A question I never find myself asking at UMass is, “What is there to do this weekend?”

Based on the returning stars and new additions to their roster, I thought it was a mistake when the NCAA left UMass off the top 20 pre-season poll before the college hockey season began. I wasn’t surprised when UMass won its first three games of the season by a combined score of 15-5.

Everyone’s been on a college tour that’s been affected by campus construction. Here at UMass, construction seems nonstop, as the university continually working to improve its resources and image. Currently, the Student Union building is undergoing a major renovation, and the university is also in the process of building a brand new 87,000 square-foot dining hall, both set to open in the fall of 2020. And when they’re done, the new buildings will definitely be worth the wait and detours.

As I wrote about back in October , UMass brings therapy dogs to campus to help students manage the stress that comes with studying for midterms and finals. And on Wednesday, they were back in full force before finals begin next week. Whether you’ve had a long week studying, are about to send in your final papers, or just miss your dog at home, these pups are here to comfort you.

Three years ago, Head Coach Greg Carvel took over a UMass hockey team that went 8-24-4 the year prior. Today, they stand at 12-1, ranked number one in all of college hockey.

My father has always told me, “It’s all about who you know, and who knows you.” When choosing the right university for me, I weighed that into my decision heavily. I cared a lot about having a big alumni network, and one that’s strong. There are a lot of qualified graduates competing for entry-level jobs just out of college, and sometimes the difference can be having a connection with the employers. Going to a school with a strong alumni network sets you up to make more connections with adults in hiring positions that could be the difference in that competition.

It’s fairly common now to see high school students with a job. Retail, food, maintenance — whatever that first job was, you probably had to interview for it. In my case, it was working for a local dollar store. I figured that would be simple enough and that I wouldn’t need to treat the interview as anything more than signing my work papers. But when asked questions like why I wanted to work there and what skills I brought to the table, I was completely caught off-guard. In fact, I responded, “Just to have some money for gas, and I’m good at math … so, being a cashier should be easy.”

What a time to be a sports fan in New England. The Red Sox just won their fourth championship in 14 years. The Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins are rolling as we speak, and UMass Athletics just went on a hot streak of their own.

When I chose to come to a big school like UMass, a major source of anxiety for me was thinking about how I was going to branch out and make new friends. I come from a small town, I'm an introvert, my three best friends live in my neighborhood, and we’ve been in the same school since we were in first grade. Being away from them and everyone else I was close to from home was a legitimate concern.

Midterm and final exams are stressful. Nobody can deny that. In most classes, tests matter much more significantly to your overall grade than they did in high school, and if you’re unlucky, you may have two back-to-back on a Monday and a paper due at midnight.

The fall marks the hap, happiest season of all for sports fans. With football season well underway, the MLB playoffs heating up, and the NHL and NBA seasons just getting started, there isn’t a dull moment in sports in all of October.

The single smartest thing I’ve done in my time at UMass is getting an on-campus job. In fact, I'm fortunate enough to have two of them. Aside from serving as a student blogger, I’m also a student assistant in the athletic communications department. Both jobs are within walking distance from my dorm, I get to choose my hours, my pay isn't taxed (an added bonus), and I get real-world experience by applying my major in the workforce.