UMass Amherst: Students 4 Real – Ariana

This past weekend was homecoming, something I look forward to every fall. For me, it was a chance to hang out with alumnae from my sorority, get decked out in maroon and white and go and cheer on the football team at the homecoming game.

Unfortunately, the team lost with a score of 35-17 against Villanova but that’s not the most important detail. McGuirk stadium was filled with students and alumni all looking for a chance to cheer on the home team. Being at the stadium watching the game is something indescribable. Whether you’re a freshman at your third game or someone who graduated in 2000, students at UMass share the same pride for their home team. Watching the crowd cheer and chant as the Minutemen tried to make a comeback is something that I love about being here.

Besides the football game, there was another sporting event as the Mass Attack took on the B.C Eagles in hockey. To the delight of everyone in the Mullins Center, the team came out on top with a score of 4-2. As a senior, that game was by far one of the best played I’ve seen and one of the best to watch.

Another homecoming weekend has come and gone but the memories and Facebook photo tags will be with me forever!

If you’re an undecided Freshman or Sophomore, or an upperclassman thinking about a new major, then come to the majors fair, tomorrow October 26th in the Campus Center. This fair is a great chance for students to be able to meet representatives and advisers from all the academic departments.

As a Sophomore I went to the majors fair as a way to figure out what I wanted to minor in. If you didn’t already know there are TONS of majors and minors to choose from. But don’t let that intimidate you! Bring your room mate, your floor mate, or just a friend and check it out together.

I know you’re thinking this sounds overwhelming but it shouldn’t be. Trust me when I say go into it with an open mind. You’ll learn about opportunities you never thought existed at UMass. Also, you can find out about different certificates that you can achieve with different classes. The majors fair is where I decided I wanted to become a Sociology minor and hopefully you’ll find a program you really enjoy too.

The event runs from 5:30 – 7:30 and for more information you can head to the advising website or check out Undergraduate Advising at 613 Goddell. And remember; YOU HAVE OPTIONS so explore them!!

That’s right UMass Hockey fans, this Friday we’ll get a chance to watch the Minutemen play at home for the first time this season. The Minuteman will battle the Bentley Falcons in what is sure to be a great home opener. Game time starts at 7 with doors opening at 6. As someone that is a huge hockey fan in general (Bruins anyone?!), going to UMass hockey games has become something I look forward to every semester. As a senior, I’ve learned many things when it comes to UMass Hockey some of which I have for you now!

1)GO EARLY!!! If it’s a big hockey east game, you’ll wanna get there early. Doors open at 6 so you want to be there before that. The reason being UMass sporting events are free but only to a limited of student section seats. And trust me if UMass is playing a school like Boston College, that student section will fill up very quickly. Also, if you’re someone that likes to get as close to the glass as possible (like me) then you’ll want to be there early to score the best seats first.

2)Follow the UMass Hockey blogs written by alumni/current students!! You want to know how the team is doing prior to a game/if a game will be highly anticipated then you should do a little read up on the team prior. My favorite UMass hockey blogs are Fear The Triangle and Fight Mass. These blogs also offer commentary on  future team prospects as well as  if you’re planning on going to an away game what you’ll be getting yourself into.

3)Come ready to cheer! If there’s anything more important then the game itself, it’s the support from the crowd. I remember my first hockey watching everyone do all the UMass related chants and getting so into it that by the end of the game I was hooked on UMass hockey and I’ve been to every home game since!  There’s something special about putting on your maroon and coming out and cheering for your home team. And our chants are some of my favorite. However, if you’re going to an away game and you plan on using them, make sure you’re in a group of UMass fans!

Through out the season I’ll be posting my thoughts every now and then but for now just get excited! Whether it’s your first game or your tenth get out there and support your UMass Minutemen!

For those looking to see UMass play at Fenway over winter break, click here to get your tickets!

As for me, I just purchased my Colonial Clash tickets for UMass versus UNH next weekend and I can’t wait for it! Lots of papers this week but I’ll be at Deadmau5 this weekend dancing all of that stress away!!

Growing up in Medford, a city outside of Boston, I knew the MBTA bus system like the back of my hand. I knew how to get to from point A to point B with no problem. Then I came to UMass, and suddenly was two hours away from my beloved transportation system. But then I saw the PVTA and everything went back to normal. The PVTA if you don’t already know is the bus that runs through campus and all through Western Mass. So if you’re living and South West and find yourself with a class in Totman gym, fear not, the PVTA is here to make your journey to class that much easier. Here are some tips on how to master the PVTA.

1) It’s free…well if you’re a student. All you need to do is flash that gorgeous UCard at the driver and you’re good to go. A lot of times if it’s between classes you don’t even have to worrying about doing that. Basically this is the best if you’re running late to class and only have your debit card on you.

2)The Schedules are super easy to read. You ever look at a bus or train schedule and find yourself more lost than you thought. Well fortunately this is something you can avoid thanks to the easy to read schedules. You can find them online, on your phone, and paper copies. If you need to get to the Mullins Center for  a hockey game (is anyone else pumped for October 14th?!), all you have to do is look for the route that says Mullins Center. Yup, it is literally that easy.

3)Living off campus is no longer a hassle. All of the buses go to many of the off campus houses such as Puffton or the Townhouses. So if you were planning on moving off campus and you don’t have a car, it’s no longer an issue! I know a few of my friends moved off campus last year and they never stressed about running late to class because of the bus system.

4)The last buses run past midnight. So if you’re having a late night cram session at the lib, visiting a friend off campus, or just went into town for some Antonio’s, you can still make it home safely. Going off of that my favorite part about the PVTA is the routes. I love taking the bus to North Hampton for the day and just wandering around. If you haven’t gone yet, do it up.

As for me this week will be filled with lots of journo and history homework. I had my first test last week and now I’m studying for the next. But the best news of all…Bruins preseason has begun!

One week done, how many til break?!
But really I’m not sure about anyone else but my first week flew by. With all the different activities on campus/ going to all my classes I’ve had no time to update my blog. So here it goes =)

Things I’ve learned the first week back of school:
My planner is my new best friend – The only way to stay up to date with classes/work/extracurricular activities is with my planner. My freshman year when I was given my free UMass planner, not going to lie I never used it. It sat in my desk drawer the entire first semester and I completely forgot I had it. Now I don’t know what I would do without it. Keeping track of your life with your planner is something I couldn’t recommend enough. The best part of the UMass planner; it has EVERYTHING UMass in it. If you wanted to know when add/drop ends, it’s there. Or if you wanted to know when the first home football game it, look no further than your planner. The other positive is the subtle campus map in the back in case you suddenly forget where your class is.

Add/Drop period is useful – Were you unsure about a class or two in your schedule and wanted to get a feel for a class before deciding if it was right for you? Add/Drop for those that don’t know is a time where you can add classes or decide not to take them by removing them from your schedule with no record of a W (withdraw). Add/Drop ends on SEPTEMBER 19TH so make sure you get it figured out before then. This semester is the first time I’ve experimented with add/drop and so far it’s working out. I was in a history class that I don’t know why I signed up for (gen ed requirement) and now I’m patiently waiting on the wait list for another one. Fingers crossed this works out, it is my last gen ed!

AVOID prime eating times- When I’m hungry, I’m hungry so the idea of walking around Berk for 20 minutes to find somewhere to eat just bothers me oh so much. I’ve learned as a freshman that there are certain times where no matter how hungry you are, you avoid the dining commons. This is something I’ve carried over ever since that I think is useful for all my readers. An alternative to the dining commons would be blue wall where you can get a sandwich or pizza quick and without a worry.

Tomorrow starts a new week of classes and lots more recruitment planning for me. Now that I’m back in the swing of things, look forward to more posts from yours truly.

ALSO, check it out this wednesday; http://www.facebook.com/ae.umass#!/event.php?eid=242959749070755

Going into my senior year, I like to think that I’m an expert at giving advice on being a student at UMass. I’ve learned what dining halls serve what, what classes I should avoid, and how to build the perfect schedule while balancing work. Freshman year takes a lot of adjusting at first but these tips should you have a great year without any worries.

Know where your classes are ahead of time
I remember looking at my schedule before classes started and thinking where are all these places. Fortunately UMass provides a campus map in the welcome packets. Unfortunately, I have zero map reading skills. So, the first days back the roomie and I wandered around campus finding where our classes were. I highly recommend as someone that hates not knowing where they’re going. It’ll make those first few days of classes a little less overwhelming. If you feel like you don’t have the time to explore campus, don’t worry the first week of the semester, UMass provides checkpoints around campus with upperclassmen helping people find their classes. Check out the link below for a map of the campus =)

http://www.umass.edu/visitorsctr/Campus_Map/

Get to know your floor mates

They are the people that you will be surrounded by for the next year so it’s probably a good idea to build some friendships. If you’re on a rap or major floor, these people will be in many of your classes for the next four years. If you’re someone like me, then meeting new people is stepping out of your comfort zone. But trust me when I say it’s worth it. You’re not expected to be friends with everyone but it’s nice to be able to come back to your room after a long day of classes and just hang out. Cance fourth floor freshman year brought me not only a sister but lots of familiar faces around campus.

Try something new

College is a chance to reinvent yourself if you choose too so with that being said, it’s and opportunity to try things you never thought you would. For me, it was Greek life. If you told me freshman year of high school that I would come to college and join a sorority I might have laughed at you. Three years later and I can say it’s the best decision I ever made. I don’t have just a group of friends, I have a family at school that I can go to for anything. If Greek life isn’t for you, there are tons of sports, academic, and general interest clubs. I would definitely suggest grabbing the roomie and heading to the activities expo at the start of semester.

Don’t stress over picking a major
A lot of students come into college not really know what they want to do. So this part of my post is for all the undecided majors. You are supposed to have your major declared by end of Sophomore year meaning you have four semesters to get a feel for what you’d like to major in. My advice is to take general education classes and intro classes in a variety of majors. If you’re good at math, try out some math based classes. If you did really well in first year writing, maybe a major with lots of writing would be good for you. The idea is to let the major come to you and to not be in a panic that you don’t have a major. And hey if it turns out that major you thought was perfect, might not be, turn it into a minor.

Venture into town

Right outside of campus is Amherst center and if you thought there was a lot to do on campus, there’s even more to do off. Later this week I’ll post about my favorite places on and off campus to grab food but consider this a preview. There’s literally every kind of food you can imagine and with that tons of shopping. Also, lots of great book stores and places to get studying down if you’re someone that can’t sit in a library for hours at a time. Take advantage of the nice weather and spend a afternoon in town.

And there you have. Two weeks for most of you, five days for me! Let the countdown to UMass officially begin!

Get your maroon and white ready for the annual Colonial Clash between our UMass Minutemen and the New Hampshire Wildcats. Saturday October 22nd is the date that the game will take place at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, MA. This will be the second time the two schools will square off at Gillette

UMass and UNH have had a long stemming rivalry since 1952 with UMass holding the advantage. In every sport played at UMass, there’s always that one rivalry game that everyone comes out for. In football this is that game.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to go to the one last year but a lot of my friends did and they said that it was a game to be at. They met a lot of older alumni from both UMass and UNH and had their fair share of chanting matches with the  UNH alums.

Tickets are now on sale for this event and it’s a definite must attend for any UMass student. They can be purchased here;  http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/010046E6E92EB583?artistid=1616900&majorcatid=10004&minorcatid=8 . Plus, it’s something to get used too as UMass will make the move to playing at Gillette starting fall of 2012.

If you’re an incoming freshman than you have yet to enjoy the fun of UMass athletic games. Trust me when I say that they are some of my favorite memories of being at UMass. Whether you’re with your dorm floor, your roomie, or friends from home that also go to UMass you’re bound to have a good time. Sporting events are the prime time to make some friends all while repping the maroon and white. This won’t be the first football game of the season but it’s sure to be one to remember.

When you’re entering college, you don’t realize how much it costs to live on your own without the parental. Being on your own is all about supporting yourself. If you want to go to a five dollar Tuesday, it costs money. If you want to go to Antonio’s for a slice of pizza, your meal plan won’t cover it. So what do you do?

Well you can a job on campus, and luckily there are TONS on jobs for students. The first and probably most important thing you need to figure out is if you have work study. Work study is part of your financial aid package so when you get that letter in the mail, you’ll be able to see if you’re eligible. A large percentage of jobs on campus are work study so being eligible increases your chances of being able to find something. Work study jobs can be found here: http://people.umass.edu/~umfa/wsjobs.html .

My second semester freshman year I got a work study job in Isenberg at the Graduate Programs office and I loved it. I did a lot of filing and work on spire, it was super easy and I got a lot from it. The staff was friendly and helpful and the coolest thing was working with an IGU alumni. You’ll find that campus jobs are very flexible to your class schedule and you can pick your own hours.

Now if you don’t have work study, don’t fret because there are still plenty of places hiring. You can check here for those: http://people.umass.edu/~umfa/nwsjobs.html .

Other tips for finding a job:
1) START EARLY! It may seem weird but you should start now if you know you need a job for the upcoming semester. Most jobs hire the first couple weeks back so get the prime opportunities and hours before everyone else.
2) Know your limits. If you’re someone that has a pretty large course load this semester, it might be smart to only work a couple days a week for a few hours.  Extra cash is extra cash no matter the amount.
3) Off campus options. All of the links that I’ve posted here also feature jobs that are off campus such as nannying and tutoring. If you have a car, or the location is located near a bus stop, then apply
4) Don’t aim for one job. APPLY EVERYWHERE! Why open one door when you can open five? The more places you look too, the better your chances are.
5) Friends recommendations. A lot of my friends work at the library and they love it, so they’re always telling our other friends to apply there. Ask your friends, family, or past alumni where they worked and take their thoughts into consideration.
For the full listing of jobs available, go to the student employment website: http://www.umass.edu/umfa/seo/

Good luck =)
Also, t-minus 23 days until I’m back at UMass…love that eb0ard can move in early!

One of my friends is a member of The Not Ready For Bedtime Players on campus, which every student will get to see perform at least once. Anyway, last week I went up with him to see the show and they had an act called “What I Wish I Knew as a Freshman”. It got me thinking back to my own experience at UMass and things that I wish I knew back in Fall ’08.

1. Grab n Go

There were days where in between classes freshman year I would be hungry but none of my friends were around to go to the dining common so I would wait it out. That is until I found grab n go. By the end of freshman year, grab n go was one of my favorite things about the dining halls. It becomes more and more important come finals time and needing something to snack on in the middle of the night.

2.Sporting Events Are Free
Coming into UMass, you already know that there’s always something to do on campus. Something that I am a big fan of is all the different sporting events. What is even better about it is that to go to them doesn’t cost you anything. Here’s my one warning on that: if you’re going to a big game against a rival/really good school such as a UMass versus B.C. hockey game, GET THERE EARLY. Otherwise the student section will fill up and you’ll be left outside cheering for the team.

3.Dinero on the UCard

What’s better than having to gather up spare quarters every week for laundry?  Knowing you don’t have too. The great thing about the UCard besides providing you with meals/free prints at the lib is the fact that it doubles as a debit card. Start of every semester, load some cash on it to do your laundry, buy some books, or just grab a soda at the vending machine. While you’re waiting for your pay check, you’ll be grateful to have some extra bucks on the card.

4. Rain boots are a great investment
We all know it rains, inevitable right? But the amount of rain that seems to fall upon the UMass campus is almost unheard of. I enjoy the rain when it’s not soaking into my shoes. When I went to my freshman orientation back in the summer of 2008 (wow I feel old) it down poured. I brushed it off thinking, hey it rains everywhere. When I got to UMass in the fall I was face to face with the rain again. So I made a choice , possibly one of the wisest I could have made; I bought rain boots. Sure they look funny, but chances are 7 out of 10 girls on campus own a pair. They’ll make that trek from Southwest to Northeast a little more bearable, trust me!

So this is my first installment of “What I wish I knew as a freshman”. As the year goes on, I’ll add more tips to help all incoming freshman and even students that have been at this school before get a better feel for the University!

On a different note a few of my friends are NSO counselors and they just put up this amazing video on Youtube that I think everyone should see!

Hope everyone’s enjoying their summers =)

Besides counting the days until I go back to school (yeah I’m that anxious to be back in Amherst), I’ve been keeping busy in good old Medford. I work as a waitress at the Hotel, Motel Holiday Inn in Somerville six days a week and while I sometimes hate it, I don’t hate the tips =)

My beloved Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup!!!! I am lucky enough to say that I got to go to Game 2 in the Eastern Conference Finals. Thank you tax dollars =)  Literally the best night of night. I went and watched game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals with a bunch of friends from school and the second we won, we hopped on the orange line into Boston to dance in the streets and celebrate. The parade was this past weekend, so I rounded up my IGU’s and we went into Boston wicked early and got to see the Stanley Cup up close and personal.

Last week, I went to Glee Live at the TD Garden. I know what you’re thinking when I tell you I went to it but it was so much fun. Though I’m pretty sure me, my little, and another friend from UMass were the grandma’s of the audience, I would go again in a second.

I’m going to a few other concerts this summer including Taylor Swift, Ellie Goulding, Kid Cudi, and Jack’s Mannequin. As you can tell, I pretty much listen to anything. I’m also hoping to go to NYC at some point and see my wonderful New Yorkan and let her tour me around like I did to her when she came to Boston.

But the highlight of my summer for sure will be my 21st birthday on July 17th! All my friends from school are coming down to Boston to help me celebrate and I couldn’t be more excited. If we’re counting, it’s exactly twenty five days from today.

So that’s my summer in a blog post, throw in a couple Red Sox’s game, lots of trips to the only Cumberland farms near me, and many cannoli’s from Mike’s Pastry and that is what I will be doing until end of August!