Around this time of the year, when the weather is nicer and pant legs get shorter, people start thinking of the beach and their bodies. Here are some tips to help you be the best you as the temperature rises.

Continue reading →

1. People always say it’s okay to change your major, but forget to add that each major has its set of difficulties. One should change their major to match their passions, not their desired homework level. If that were the case, I would have majored in sleep studies (if only that were a thing).
2. Graduation comes a lot quicker than you think. Be proactive. Look into the job market and what you’ll have to do to make it BEFORE senior year. Or do what I did and just change your career path! No biggie… *crying internally* 
3. Senioritis is real! Avoid taking heavy course loads senior year if you can help it. I’m completing my Honors Thesis and I want to crawl in a hole, but the work isn’t even difficult! Imagine if I were taking Physics or something of that nature!?
4. Make the most out of your experience. You don’t want to reach senior year and wish you had gotten involved on campus. I ended up joining the Step Team senior year and I also plan to go on a Campus Rec Adventure Trip- skydiving!
   
5. Sleep is very important. But you probably won’t do much of it unless you set your sleep schedule up for success. AKA don’t start online shopping at 3am. Yes, those shoes are awesome, but you won’t feel so awesome at your 9am class. TRUST ME!!
6. Not knowing is okay. Wallowing in your self pity about not knowing is NOT okay. Seek out resources! There are so many at UMass Lowell. Just Google it!
7. Learn to say “no”. This can mean no to relationships, playing video games the night before an exam, taking substances, joining clubs, etc. In the long run, your peace of mind is WAAAY more important. Trust me, escaping humans is very important to keep your sanity.
8. Educate yourself outside of your major. This is why I joined the Honors College. Otherwise, I’d know a lot about proper weight lifting techniques and nothing else.
9. Surround yourself with people who have traits you’d like to emulate because iron sharpens iron. If you find yourself in a group you want to be the opposite of- RUN AWAY! Unless they’re running on the track and you want to run to, then run with them.
10. Have fun and slowly inch out of your comfort zone! I always say, “What’s the point of life if you’re not enjoying it?” Plus, along the way, you’ll find yourself, new friends, and a plethora of new experiences!

…I would continue, but I have NOT been setting my sleep schedule up for success and it’s nap time!

Look at yourself in the mirror

Say out loud, “I can do it”

Even if you don’t believe it, say it again. This time, even louder, “I can do it!”

At different points in our lives, we might feel discouraged. We might feel like we’ve been dealt more than we can bear. However, Winston Churchill once said, “Never, never, never give up!”

I think he had the right idea here. The only way you can fail is by not trying or giving your best attempt. And even if you don’t succeed in the way you thought you would, know that you learned a lesson and can only grow from your experiences. In addition, learn to find joy even whilst in the process. It makes life much easier to deal with.

I get it. Writing emails seems so…weird. However, to brand yourself as a professional, you do need to be able to send emails professionally. Below is a basic outline for emails. Buut before we get to that, if your email sounds childish or embarrassing (like hotpurplesoccergirl99@gmail.com), you should change your email name or don’t give out that email.In fact, using your school email is good enough!

OKAY! Let’s do the thing! Keep reading!

Subject: Something related to your message. Example: Meeting with you

Dear/Hello Mr./Mrs./Ms./Professor/Dr. Last Name,

A line of greeting. Example: I hope this email finds you enjoying your day.

Your respectful and grammatically correct message. Example: I would like to schedule a meeting with you concerning the last exam at your earliest convenience. Please let me know your availability.

Thank you!

Your Name

On today’s blog, a different senior will be presenting you with different ways to have fun!

Her name is Nikole Devereaux. She is an environmental science major with a concentration in legal studies. I asked her what she liked to do for fun and this is her response!

These are Nikole’s top 14 ways to have fun in Lowell on a budget:

“There’s so much to do in Lowell any time of the year. Take free wheelers bikes, drive (free parking on Sundays), or hop on the Yellow Line to downtown to discover all that Lowell has to offer. This city is very unique and has a lot of history, it could take a while to finally have the chance to check out what’s behind every corner. I know I fell in love with Lowell the first time I came here and I hope you do too.”

1. Mill No. 5
   1. Shopping center that looks like an old street front inside of an old mill
   2. 250 Jackson St Lowell, MA
   3. Thrift stores, apothecary, local businesses, boutiques, record shops, coffee shop (Coffee and Cotton)
   4. Coffee and Cotton sometimes has live music at night
   5. Luna theater
   6. Sunday farmers market- fresh vegetables and local crafts
2. Sweet Lydia’s- candy store
3. Humanity- high end boutique
4. Uncharted- restaurant/bar that usually has live music at night
5. Saint Vincent de Paul Thrift Store
6. Flower Mill– flower arrangements, succulents
7. Restaurants
   1. El potro
   2. Tremonte Pizzeria
   3. Fuse Bistro
   4. Ramen Bar
   5. Live Alive
8. Coffee shops
   1. Brew’d Awakening
9. Brush Art Studios
10. Winter Fest- February 24-25th– different activities all around downtown
11. National Park Services
12. Museums
    1. Quilt Museum
    2. Boott Cotton Mills Museum
    3. National Streetcar Museum
    4. Whistler House Museum of Art
    5. Mill Girls & Immigrants Exhibit
13. Tours
    1. Mill and Trolley Tour
    2. Canal Tour
    3. Usually go through the spring, summer, and fall
    4. Self-guided tours
14. Parks to ride bikes/ walk through
    1. Lucy Larcom Park
    2. Decatur Way Art Space next to Ucrossing
    3. Jack Kerouac Park

Typical. Once again, you’ve made your New Year’s Resolution to tone up by Spring break and you’ve only driven past the gym ONCE. You know there are two recreational centers at UMass Lowell, but the thought of trying to lift weights or figure out the elliptical seems daunting. Plus, what if you run into a classmate? And they judge you?

Starting a  healthy lifestyle does NOT have to be scary!

In fact, a simple way to stick to your resolution while making friends is to join a club sport or intramural. Continue reading →

    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.

Not Sleeping:

• Limit your ability to learn and recall information
• Makes you more prone to acne
• Is a risk factor for obesity
• Inhibits brain function (similar to alcohol intoxication)
• Puts you at a greater risk for heart disease or stroke 
• May worsen mental health issues, such as depression

Tips for good sleep:

• Keep a regular sleep/wake schedule
• Don’t drink caffeine four to six hours before bed 
• Don’t smoke, especially near bedtime or if you awake in the night
• Avoid alcohol and heavy meals 
• Exercise regularly
• Minimize noise and extreme temperatures where you sleep
• Develop a regular bedtime schedule

SIS Refresher:  Go to “MyUML” → SIS→ “For Students”

This is the mobile friendly interface:

This is the older version of SIS. Click the green “Mobile View” button to switch back to the previous screen if you’d like:

Plan out your classes for advising ahead of time! Most likely, your major’s primary classes will be in your planner. You will need to add breadth of knowledge classes and classes pertaining to minors as well as concentrations to your planner.

To double check your status and class completions, click on “Plan by Requirement” while in the planner view. It’ll bring you to something like this:

When you’re ready to enroll, use schedule builder! Here is a quick review on schedule builder:

Hint: Don’t forget to hit enroll each time it shows up on the screen or your classes will remain in the shopping cart.

GOOD LUCK!!