Last weekend my sister came up to visit me for the weekend at UMass. Although she’s come up for a few day trips, this was the first weekend she spent a good amount of time exploring Amherst and the campus. My sister, Reese, is a senior in high school and is going to college next fall. Since I am in my last semester of senior year, I have been reflecting a lot on my four years in college. Knowing Reese will be beginning her college journey soon had me thinking about how far I’d come from my freshman year all weekend. Getting to experience a weekend at UMass with her was special, and really helped me put my college experience into perspective.
One of the most unique aspects of UMass as a college is their dining halls. UMass is ranked #1 dining in the nation, and has been every year since I started attending in 2020. There is really nothing quite like UMass dining. There are four huge dining halls, along with countless cafes and food-court type options to choose from. The first night we ate dinner at Hampshire dining hall, one of UMass’ main dining spots. Reese and I ate so good that night. We got completely different dinners, and we loved both. Because I’ve lived off campus the past two years, I rarely eat at the dining hall anymore. When I lived in the dorms and had to eat UMass food for every meal, I couldn’t wait to have my own kitchen and full size fridge. Now, I can see going to the dining hall as the special experience it is. I feel lucky to have gone to a school with such good food, and I’m going to miss it when I graduate.
On Friday night, we went to a concert in downtown Amherst. Opening for the main band was The Baxby’s, a band comprised of former UMass students. Going to watch live music has been one of my favorite parts of weekends here at UMass. There are so many artistically talented students here. I think I have taken for granted being around so many creative, ambitious young people these past few years at UMass. Looking back, I can see how much I’ve learned from my peers, and I hope Reese is able to say the same when she is getting ready to graduate college.
On Saturday, we went to the UMass men’s basketball game. I’m a little embarrassed to say that this was my first ever UMass basketball game. The crowd was much bigger than I expected it to be, and the energy of the Mullins Center during this game was awesome. Although our team lost, we had a great time cheering on UMass. Sports are another huge part of UMass Amherst. Having school spirit and attending games is one of the best ways to feel more connected to your college community. I really enjoyed the (admittedly few) games I went to during my time at UMass.
Reflecting on my time in college has made me feel really grateful for these past four years. Having Reese here made me feel especially nostalgic. I feel like a completely different person than I was freshman year, and in the best way. I hope there are just as many special parts of college for Reese, and that she can look back on those four years and feel good about the time spent there, just like I am.
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