Hello everyone! My name is Jessie Harrington and I'm a freshman here at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. I'm majoring in Hospitality and Tourism (HTM) and am specifically interested in hotel management. I'm super excited to be a student blogger and share my experiences with everyone as I navigate my way through freshman year here at Umass Amherst! 

Where I'm From:

I'm from Ipswich MA, a small coastal town an hour north of Boston, MA. Our town is known for its clams, beaches, and marshes. My downtown area is much like Amherst's: not very big but filled with a decent amount of restaurants and small shops. 

Where I am on Campus:

If anyone wants to pop by to say hi, I'm currently living in a lowrise in Southwest Area. I'm in the Isenberg Fellows RAP, which has granted me this prime living location only a minute's walk from Hampshire Dining. 

Why Umass Amherst?

I chose Umass Amherst for a number of reasons. First off, it has my major. Hospitality and tourism isn't a major offered by all schools and the Isenberg School of Management has a very good reputation. Next comes the food. You can't forget about the dining around here and let me just say, it has been absolutely phenomenal so far. It's also only a two-hour drive from where I grew up, so convenience was another factor that came into play. Financially it was also one of my smarter options. Overall Umass Amherst has so much to offer through clubs, academics, internships, etc. 

Why my major?

I chose HTM because I always knew I wanted to go into the business field. I worked at a restaurant all through high school, which introduced me to the world of customer service. I realized that I could combine my love of the service industry with my passion for travel through HTM. 

Community Involvement

As a freshman, I'm still figuring it all out! I just signed up for two major-related clubs: Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) and American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), and am still in the process of choosing what other clubs I'd like to stick with. I'll keep you guys posted on here when I do figure it out! 

Random Facts About Me

• I have a dog named Bruce! He's named after the shark in Finding Nemo.
• I was adopted from China as a baby.
• I'm not very musical... I played the cello for 5 years but was never good at it
• I'm really into photography and photo editing. My favorite editing software is Adobe Lightroom.
• I hope to study abroad for at least a semester in college if not more, traveling has always interested me.
• Along those lines, I've been to Peru and France. Both very different, but super cool!
• I ran Track and XC all through HS but will not be continuing in college. 
• I still like to stay active and enjoy being outside hiking, kayaking, or just exploring.