Calling all Freshmen Collegiettes!
First of all, welcome to UMass! I commend your decision and am fairly positive that you won’t regret it. UMass is an amazing campus, but is also extremely large which I know can be a tad overwhelming at first. However, stowing away in your dorm in fear of “looking like a freshmen” will be your biggest regret come May if you don’t get out and see what your campus has to offer. To give you a little extra motivation, here’s a list of 10 things you must do your first year here at UMass!
1) Eat at Every Dining Common
When you go back home for Thanksgiving break and hear all your friends complain about how much they missed the food at home, you’ll be complaining that you miss the food at school. UMass Dining was rated third best campus food in the nation. Make sure to try each of the four dining commons, along with Blue Wall in the Campus Center and the Procrastination Station in the library! Just remember to hit up the salad bar every once in awhile – no one wants that infamous freshman fifteen!
2) Go to a Sporting Event
Whether you prefer basketball, football, hockey or one of the many other Division I sports played at UMass, you should definitely get out and support your Minutemen at least once this year. Buses take you to and from football games at Gillette Stadium, and hockey and basketball games are both right at the Mullins Center. It’s an excuse to go buy a cute new UMass shirt at the Ustore and a great way to meet people (especially boys, who will no doubt be impressed with your interest in sports)!
3) Take a Group Fitness Class
Another great part about our school is our Rec Center, which is larger and nicer than most other college gyms I’ve seen. Not only that, but it offers free group fitness classes all day seven days a week. There are classes for yoga, Zumba, cardio kickboxing, spinning, and even belly dancing! The classes are all taught by UMass students, who are great at what they do and very helpful in motivating me to work out when I can’t seem to motivate myself. Take a break from your boring solo elliptical sessions and check one out!
4) Explore the Area
If you aren’t already from around here, you definitely need to take a day to explore both the center of Amherst, which is in walking distance of campus, and Northampton, which is just a B43 bus ride away. Both towns are lined up and down the street with great restaurants, shops, salons, cafes, and more. Some of my personal faves are Antonio’s Pizza in Amherst and GoBerry Frozen Yogurt in Northampton – delicious!
5) Go to a Frat Party
Yes, “Zoomass Slamherst” has quite the reputation for throwing some pretty wicked bangers, but if you walk in expecting Project X you’re going to be let down. While frats can be fun for awhile, you may find yourself squeezing through a sea of sweaty bodies, drenched in beer some a**hole spilt on you, thinking: “I’m not drunk enough for this.” But when you have had a rough week and are feeling like the zoomass party animal you are, there are a few dos and don’ts to frat parties. Do: accept free beer in cans and from a keg. Don’t: accept a solo cup from a stranger with a mysterious mixture he tells you is “jungle juice.” Do: dance with a cute guy in the basement. Don’t: bring him home. Do: join in whenever a “tits out for the boys!” chant is started. Don’t: do it. Party safe, freshies!
6) Join a Club
With over 200 registered student organizations to choose from, you have no excuse not to get involved here at UMass. There is bound to be one that catches your interest, from student government to club sports, to groups dedicated to politics, religion, arts and entertainment, culture, community service, and more. If none appeal to you, you can even get a group together and start a new one. Joining a club is a great way to make friends and gain experience, not to mention it looks good on a resume!
7) Study by the pond
Another gem of UMass is the campus pond, which prior to contrary belief is not just for admiring as you walk by on the way to class. Although it may provide less distractions, the library is not the only place you can go to study here on campus. Grab some friends and a book and enjoy the great outdoors for a few hours!
8) Watch the sunset from the 26th floor
Not only is the library not the only place to study on campus, studying is also not the only thing I use the library for. W.E.B. DuBois Library is the second tallest library in the world, and the tallest of all university libraries. The view from the top floor is breathtaking at any time of day, but being the hopeless romantic I am, I like to go there to watch the sunset whenever possible. When your transition into the college lifestyle is feeling a little stressful, look up what time the sun is going to set that evening (which is now conveniently right on your weather app thanks to iOS7) and unwind while you enjoy the view!
9) See a show at the Mullins Center
We at UMass are lucky enough to get way more concerts than just an annual spring concert like most other colleges. The Mullins Center right here on campus has awesome events going on all the time, which are usually not too expensive either. We’re all pretty bummed about the recent ban on EDM events, but there will still be plenty of rap/country/etc. concerts this year to choose from. Save up a little cash for a ticket (and a cute new outfit of course), and dance the night away with your fellow zoo animals!
10) Make your own Bucket List
For your freshmen year, for your four years at UMass, or for life – it’s good to set goals for yourself, and writing them down will give you more motivation to work towards completing them. Get together with friends to brainstorm a ton of silly and crazy ones, too. We only get to experience college once, so we might as well do it right!
What are you waiting for, collegiettes? Go tackle that bucket list!