One:

Know your surroundings and make sure you have a safe way to get home. To make sure you have a way home, try to keep a couple bucks on you to pay for a cab if need be. Also, make sure you charge your phone before going out incase you need to get in touch with someone!

Last weekend UMass Lowell held its annual Riverhawk Homecoming, and as usual, it was a success! On Saturday, the festivities began at 3 pm on Hawkey Way. I took a walk over to see what was happening, and I was impressed. When I first entered the scene there was live music from local bands as well as some performers from the University, such as our Acapella groups. Near the stage there were amazing food trucks, from one of which I bought fried clams, which were absolutely delicious. There was so much other food, like fried dough, french fries and a personal favorite of mine, deep fried oreos.

After filling my belly, I went to explore more. On and off campus groups and clubs had tables and booths. Many of the varsity and club sports had fun activities, as well as a “meet the athletes” station for young fans. One of my favorite stations was the make-your-own stuffed animal station. The best part was that it was absolutely free! Out of the many options, I made a dalmatian. I stuffed him, sewed him up and even put a cute Riverhawk Homecoming t-shirt on him! Here he his!
                                                     
After the festivities on Hawkey Way ended, UMass Lowell Hockey played Merrimack for the second night in a row. Friday night it was a 1-1 tie, so the tension was high. We were ready for some competition. The game was intense, and ended the same way as the night before; going into overtime with a tie of 1-1.
Overall, homecoming was a great success, and I’m glad that I got to be a part of it, and I hope you did too!
Katy

Congrats! You’ve made it through the half way mark of Fall Semester! Even though midterms are over, there’s still a lot to be done, especially in preparation for next semester. Unlike high school and secondary schools, college has two semesters per year where you take completely different classes each semester. Picking classes on your own may seem difficult, however, it is much simpler than it seems.

First things first, meet with your adviser. They are assigned to you through SiS, and you can find out who your adviser is by looking on the right hand side of your Student Center in SiS. You can contact them directly through SiS, which is super convenient! At UMass Lowell, everyone is required to meet with an adviser, and you will have an advising hold on your account until you do so. This means that you are unable to register for classes! We believe that everyone should excel here at UML, so a meeting with your adviser will give you an idea of what classes to take next semester, and even the semesters ahead. Remember, advisers are your go to person in your department, they WANT to help you succeed and make the most of your college experience. Always take their advice.

Second, know your own curriculum. In order to be successful, you need to be informed on what classes you’ll be taking during which semester. This is especially critical if you are a member of the Honor’s College because your class schedule may be slightly different from others in your major. Honor’s students take extra classes, as well as take accelerated Honors versions of certain classes. Also, if you have AP or Transfer credits, your schedule will be altered, so its always a good idea to know where you should be.

Knowing your curriculum lets you be more prepared to meet with your adviser. If you have an idea of what classes you should be taking, it makes the meeting much smoother. Unfortunately, advisers see hundreds of students each advising period, so the meetings are short. Knowing what you need will give you more time to ask about the things you are unsure of, like what minor to declare. Bonus, advisers will be impressed if you know your stuff!

Lastly, breathe. Scheduling for classes is not the end of the world. It’s okay if you’re not in a class with your best friend, and it’s okay if you don’t know which professor’s class to take. If you end up enrolling in a class you don’t like, no worries, you can change your schedule as much as you like until the end of the add/drop period in the beginning of the semester (but don’t go crazy). No matter what you do, you’ll make the right choices.

Good luck!
Katy

If you haven’t heard it already, hockey is our most popular and favorite sport here at UMass Lowell. Our team is Division 1, and plays at the Tsongas Center on either Friday or Saturday nights. They are a great way to socialize as well as enjoy an interactive and competitive sport.
This past Friday, I attended the season opener game against RPI. I arrived about an hour early, afraid I wouldn’t get a seat in the student section. Luckily, there was space, but it was packed! Everyone was excited to be back and watch the Riverhawks kick some butt, especially me. At most games there are giveaways, and on Friday we received rally towels. The crowd was wild as the team hit the ice and began the game.
One thing I love about UML hockey games is that it’s not just about watching the game, the fans get to participate too! In between periods, anything can happen. Usually, there is a sandwich eating contest where the winner gets a gift card to a sub shop, and Rowdy will throw t-shirts to the crowd. Also, there is a “dance cam” or “kiss cam”, putting the audience on the big screen. Lastly, as I said earlier, there are always many giveaways like t-shirts, bobble heads and noise makers.
The Riverhawks ended up defeating the RPI Engineers on Friday night 3-0, with Evan Campbell scoring two points and AJ White scoring one.
If you have not gone to a hockey game yet, I highly suggest you attend at least one this year. They are so much fun, even if you know nothing about hockey. I was not really a fan of hockey before I came to UML, but I love it now. It’s a great place to go and hangout with new and old friends, and something to do on a Friday night.
Hope to see you all there tomorrow!
Katy

Yesterday evening, UMass Lowell celebrated the rebirth of city of Lowell, and our new Chancellor, Jacquie Moloney. The day began with tours of Lowell, incorporating the new additions to Lowell as well as its history of once being a booming mill city. As the day progressed, the celebration moved to Mill No. 5, a renovated mill in Downtown Lowell. If you haven’t checked it out, it’s amazing. Mill No. 5 is an office building and schools on the lower levels, and a cute market place on the the fourth floor. You can find a thrift store, a vinyl record store, an apothecary and even an yoga studio! My favorite part is the coffee shop, Coffee and Cotton, for both its cozy vibe and delicious menu. Mill No. 5 also features the Luna Theater, which play indie films for great prices.
I arrived around 6 pm at Mill No. 5, just when the party was getting started. I entered myself into the free raffle, in which I ended up winning a $25 dollar gift card to Jimmy John’s, and some cool UML gear! Our very own students were performing as well, including Fermata Nowhere, an all female acapella group. Throughout the mill, there was many different food options, including small appetizers to a create your own caramel apple station. All the stores were open for this event, and I took a look into every one. I have only been to the mill at weird times, so this was super exciting for me because I had never been into some of the shops. I took the time to explore the mill, and found some fascinating things. Here’s a cute little sitting room I had never seen before!

However, the party truly didn’t start until Chancellor Moloney arrived. She took time to mingle with everyone, and after spoke about all the amazing changes that are happening at UMass Lowell, in the city of Lowell, and her first 90 days as Chancellor.

Overall, it was an amazing event, and I’m glad I was able to attend.

You all learned how to use SiS over the summer at orientation or registration, but you may not have learned how to use Blackboard yet. Blackboard is a place for professors to get in contact with you while you’re not in class, as well as a place to post assignments and even take home quizzes and tests. As a new freshman, Blackboard was a mystery to me, but a requirement for many of my classes. Even if you have no classes this semester that use Blackboard, it is a good idea to become familiar with it because you will use it soon in at least one class. Also, after first semester many professors will assume you already know how to access Blackboard.  For those of you who are still uncomfortable with Blackboard, here’s a short step by step guide on how to access the site with ease.

Step 1. Go to uml.edu and click on the link on the top of the screen that says Blackboard.

2. You’ll see this screen when you click on the Blackboard link. If you do not have your log in info yet, click on ” Fall 2015 Students: Get your blackboard username and password.”

3. Type your Student ID number, your first name and your last name into the specified boxes and click “Find Info.”

4. It will then ask for an email. Type in your email and click next.

5. You will then have to agree with the Terms and Conditions on Blackboard, then hit next.

6. You will then see your username and password, highlighted in red, with all of your classes that use Blackboard that semester. Go back to the home screen and log in.

7.  This is your Blackboard home screen. In the middle, you will see all of classes using Blackboard. To the left you will see your messages and announcements. On the right there is info about tutoring services. And in the top right hand corner are your notifications. Click on a class to see more information.

8. Here is an example of a class page. On the left side, you’ll see links to the home page, announcements from you professor, your grades and assignments. In the center, your professor can post links, such as a course syllabus, office hours and information about the class and assignments.

9. Take time to explore the rest of the site and the information on all of your class pages.

I hope this helps!
Katy

Hi everyone,
I’m back, and here to give you some of my Exercise Physiology insight on (dun dun dun) the Freshman 15. Not sure what that is? Well, over the course of a student’s first year of college, they learn they have much more freedom, and tend to overeat, which lets to weight gain. The average weight that freshman put on is about ten to fifteen pounds, and freshman fifteen has such a nice ring to it, right? (ha ha) I know many of you have no interest in gaining the freshman 15, and that’s why I’m here. Being healthy is super important, and here is some advice on how to stay healthy and fit throughout your time at college.
Staying fit has three different components for me; food/drink, exercise, and mentality.If you’re missing one of the three, chances are you won’t see results, or at least for a long time. They are all equally important.
First and foremost, come up with your goal. Do you want to lose weight? Maintain your weight? Or just become more in shape?
Second, make a plan of action on how to achieve your goal. For example, if you want to become more in shape, one thing you can do is to start weightlifting.
Third, get started, but think of the three components. Let me explain them a little more.

Food/Drink: Eating and drinking unhealthy foods is the main reason why the freshman 15 exists. The best way to improve your diet is to slowly cut unhealthy foods out of it. For example, I cut soda out of my diet, because of the sugar and empty calories. This doesn’t mean that you can never drink soda again, but keep it in moderation. For example, having a reasonable size glass once a week (try to stick to serving sizes). Try to also eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal. Lastly, use a calorie counter to keep track of what you’re eating throughout the day. I use My Fitness Pal, which is a smart phone app. It will tell you how many calories you need to eat a day based on the information you provide. You’ll be able to see everything you eat, so you can avoid mindless snacking at late hours in the day.

Exercise: Try to do at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day. This is how you can burn extra calories and build muscle and endurance.You could go for a walk, a run, or hop on the treadmill at the Rec Center, ride a bike, lift weights, dance, just get moving.

Mentality: This is the hardest part. Have a positive mindset towards your goal and progress. Remember, you won’t see results for about six weeks, because change takes time, so don’t be discouraged when it’s not instantaneous. Stay motivated by getting your friends involved. Having support from others is the best way to keep you going. Even when times get tough, remember that you’re working towards a happier, healthier you, no matter your goal. 🙂

Here’s a little motivational quote to keep you going.

Stay beautiful,
Katy