Spring 2020 will be a semester I will remember for the rest of my life. From leaving the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus, shifting to remote learning, not being able to see my friends, to making my childhood room my new workspace, this semester has been a journey. I am so happy that it is almost over; it almost does not even feel real. 

Meet Dante Behan, a public health student here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With aspirations to attend medical school, here is how UMass Amherst is helping prepare him to reach his goals.

Meet Abigail Varney, a sophomore finance student here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With aspirations to exploreequity and credit research, here is how UMass Amherst is helping prepare her to reach her goals.

Meet Maria Jara, a junior marketing major here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With aspirations to reach the heights of merchandising and fashion, here is how UMass Amherst is helping prepare her to reach her goals.

The thing that scared me the most about remote learning was exams. I knew that being at home I would have little motivation or focus. How was I possibly ever going to ace my exams in such a foreign environment? Just last week I had my first online exam, and it was stressful, to say the least.

With everything that is going on in the world, the term “social distancing”, is used now more than ever. Truthfully, before what is currently happening, I did not even know that social distancing was a term let alone how crucial it would be to our wellbeing. So, what is social distancing? As defined by Johns Hopkins Medicine, social distancing is “deliberately increasing the physical space between people to avoid spreading illness”. Now, more than ever, we must follow the guidelines imposed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), even if we feel like it is inconvenient or “boring”. 

I originally planned to go to Vermont for a few days with some friends from the University of Massachusetts Amherst during spring break. Despite living in New England the entirety of my life, I have never been to Vermont before so I was excited about this trip. Sadly, with the current state of the world, my friends and I ultimately decided that it would be best to postpone the trip not only for our well-being but for those around us. It was a heartbreaking decision since it would have been my last trip with my friends up at UMass Amherst given that we are moving to online learning after the break, but it was what needed to be done. 

A lot has changed in not only my life but the lives of everyone in the world. While my spring break plans have drastically altered, I still wanted to have an enjoyable and normal break as possible. So, how did I spend my spring break? Here are the three main things I did to make the most out of my time off.

As a junior here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, I have explored much of what the campus has to offer. With amazing study areas, a multitude of phenomenal eateries, working out at our recreation center, and much more, I have discovered many places here on campus that I love dearly. But even as a junior, there are plenty of areas here on campus that I have yet to fully explore. To help incoming students discover some of the wonderful locations at UMass, here are some of my favorite places on campus.

Living alone on campus? Our intern Aaliyah explains the difference between her Southwest single compared to a traditional dorm double in her UMass Dorm Tour.

So, where do I find a job? Whether you are looking for a job on or off-campus, a work-study or non-work-study position, the undergraduate Student Employment Office (SEO) is the place to start. The SEO provides a listing service with a wide variety of student part-time and seasonal jobs. This student job board is where active student job opportunities can be found, which are updated daily. Students may also contact an on-campus department directly if interested in working in a certain academic or administrative area. You may also review job boards at some of the largest on-campus employers including, Auxiliary Services, the Libraries, Residential Life and Transit Services.

Last semester I decided to step out of my comfort zone and enroll in COMM 231 - Film & TV Production Concepts. My focus in communication studies has always been more centered in media and popular culture theory, never in the extensive film and production classes offered by the department. I always knew that this style of courses was available, I was just too insecure in my skills to ever bite the bullet. Finally, last semester, I decided to enroll in COMM 231. While the content of this course challenged me, I cannot deny how much I learned. In this class, I ended up creating my proudest project I have ever done here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, a video essay on a former UMass student, Maura Murray. 

College is a pivotal time of learning in a student’s life. While you will without a doubt be learning in the classroom, I think a lot of people underestimate how much students grow outside of it as well. Looking back at who I was in high school, I cannot believe how different I am and how much I have grown. My time in college has taught me crucial skills and has given me experiences that I will hold with me for the rest of my life. So, what have I learned outside of the classroom? Let’s take a look at three of the things that I have learned at the University of Massachusetts Amherst outside of the classroom.

The University of Massachusetts Amherst offers more than 90 undergraduate majors residing in 10 schools and colleges. UMass Amherst even gives students the option to design their major through the Bachelor's Degree with Individual Concentration (BDIC). On top of this, UMass is home to a multitude of minors and certificate programs, giving students even more pathways to explore their interests and passions. 

One of my favorite parts of attending the University of Massachusetts Amherst is its strong and vast alumni network. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have met with numerous alumni throughout my time at UMass that have continuously displayed such warmth, pride, and passion towards current students. 

As I am writing this, I am happy to say that I am officially done with the semester. It is crazy to think that I have already wrapped up the fall semester of my junior year. With the semester concluded, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on it. Truthfully, this was one of my favorite semesters here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. All my classes were really enjoyable and I had a lot of exciting new opportunities on campus, like this job with the admissions office! With this in mind, I thought it would be fun to recap my semester and the courses I took to hopefully give you all not only a glimpse of what a typical semester is like here at UMass, but some courses to look into during your time here. 

Final exam season is likely one of the most dreaded periods on any college campus. From late nights at the library, way too much coffee, and really regretting that you spent all of your dining dollars earlier in the semester, final exam season can be a little stressful. Thankfully, finals week is also marked by de-stress events with puppies, lots of free food and gear, and other free events.

As a junior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, I have been on both sides of the spectrum; applying for colleges and applying to jobs. The start of your college career will be marked by applications and so will the end of it — but you will go through big changes during this time period. Thinking about who I was when applying to colleges and who I am now while applying to jobs, I feel like a completely different person with vastly different interests and goals. For myself, it is not that surprising how much I have changed over the years. I have always pictured college, much like searching for your first job, to be a time marked by exploration and self-discovery. 

There are many things I wish I could tell myself at the start of my journey here at UMass, so today I will be sharing my top five mistakes to avoid during your time at college to ensure you take the most out of your experience here at UMass. 

Hear from a tour guide at the University of Massachusetts Amherst about the best questions to ask and places to see when visiting campus.

Here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Spire will be your hub over these next four years where you can register for classes, view and pay your bill, pick your housing assignment and much more, so it is really important that you have a solid grasp on the website, something that NSO advisors will run through with you. 

Professional development opportunities are key to expanding and navigating your career path.

Few careers give people the ability to not only provide medical aid but bring happiness to individuals and their families, and comfort to those in need. Nurses are the backbone of the medical field and often provide unique attention to their patients that extend beyond medical care. Nursing is a highly popular and competitive major here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for just that reason.

Where you live — and with whom — plays a crucial role in your college experience.

I am a first-generation college student. As defined by the Common Application Systems, this means that neither of my parents completed a baccalaureate degree. Nearly a third of undergraduate students in the United States are first-generation and here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, about 25 percent of the population of each entering class is first-generation, revealing that a majority of college students are not first-generation. This means that many college students likely have a parent or relative that understands the collegiate process firsthand and can provide mentorship throughout the student’s journey — a huge resource that many first-generation students lack. It is hard to navigate college and the difficulties that come with it on your own, especially when your own parents do not understand what it is like in your shoes. Being first-generation comes with many challenges and benefits. Here is what my experience has been like as a first-generation college student at UMass Amherst. 

Hi everyone! My name is Aaliyah Quintal and I am a junior English and Communication double major here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.