Exhaustion is beginning to set in as December 21st comes closer and closer. The good news is, you are almost there! You are making it through your first semester here at UMass Lowell and you should be proud. Give yourself a round of applause. Now do it again! 

It’s hard staying motivated at the end of the semester. All you want to do is watch Netflix and nap…  (maybe that’s just me getting a little too personal).. But do not forget that finals are approaching, which unfortunately means we have lots of studying to do and papers that won’t write themselves! The more we let procrastination get to us, the more we are putting our grades in jeopardy. So here are 5 things to do to make sure you never lose that motivation, especially this close to the end of the semester!

     5 ways to stay motivated:

Watch Ted Talks

Surround yourself with positive people

Dream about your goals

Focus on the present

Don’t be too hard on yourself

                                                ONLY T H R E E WEEKS LEFT! 

    For most Americans, November 23rd is full of family, food, and traditions. There is no school and most jobs are closed or have limited hours. This day is a time of reflection. But what if you don’t celebrate Thanksgiving? Here are some Thanksgiving survival tips for those who don’t “do” Thanksgiving.

1) Make plans with others who don’t celebrate Thanksgiving beforehand.

By putting yourself out there, you’ll find others who share this commonality with you. Try going to see a movie or try cooking a meal together! You may end up making a new best friend while surviving the holiday.

2) Volunteer at a shelter or soup kitchen.

Moral of the story- do not mope around! You may not be celebrating the holiday yourself, but you can always help someone who is less fortunate have a memorable Thanksgiving.

3) Still use the time to appreciate family and friends.

Take this opportunity to reach out to people. Especially those you haven’t connected with in a while. If they celebrate Thanksgiving, understand that they might be preoccupied, but it is the season of gratitude! Your thoughtfulness will definitely transcend and when things quiet down, they’ll give you a call back.

4) Treat yo’self!

You have the day off; use it as a time of rejuvenation! Sleep in! Try a facial mask! Pamper yourself! Order your favorite meal!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

What started as a community psychology assignment has exploded with 290 likes on Facebook and 265 followers on Instagram.

Originally, Humans of Umass Lowell was under the care of 3 upperclassmen. However, as there enrollment waned to an end, the upperclassmen wanted to pass on their class project to those who were capable of maintaining it. However, years prior, Michaela Goss and Katrina Desrosiers had decided they wanted to do something similar to complete their Honors requirement. When the chance came, the girls jumped at the chance of getting interviewed and were chosen as the new owners of the Humans of UMass Lowell webpages.

This dual Honors Thesis/ English Capstone has taught the young ladies about the styles of photography and how to write intriguing and positive articles based on interviews.

The meeting goes as follows- The ladies identify random people at UMass Lowell and ask them if they want to be interviewed for about 5 to 6 minutes. A random question generator chooses the questions each participant will receive. There is a list of infrequently asked questions that is chosen from. The interview starts with 5 random questions (e.g. What’s your favorite color?) and 1 thought provoking question (e.g. What does success look like to you?). This is based off of Humans of New York. Then whoever is interviewing will take a photo of the interviewee however that person feels the most comfortable.

In an interview with Michaela Goss, she told me that the goal of these interviews is to create a sense of community by showcasing the amazing people at UMass Lowell. Although social issues aren’t addressed, they do attempt to bring a sense of unity to the campus by allowing people to say whatever they want and capturing the essence of that person through the corresponding blog and the picture that goes along with the blog.

Here is a link to my own interview.

Freshman 15

Everyone might have heard about the “Freshman 15”. Some of you might fear about the Freshman 15 reality but some might consider it a myth. I want to make it clear first that don’t stick to the number 15 as it is just a number that was made up but you might end up gaining 3-4 Lbs. While some of you might gain weight, some might even lose it. The reason for this change is mainly the Drastic change in the Environment, routine and living habits. In this blog, we will be looking some ways to avoid the Freshman 15:

1.Exercise

Make use of the services provided by the Campus Recreation Center and the various Zumba, Spin and many other classes offered by them. If you don’t like any of those try swimming, biking or hiking.

2. Stock Healthy Snacks

Instead of stocking Goldfish, Chips, Doritos or Cheetos go for healthy snacks like fruits, greek yogurt, hummus, whole grain cereal and some veggies. This is essential as late night homework or  stress can lead to binge eating.

3. Avoid the Soda and Sugary Food.

Most of us find this sweet treats easily at McGauvran, Starbucks or Subway. But try to avoid this instead go for some healthy options. The Soda is made full of sugar which can leave you gaining more calories so try to avoid it next time when you go for meat at Fox or McGauvran.

4. Eat slowly. 

Avoid This!

Yes, I get it that you have your class and you are in a rush but plan accordingly and spend enough time in eating. Te problem with eating fast is that you might end up consuming more calories before even realizing that you’re full. Research says that it takes twenty minutes for your brain to realize you’re full and send a signal of fullness, so take your time!

So,You can’t gain fifteen pounds overnight, just like you can’t lose fifteen pounds overnight. So, it is perfectly alright to eat your favorite foods and reach for seconds and thirds sometimes. Moderation and balance are what will help you enjoy your food and keep off those pounds!

As you all may know we have a residence hall right in the heart of the city. If you take the Yellow Line it will take you to the Inn and Conference Center, and from there you are free to explore Downtown Lowell. You will find so many unique shops and great restaurants!

Here’s a list of some of the places you should check out! But be aware, there’s so much more! And thanks to Student Government Association, many places Downtown will give you up to 10% off if you show them your student ID!

1. El Potro

2. Lowell Burger Company

3. Humanity

4. Wings over Lowell

5. Sweet Lydia’s

6. Mill No. 5

7. Tremonte

8. Coffee Mill

9. Ramen Bar

10. Brew’d Awakening