After a freshman year full of COVID lockdowns and a junior semester abroad, it’s hard to believe that this is my last year at UMass. I’m sure other seniors are feeling the same way, so I wanted to write this article as a way to reflect on my time here instead of being sad, and to remind others to take it all in while they can.
My first semester at UMass was a fever dream. We were locked in our rooms, only allowed outside for meals and occasional walks, and couldn’t have guests or even sit down to eat in the dining hall. How any of us even made friends is beyond me. I was lucky enough to still have a roommate, Vanessa, who I met on the UMass freshman Facebook group (love you Nessie!). It was hard to balance being away from my family and friends, and simultaneously dealing with a pandemic, and only having virtual classes, and trying not to catch COVID (I didn’t, but my roommate suffered a different fate). It was a tough semester for everyone, on campus or not. That semester taught me that sometimes all you have is the connections you make with the people around you, and a little bit of laughter is all you need to stay sane.
This may be controversial, but I think the campus itself is one of the best things the school has to offer, and is something I am going to truly miss once I go back home to Boston. I know some of the buildings are old and ugly, but I’m really going to miss my walks around campus and watching the sunset over the Campus Pond. I also have a running UMass bucket list, and watching the sunset from the hill in Central is something I still want to do. My most favorite part of campus is the moment when summer turns into fall, and UMass is filled with the bright reds, oranges, and yellows of the fall foliage. I think something that a lot of us take for granted, which I’ve grown to appreciate, is that we get to experience all the seasons in their entirety while on campus, and each one has their own beauty. To anyone with a few years left at UMass, definitely take advantage of the beauty of campus. Go for walks, sit by the pond (don’t go in it), admire the foliage or even the snow covered trees, and be grateful it’s only 90+ degrees for five percent of the school year.
To my friends, I’m going to miss you the most! I know we still have a year together, so I’m trying not to think about the days when we won’t be together 24/7, when someone won’t always be in our kitchen telling a story, hanging out on the porch, going on a run, or cuddled up on the couch. I’m dedicating this year to not saying no, to experiencing new things in town we haven’t done before, and to focusing more on quality time rather than stressing over homework. I suggest that others follow the same advice. I can’t count how many times I said no to hanging out with my friends or going somewhere because I was stressed about an assignment, and I really regret not managing my time better so I could say yes to those things. Time management was a skill I struggled with all throughout college, and I’m finally getting the hang of it with only a year left to go (better late than never!). I would stress to any UMass students to start saying yes now: yes to prioritizing your mental health, going out with your friends, going to new places, and of course, to doing your homework.
This year for me is the year of yes. I am trying to be in the moment and have fun while I can because I know this time in my life won’t last forever. I am so grateful for the opportunities UMass has given me (including being a part of HerCampus) and I can’t wait to see where the year takes me and all of us! Here’s to saying yes!
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