinced my dorm room was a huge reason I was able to make friends so fast my freshman year.Ok, yeah, now that I’ve typed it and re-read it, it's definitely not the most conventional brag. Nonetheless, it’s been almost three years and I’m still proud of what I was able to pull off.
During your years in college, you are going to meet a lot of people. Some of these people will end up being your friends for life, while others may just remain acquaintances, partners for a lab or project, teachers, teammates, coaches etc. Each one of these people, however, is a connection — someone you can network with down the line.
