Hello friends, I hope you had an awesome weekend and took Veterans Day as a day to relax and decompress. A huge thank you to all veterans, they are the reasons we enjoy all of these amazing luxuries and freedoms.

As we approach Mid – November I am sure we are all starting to feel the end of the semester heat. Term papers are due, research projects are everywhere and you might be asking yourself : where is all of this information going to come from??

Wikipedia can only give me so much. 1: Wikipedia is not a reliable resource for serious academic work. 2: You have amazing online and offline resources at your disposal through the UML Library!

The online databases have thousands of  peer reviewed journals, articles and books that are available to you as a student here at UMass Lowell. Here is a step by step guide to getting to/using the databases:

Go to uml.edu and click on libraries

Click On Databases

Choose a search method

Use a keyword, title or author search to look up your information!

The library databases have amazing resources for what ever project you may have. If you need more assistance with how to use these databases to there full potential please visit this collection of tutorials and research guides pulled together by our wonderful libraries.

He is definitely not getting enough sleep.

Hello and happy hump-day friends! I hope all of your mid terms exams and projects went well.

When I arrived here at UML I was told by many an upperclassmen that there where three facets to college life: academics, social life and sleep. They would go on to say that you could only pick two of the facets and still function. There are only 5 weeks left until final exams, which means we will all be in a constant state of sleep deprivation until December 18th and that just isn’t healthy. In hindsight, my older friends where very wrong. succeeding in college is all about finding a balance and what is mentioned above is a perfect example of what an unbalanced lifestyle would look like. No one is here to sacrifice academics and one of the most important parts of college is to make friends and explore socially. Naturally the first facet to go is sleep, which actually is one of the most important things you need to do!

Sleep is important for so many reasons. It restores our energy, fights off illness and fatigue by strengthening our immune system, helps us think more clearly and creatively. It strengthens our memory, puts you in a good mood and allows you to perform at an elevated level throughout your day. Sleep is vital for us as to be able to function, not just inactive time that can be filled with other activities.

this student on the other hand seems relaxed and ready for finals!

If your feeling the mental stress from your coursework sleep is most definitely a helpful simple remedy. Lack of sleep has been connected to depression, anxiety and an overall unhealthy mental health situation.

Relationships can also suffer. When sleep deprived, students will:

•  have trouble enjoying activities that are typically fun 
• have difficulty listening to what their partner or friends have to say 
• become quickly irritated

All of these result in more conflict, stress and anxiety and will absolutely affect both your social life and your academics.

Overall you need balance. We cannot function without sleep, it is what powers all of our creative thoughts and activities and without it all other facets of our lives would suffer. Go get some sleep!

– Migs

Hello friends and Happy Halloween! I hope you all are having an amazing end to October (Where has the time gone?!). I you are all safe tonight, if you need any tips on that make sure you check out last weeks blog!

As you know it is almost time to pick classes for the upcoming spring semester. This is usually when everyone starts scrambling to take care of holds, pay their bills and have last minute meetings with advisers. The Solution Center is now fully functional and here to ease the your stress! It is a one stop shop for all of your university needs.  It integrates all of the services currently provided independently by the offices of the Registrar, Student Financial Services and Financial Aid. It is located on the first floor of the new University Crossing Building. Not only well it help with the services mentioned above, it will also provide information on jobs on campus and all the major functions of ISIS.

The Solution Center is here for you during the November rush, make sure you use it!

-Migs

Hey friends and happy Friday! It’s half way through the semester and now transitioning from sweater to coat weather. Sooner than you know it, it’ll be Thanksgiving weekend!I’ll back track a little bit… It’s t-minus 7 days until Halloween. Fun fact: Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.

For those who don’t celebrate Halloween, there are events happening on campus that are non-holiday related. There are events on campus for those who would like something to do on Halloween, too! UMass Lowell is an inclusive community for everyone attending the University. Here are some events listed below with a description about them!

These are more geared towards Halloween. If you’d like to pass by anytime, feel free to do so.

If you like to watch movies, a big marvel fan or would just like to do something Wednesday night, Guardians of the Galaxy is getting screened at Moloney Hall at University Crossing!  The movie is about a group of space criminals must work together the fanatical villain Ronan the Accuser from destroying the galaxy.

If you would like to watch the extended version of the trailer, click here!

On the bottom left, there is another event in Fox Common that’s host by Student Government Association. If you’d like to sing, watch people sing or get some food! It’s from 8-10 PM on Thursday, October 30th and food will be provided!

The ICC is the Inn and Conference Center in downtown Lowell. This residence hall is a hotel style set up with residence hall furniture. To get to On Thursday, the ICC is having a magician come and have a show from 7-8 PM. It is $5 for students and $10 for faculty and staff. For more information, please call the ICC at 978-934-6920.

Hello friends and long time no see! I hope you found the newsletter be a helpful and enjoyable read, I know I had a blast writing it.

1. Travel in Groups: It might sound simple but you would be surprised at how many people travel alone on a night in which we statistically have the most visitors/strangers on campus. I would love to believe that people are generally good but we need to be cautious about the exceptions in humanity. Traveling with a group of your friends makes you infinitely safe and is probably a lot more fun! If you do go to meet people alone make sure you let someone know when you leave so that a person you trust knows where you are.
2. Costume Functionality/Self Awareness: Crazy costumes are fun and will definitely generate some laughs but make sure you can function as a human being in them. If you can’t walk in heels and you need to walk across campus to hang with some friends it would probably be a good idea to wear some different shoes. Same applies if your costume is so big it keeps you off balance or you can’t see well because a part of it covers your head, Safety first guys! their are a lot of drunk drivers out on October 31st, you don’t want to raise your chances of getting into an accident because of your super awesome over-sized M&M suit.
3. Be Careful With Fake Props: While you and your friends may have coordinated costumes, strangers may not be as knowledgeable about your costume and its accompanying props, Do not carry fake weapons. Not only do you want to avoid scaring those around you  but you also want to avoid alarming the police who are on high alert for anything suspicious on such an active night on campus
4. Be Aware of What You Consume: If you are hanging out with people who you are not as a familiar with avoid any fishy food or drink. Avoid punch bowls and hand wrapped/unwrapped candy. Again I like to see the best in everybody but it is better to be safe than sorry!
5. Keep your Cellphone Handy: In case of emergency keep yourself on hand, not seven layers down through your costume!

Hey friends and happy Friday! It’s the first weekend of October, where the leaves are turning colors and the week of midterms is among us. I’m still in shock that the first month flew by! I just received the dates of all my exams and I’m starting to prep for the upcoming weeks. Always try to be ahead of the game friends! It’s good to be on top of things.

Other than midterms, October is full of amazing opportunities and events. One of them is River Hawk Homecoming! For those who are unsure of what its about, it is a yearly tradition for alumni and current students of a high school, college and University.This event gets confused for a formal dance, but that’s considered a prom. Homecoming is full of activities, sports events and cultural events that would happen throughout the weekend.  Fun fact- Southwestern University hosted the first homecoming celebration in 1909!

River Hawk Homecoming is new to the University. As UMass Lowell is expanding every year from new buildings, renovations and new students, its great to share this with alumni, too! From explanation above, there will be activities, cultural events and sports events where both alumni and current students can enjoy. This event will be from October 24th-26th. If you cannot make an event, it’s perfectly fine! There is a lot going on throughout the weekend. Feel free to look below to check out what’s going!

 Here’s a list of some events of River Hawk Homecoming:

UMass Lowell vs. University of Michigan & Michigan State University
Game vs. Michigan: October 24th, 2014 @ the Tsongas Center from 7-9:30 PM
Game vs. Michigan State University: October 25th, 2014 @ the Tsongas Center from 7-9 PM

16th Annual: Jennifer’s Family Fun Run/Walk
October 25th, 2014 @ Tsongas Center from 11 AM-12 PM

Athletic Alumni Games
October 25th- Women Soccer Alumni Game @ Cushing Fields from 11AM to 12 PM
October 25th- Softball Alumni Game @ Riverview Field from 12-2 PM
October 25th- Men & Women’s Basketball Alumni Game @ Costello Athletic Center from 2-4 PM
October 25th- Hockey Alumni Game @ Tsongas Center from 3-4:30 PM

Campus Tours
October 24th- 40th & 50th Reunion Tours & UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center from 2-4 PM
October 25th- Now & Then Campus Tours from 2-6 P.M (Across Campus)
October 26th- Open House @ Tsongas Center from 9:30 AM-1 PM

Hawkey Way**
October 25th, 2014- Outside of Tsongas Center from 2-6 P.M.

If you’re interested in more events happening throughout the weekend, click here.
If you are also interested in buying tickets and packages, click here.

Hope to see you all there! Have a good weekend everyone!
-T

Hello my friends! It is officially October and that is terrifying for a myriad of reasons. 1st, Where did September go. 2nd, now that September ended we have to go wake up Green Day (fun fact-I have no shame when it comes to puns). 3rd and probably the most stress inducing of the three: Midterms. No matter if you are gods gift to standardized testing or crawl into a fetal position when given open response questions, exams are rough. You never know when your brain is going to throw you for a loop and decide that it is not going to make logical decisions when half your grade is at stake. All of that being said, there are very effective ways in which you can successfully prepare for these examinations without going on a three day, caffeine induced study bender.

Know what is going to be on the exam
This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised how many people just do not know what material is on the test. This DOES NOT mean that every time the professor introduces new material you raise your hand and say “Is this going to be on the test?”. That is disrespectful and shows that you are there just to get a grade and a diploma rather than to learn about your craft. A professor’s syllabus generally will have all of the material that is going to be covered and a schedule of examinations. Assume you are responsible for all the material that was taught before that exam date.If a Professor repeats a certain bit of information it is most likely going to be on the exam. If you are still not sure what material is to be covered, pass by the professors office hour and ask for help on anything you are struggling with. They will most likely give you tidbits on what if anything your struggling with is on the exam.

Study in groups not just by yourself
While studying by yourself is highly recommended and absolutely necessary, it is most effective when paired with a study group. It is easy to procrastinate when you are not around other people pushing towards the same goal. It is also extremely helpful to tutor others on the information, explaining the material helps you internalize it and makes you look at it from different angles. When studying with other people you can bounce ideas and off of each other and break the monotony of sitting in a chair and staring at a text book. Pool your knowledge together and the entire class will ace the exam!

Do Not Cram
Cramming does not work for the long term. Yes, it is possible to stuff a lot of information into your brain in a short period of time and regurgitate it into a blue test booklet. You are only doing a disservice to yourself by cramming. With no reinforcement all of that information is going to be gone within the week and when the comprehensive final exam rolls around you will have stuff an entire semesters work of material into two nights, not fun. If you break up your study time throughout the semester (20-45 minutes, 2 times a day) you will actually remember the material past the first exam and hopefully for your college and post college careers.

Disconnect and enjoy the silence
It is so easy to not study. There is Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Reddit, Tumblr, Pinterest etc. etc. etc. We have to DISCONNECT. Stay off the social media while you are studying, it will only distract you and make your already busy life busier. While you are staying off the internet (unless its for homework) try to occupy a space that is not so distracting. While your residence hall room is probably your first option it may not be quietest . Try the library, a park bench maybe one of the computer labs in your colleges department. The more you focus the more you can get done in shorter periods of time.

Stay healthy and organized
The fast food and coffee diet is a cheap ticket to the freshman 45 folks. The more you take care of your body the more efficient you will become at studying and your work overall. Your body is a machine and needs it maintenance. Schedule time to eat healthy,exercise and sleep. Also, schedule time to keep everything organized. If you room looks like a nuclear bomb when off the on reading day you might be in for a rough week. If you go into finals week with a clean and organized room, a schedule for how you are going to study for your exams and clear head, you are just that more likely to succeed.

Happy hump day friends, you are all going to do great.

-Migs

Hey friends and happy Friday! Can you believe it’s almost October?! School just started a few weeks ago and its almost the second month of the semester. I looked at my calendar and I couldn’t believe it myself! I was already putting my schedules in for the month to manage everything within the next few weeks.

Now, talking about managing. It’s around that time of the semester where your professors give quizzes, tests, exams and critiques on what you learn. Time management is HUGE during these next few years. When you start getting involved within the UMass Lowell community, you start having less time than before and  having time management is great! It helps you stay on task, get everything done accordingly and no stressing out!

Here’s a few of tips you can use:

Monthly Planning
It’s always great to be a head of the game! Invest in a planner that has a large blocks to write things within them daily. Look at all of your syllabuses and write down when assignments are due. This will help you plan things accordingly and give yourself time to get things done on time. This is something I do around the end of each month for the next month. I have a color for academics, clubs, events, meetings and work. It helps me stay organize and get a head start on things. It also gives you an idea of what your week is looking like ahead of time as a way to prepare yourself instead of forgetting something.

Weekly Planning
I definitely would encourage buying a planner. This will help you write down your homework for the week and things you need to do daily. If you forget something that you need for class, write it down in your planner! It helps out more than you think. When you take a look at it, you may have something for the class like, “remember to bring a book for class or read an article that will be talked about in class.” It’s little things like that can help you in the long run.

To Do List/Prioritizing
Being a part of the UMass Lowell community, there are so many opportunities you can be involved in. I could name all of them, but it would be longer than the blog itself. As you take on opportunities, just make sure you prioritize yourself. If you know there’s a few assignments that are coming up, do them in order of importance. I use sticky notes as a “To Do List” of things to do for the day or when a certain assignment is due. Remember, its not good to leave things for last minute. Its always good to prepare yourself rather than stress out.

Block Study Time & Breaks
I am guilty of last minute studying because I found out there was a quiz or test the night before. It’s never good to do that.,, You don’t study at your best potential and you will be nervous when the time comes to take it. Try to set up some time for yourself beforehand to organize the material and find what you need to study more than other information. This will help you remember more information and I promise, you’ll ace it!

Academics FIRST!
It’s great to enjoy college, go out with your friends and create memories. Remember that you are a college student. The faculty and staff do understand that things may happen, but it is your responsibility to maintain your grades. I understand its a lot of pressure and you want to explore new opportunities, I was there. There’s one thing I’ve taught myself recently, you cannot do everything. You can enjoy life and accept new opportunities that go your way. Just keep in mind, you are student, too.

I hope this week went well for all of you! Happy almost October friends!

-T

Hello friends and happy Wednesday! It is crazy to think that September is about to end and we are heading into our fourth week of classes. You all will come to find that college time does not function like real world time. We are at a very specific point in our lives. All that is expected of us is to learn and I think that is a beautiful thing because the real world has a tendency to be unfair and unforgiving. But right here and now, all we have to focus on is learning the rules of life as they apply to our (hopefully) wildly successful journeys. Those rules include being a decent human being to whoever your living with. With that in mind I now give to you my thoughts on how to be a good roommate vs. a bad one!

VS.