Senior Scaries: Making the Most of my Last Semester at UMass
By Caelyn Nordman
Content
The time has finally come—I am facing my final semester at UMass Amherst.
The past three years have been truly wonderful; I’ve found forever friends, passions in new subjects, habits that will serve me well into adulthood, and excitement for what the future holds. With all of that being said, when I sit down and think about what I have accomplished during my time at UMass, I can’t help but begin to feel sad. Everything that I enjoy about being a student here will soon be in the past, and I will be making new friends, finding new passions, and developing new habits.
I am not the biggest fan of change, but one thing that helps me cope with these types of adjustments is making a plan. In this case, that plan is for making the most of my final semester at UMass — so when May comes, I will be excited to reminisce on my favorite memories of my experience, and ready to face the next chapter of my life.
So, here’s how I’m making the most of spring 2023, my final semester at UMass:
1. Dining Hall Plan
UMass has been ranked as the number one best campus food across the country for the last six years in a row—and for good reason. Not only are there staples offered at every meal time, there's also a wide variety of cuisines and options to try. I remember going to the dining hall for every meal during my first year here, and one of my favorite activities was to get up early on Sunday mornings and study in Hampshire Dining Commons. I live off campus now, and while cooking for myself has certainly been a fun experience, I still miss the convenience and flavors UMass Dining has to offer. My first decision to make the most of my final semester at UMass was to acquire a small dining plan. The plan I chose has 224 swipes for the semester, and 15 guest swipes. This will allow me to eat on campus twice a day during the weekdays, a perfect way to reminisce my first-year dining experiences.
2. Making the most of UMass Clubs
The second decision I made was to attend as many club events as possible! I am currently an active member of the online newspaper, Her Campus at UMass. While I have been involved in the club’s e-board for two years, I haven’t taken advantage of all the club has to offer outside of my individual role. Her Campus event coordinators work hard to plan fun and interesting events throughout the semester, ones that promote team building, stress relief, or simple enjoyment! I have not attended many of these events, but I would like to change that. I feel like I am missing an opportunity to become closer to all the members of our chapter and to engage in some much needed self-care during a busy time in my life.
3. Attending UMass Amherst Events
The third decision necessary to make the most of spring 2023 is to attend school-wide events! Similar to the various clubs, there are tons of UMass Amherst Events put together by the different departments on campus. From sports games to art performances, all it takes is checking your email to learn of the different happenings across campus.
4. UMass Amenities
My fourth decision is to make use of the departmental experiences throughout the colleges at UMass! In the spirit of New Year's Resolutions, I plan on making use of the UMass Rec Center's many fitness classes and exercise equipment. When I lived in the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Community, I would frequently go to classes at the Rec Center since I lived so close by. I’d like to make an effort to utilize all of these free experiences and extensive gym equipment in the name of stress relief, and because I may not have as easy access to spin classes or kickboxing lessons (my personal favorites) later on.
Many departments at UMass also have resources available for students that I would like to experience before graduating. For example, the music department has sound booths open for students to schedule. I am personally not musically talented, but a few of my roommates have beautiful voices that could be highlighted through this space.
The UMass Natural Sciences Department also has a number of on campus experiences worth visiting. In Morrill Science Building, there is the Rausch Mineral Gallery, a collection of over 250 mineral specimens open for students to visit. There is also the UMass Natural History Collections, which includes Herbarium, Vertebrate and Invertebrate Collections, and Insect exhibits, as well as a Greenhouse tour. I love museums, and these collections are readily available for students to view, and can even be scheduled for tours.
5. Enjoying the Town of Amherst
I have the privilege of living quite close to Amherst Center, yet I feel like I’ve only been to a select few of the restaurants and shops. Amherst is a quaint and lively town with so much to offer, and I want to try it all! While I already have some favorite cafes and restaurants, I am definitely open to finding more. There is also much to do in the surrounding area, and as the weather gets nicer, I would love to spend time outside enjoying the beautiful scenery. Until then, however, I will do the most to try new things around Amherst Center, and maybe even set up a picnic later on!
6. Allowing myself to be sad—but not forever
This might sound self-explanatory, but I think it is the most important decision. It is so easy to get bogged down by feeling sad that I will be leaving this school and this environment. While it is important to honor those feelings, I can’t let them hold me back from truly enjoying this final semester. There can be sad days, minutes, or even passing seconds, but I won’t let that get in the way of doing all the things I want to do before graduating in May. I’m excited to see what the future holds for me, and I look forward to making the most of my UMass experience in these last months.
This is my plan for Spring 2023, and I am really excited to start the semester!