Hey everyone, Jeff here with some information about the end of the semester…if you already don’t know. ISIS will be back up on Wed. December 2 so for those of you that still need to register you can do so starting the 2nd. It will be much easier to use! The last day of classes are going to be on Monday December 14th. The 15th is Reading Day and there will be no classes. The 16th is when final exams begin. If your professor has not already told you when your final exam is, you can go to the Registrars website, or just click on this link…

http://www.uml.edu/registrar/term_fall/SCHEDULE/Final_Exam_Schedule.html

That is the direct link to the schedule. It is all listed by department and course number so if you know those then you can just see when your final is going to be that way.

Be sure to check your e-mails as well because myself and the other Orientation Ambassadors are sending out e-mails just to check in with everyone and see how your first semesters were here and to answer any questions that you have.

Alright I’m Done,
Jeff

Hey everyone it’s Jeff here!! Hope everyone is getting along alright in the UMass community and doing well in their classes. I’m sure periodically throughout your days you wonder, “What the heck is Jeff doin’ these days?!?!” Well I’m gonna tell you so stop wondering…I have been super busy with school work, primarily lab reports because those can tend to kick any ones butt around this time. Some of you may have also seen me giving some campus tours around South Campus because I have been giving a looooot of those bad boys. All of that along with starting to study for finals is starting the “end of the semester scramble” for myself. But I am starting to get it all under control so please stop worrying about me. Any-who, I am sure most of you know about the ISIS 9.0 upgrade that will be occurring. I am also sure some of you didn’t even know there was an ISIS 8.0 so keep your eyes peeled for the posters around all campuses, e-mails, facebook, blogs, etc. I won’t give the whole schpeal on it since Audrey has already done so cause she’s great BUT, I have seen been able to play with this new ISIS 9.0 and its going to be waaaay easier to do everything! Just remember that ISIS will be completely down starting November 24th at 9PM until December 2 at 7AM. Check out the cool logo!!

Alright enough of that…A little change of pace here for things to do around campus. I know I usually get you guys all pumped about the Movies That Rock series…cause I know you love them…But the music department is starting it’s performance month and all of the ensembles that your fellow students are in will be playing. The music ranges from concert and orchestral music to jazz and funk music. Whatever you are into we have it!! Rather than giving you a link to check out I will be so kind and just put the whole calendar in here. Please hold the applause.

Alright enough out of me. I hope you all have started preparing for finals and don’t forget to use us as a resource. That is what we are here for and our job is to help all of you with anything you need help with!

Alright I’m Done,
Jeff

So what does that mean? Register for your classes as soon as possible!

Hi Everyone!
That stressful time is here yet again..PICKING CLASSES!!!!
For some, its a simple task to do and fortunately enough you get all the classes you want…for others, its a fight against other people who are taking the same class and sometimes you get a schedule thats not what you wanted. What you can do to help with this though is ask for a permission number!

it never hurts to ask. So find out who the professor is for the class and email them and kindly ask for a permission number. the worst thing they can say is no

I hope everyone gets a satisfied schedule and a satisfied belly after thanksgiving!

Jess Yu xoxo

One of my favorite tradtions here at UML is one that my friends and I created on our own! My freshmen year some of my friends and I decided that before going to our homes for Thanksgiving we should get together on our own and do our own Thanksgiving. Obviously, we were not well equipt with cooking materials so it became “Ghetto Thanksgiving”. We all made a dish or brought some sort of food and pigged out with each other giving thanks for not only getting through our first semester, but making these new friends.

I am now in my senior year and putting together my 4th, and final, Ghetto Thanksgiving with some of the same friends…and some new ones as well.

-Erin

So as you know, finals week is just about a month away. Once you’re done, you can breathe a sigh of relief, and know that Christmas is just around the corner. But for that one to two weeks that you have finals, it can be very overwhelming. So it’s good to start preparing now!
It’s important to know that in some classes, your final makes up a huge chunk of your grade. So you should begin to come up with a study plan, and begin preparing all your materials now.

1. Make flashcards: Flashcards are not only simple to make, but one of the best materials you can use when it comes to memorizing definitions and terms. Group them in simple groups, like ten to twenty cards, and go through until you’ve memorized each group. Then, try to go through the entire set after you feel confident that you’ve memorized the material.

2. Create a mock test: Go through all the material in your class, and take a piece of paper and divide it in half the long way. Write a bunch of terms and whatnot on one side of the sheet, and attempt to answer the questions on the other side.

3. Take breaks: When studying, it’s a good idea to take breaks in order to keep yourself focused. Keep it short, though; around five to ten minutes should suffice. Any longer, and you may get a case of “Wow, I haven’t played Call of Duty in a while, I should go do that. Oh, and I have some laundry I forgot to do. And I need to write a letter to that pen pal from Spanish class in 6th grade too..” So try to keep focused!

4. Be sure to check your professor’s website [if they have one], for any study guides or review sheets that they may have posted online for you! And, always review past quizzes and homework, because that is the material that will be included on your final.

5. If you’re getting a take home exam, be sure to spell check everything! Also, make sure that you’ve cited your work, and used any special formatting techniques that your professor may have requested. You don’t want to lose points or fail the exam because of a mistake like that.

“I find that children want to be around happy people because it makes them happy and it may empower them to always be a happy person.”