Club Fair Kick Off

The other day, UMass Lowell kicked off the 2015-2016 school year with it’s annual Club Fair. It was a beautiful day, and everyone was excited to be back, or here for the first time. Not only did our students, both freshman and upperclassmen, have the opportunity to see all the organizations, teams and clubs that are available to them, but were given a free barbecue lunch as well (nothing’s better than free food right?).
After Convocation was completed inside, the lawn behind the Tsongas Center came alive as groups promoted themselves with candy, beads, and many other small items to wide eyed and curious freshman.
As the new president of the young Club Track and Field team, I sat with my team, giving me the opportunity to observe the Club Fair from an upperclassman point of view. It was different from last year, as I was a freshman signing up for anything I thought I liked. I remember signing up for all sorts of clubs from Ice Skating Club to the Pre Health Club. Signing up for many clubs is not a bad thing, because it gives you the opportunity to see what fits in your schedule best, and where you feel most comfortable.
This year, over one hundred groups attended Club Fair, and it was extremely successful. My team received over forty sign ups, which is amazing for a small and growing team. Other clubs received more than that, which is absolutely amazing. For example, Student Government Association received over two hundred signatures.
I also got to see the annual Walk A Mile in Her Shoes event, which raises awareness of sexual violence against women. If you didn’t get to see this, men will put on red high heels and walk a mile along the Riverwalk behind the Tsongas. Walking in heels physically puts men in women’s shoes, but also symbolically represent what women go through. It is funny to watch your friends trip over themselves in heels, but even better knowing it’s for a good cause.
With that, I’m going to give some advice on navigating future club fairs and joining clubs.
  1. It’s never too late to join! Clubs are willing to accept year round.
  2. Didn’t see something you liked at the club fair? Not all clubs were represented, but you can find a complete list of all of our clubs on Collegiate Link.
OR download the corq app on your smart phone!
Image result for umass lowell collegiate link
  1. You can also find all of clubs contact information on Collegiate Link as well!
  2. At our Club Fair, the best thing you can do is sign up for a lot of groups, and narrow it down once you decide what fits in your schedule as well as where you feel most comfortable.
  3. If you would rather talk to someone in person, our Office of Student Affairs is located on the third floor of University Crossing.
  4. And last but not least, GET INVOLVED!!


Stay beautiful,

Katy

You’re Almost at the Finish Line!

Hey friends and happy Friday! It’s been a while since you’ve heard from us. We hope everything’s going well because there’s only two more weeks left to the semester! It’s crazy, right?! I remember writing a blog in the beginning of last semester mentioning how everything was going to fly by in a blink of an eye. Well friends, you’re almost there! Here are a few tips to get you through to the end of the semester for finals:

Set Goals for Yourself
There is almost two weeks left until the semester is over! It’s not too late to make some goals for yourself. It can be, planning ahead for finals or wanting to get higher scores on any exam, quiz or

paper you need to write!

Put Aside Your Social Media Accounts
When studying, it’s counterproductive if you end up being distracted by social media. All these accounts will be there when schools over! Get productive and stay focused!! This will benefit you in the long run.
Calculate Your Grades
There are classes that you may have a few grades in because of the snow days we had. Within the next week, sit down and calculate how you’re doing. As well, you can check on SiS, midterm grades are available. This should give you an idea where you are at and where you can be at the end of the semester! J
Use Your Resources
There are several resources on campus that you are available to you such as, the Writing Place and the Tutoring Center. As well, you can always ask a friend or professor for help! It never hurts to ask for help because it will benefit you in the long run!
Here are the links to the Tutoring Center and the Writing Center:
Stay Organized!
Please stay organized around this time of year and plan accordingly! Starts to plan your next few weeks with small goals that will help make things easier by the end of the semester. For example, you can make a list like read five pages of this book until a certain date, write a few ideas down for a paper due at the end of the semester with links and/or make flash cards for an exam coming up.   
One thing I did not mention above it making time for yourself! This means making sure you take breaks, have 3 meals a day and get good night’s sleep! This is very important!! If you feel that you are stressed, try going on a walk or watching something you enjoy that will calm you down .
I have faith that you all will do well for the end of the semester! Remember, you are almost there!! It’s almost summer, friends!
Much Love,
T

UML Lacrosse Takes the Field for the First Time!

Mens Lax up against Yale

Hello friends, we finally had a monday . . . sort off.
We have received a much needed respite after all of the heavy snowfall the last couple of weeks. Now it is time to get back into the swing of things and get the academic ball rolling!  When you are taking a break after getting that ball rolling check out the Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse teams as they take start their first Division – 1 season!

The Men’s Lacrosse team went up against Yale in their inaugural game this past Valentines Day, dropping 19-4. The team go off to an amazing start with freshman Cory Highfield netting the first two goals in our short D-1 history. The men’s team will have their home opener this upcoming Friday, February 21st at Cushing field on North Campus.

The Women’s team went up against no. 6 ranked Boston College, dropping their home opener 24-4. The Riverhawks responded well in the second half, fighting back with 4 goals. Their next game home game is Sunday March 8th at Cushing field.

while both teams lost, there is no reason to fret. Both the men’s and women’s teams are in their infancy and are sure to grow from  here. These losses should not take away from the inaugural season!

Surviving the Snow-Pacolypse

Hello friends and happy Friday. I hope you have all been in good spirits during this unprecedented “Spring” semester. We have experienced record snowfall here in Massachusetts, but the amount of snow isn’t the big issue for us as students. The snow has come primarily on Monday’s, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. which means we have missed eight days of actual class time. None of us have had an actual Monday class schedule and Tuesday’s are not much different.

Take this time off to get ahead of your classes! I know it may seem as if your winter break never ended, but we will soon be in March and our professors will be working hard to get the semester back on track. This will likely result in an explosion of work in the next couple of weeks,  do not procrastinate! It will only set you back even more.

Here are a couple of ways to get ahead:

  • Look ahead in the Syllabus for your classes, ensuring you are caught up with any reading or assignments that can be done outside of class, without the aid of your Professor.
  • Email your Professors asking for any work that can be done outside of class if the syllabus does not have anything for you to do.
  • Ask if the professor could post lectures online or broadcast hem as a podcast so as to get a jump on the material.
  • Take this time to plan out the next couple of weeks and how you will get everything done, you know you have to free time to do it!
For those of you who have been hard at work during these snow days I commend you. For those of you who have been eating Cheetos and binge watching Netflix, I understand you on a personal level. We must strike a balance with these activities if we are to succeed and make this semester more than a snow laden mess. Good luck and be safe, its Valentines Day weekend!
-Migs

Black History Month!

Hello friends and happy Friday! I hope the snow-pacolypse has given you a chance to get ready for the semester and finish binge watching anything you had not finished on Netflix. Your GPA will thank you later! We are officially in February which means two things: Couples beware, Valentines day is around the corner and it is Black History Month!

Black History Month, or National African History Month is an annual event celebrating and recognizing African Americans in U.S History. It is an extremely important movement in our culture and was an initial step in the acceptance of people of color into society as full citizens.

It was initially “Negro History Week”, an event sponsored by the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). The founders Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland, A Harvard trained historian and a prominent Minister respectively, chose the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Though initially shunned by many the event grew to a full month celebration on many college campuses and was recognized officially by president gerald R. Ford in 1976. Since then it has been recognized by every U.S President, each giving it a specific theme. This years theme is :
A century of Black Life, History, and Culture 

As a person of color and a first generation American I am comforted and encouraged by the growth of acceptance and love and the downfall of ignorance. The fact that this country chooses to educate people about its controversial history makes me feel as if I have the same chances of success as any other person as long as I work hard.

I hope all of you have an amazing weekend and enjoy Black History Month!

-Migs

Ways To Get Involved!

Hey friends!

I hope you’ve all been staying warm, safe and enjoying your time off from school! I’ve been relaxing, catching up on some work and I did some therapeutic sledding. 🙂

It’s still the start of the semester and I have been asked of ways to get involved on-campus. One thing I would like to teach you all is something magical that may be make you mind blown. There is a website called Collegiate Link. This website holds everything and anything you would like to know about an organization on campus! I told you, it’s magical!

If you go to the this link, it will bring you to the Home page. I have displayed it in the image below.

On this home page, you will find several notifications from leadership opportunities, club information and student conferences. You can click one of four tabs: Home, Organizations, Events or Campus Link. However, remember to SIGN IN! It is in the top right-hand corner, where all you would need is your student email and password. Below the notifications is Events and News, there are flyers of events that are hung up around campus for you to click on and view digitally.

Now, if you would like to find an organization to find more information about, you would press the Organizations tab and here is what it would look like:

The Organizations are set-up in alphabetical order. You can use the search bar, directory, categories or recommendations on the left-hand side. For example, say you’re looking for something in relation to your culture. You can go to Categories- Culturally Oriented and it will be alphabetical order.

If you would like to see what’s happening tonight, tomorrow or for the next week on campus. Go to the next tab “Events.” Here is what it would look like:

Hey! So there’s a club event tonight in the Serenity Center at University Crossing, an event tomorrow with the Muscular Dystrophy Association and SWE first general body meeting! There’s already three options you can choose from and there is more if you keep scrolling down.

For the last tab, Campus Links, it contains every form any club would need from reserving a space, starting a new club, filling out a form to start an event… etc.

See, I told you this was magic! If you would like to know more ways to be involved, look around at the flyers on campus and you can add Office of Multicultural Affairs and Office of Student Activities on Facebook to see events they share on the daily!

Well, that’s all folks! I hope you all have a good weekend.

Stay beautiful
-T

Tips for Spring Semester

Hey friends!

Welcome back! I hope you all had a beautiful and eventful break. I was able to catch up on a good amount of sleep and watch my favorite shows. It was great! As I am now transitioning back into the college swing of things, I wanted to share a few tips with you all to keep in mind during this semester.

Memorize/Print out your schedule
It’s the first week of classes! YAY! It’s always good to know where you’re classes are because sometimes, not always, you could end up in the wrong classroom. Don’t worry! It’s happened to me before. Please, look at your schedule to know what classes you’re taking or what supplies you will need for class.


Prioritize
With already taking a semester’s worth of classes, you know what you are able to handle or add on with your academics. It’s easy to say, “hey, I have a lot of free time,” but do you really? Set time to write down and organize things that are important to you. For example: homework, work, being involved on campus and spending time with your loved ones. It will always help to know what you have planned so you don’t double book yourself!

Plan Ahead
If you are aware you’re going to be busy a certain day or have an exam to prep for, keep a note of it! This will be handy when you look through your things and you realize that you have something important coming up. Its more efficient to be well prepared, then to not be prepared at all!

YOU Time
I will always stress this! This is so IMPORTANT and MANDATORY!! Please make time for yourself. It’s always good to take some time to yourself whether its taking a nap, watching a show, working out, going on a walk or taking part of your favorite hobby! It’s always good to get your head out of reality and relax for a bit.
Always Ask Questions
Never think your voice is not being heard! There are many resources on campus that you can go to for help. For example, University Crossing is the new club hub on campus that opened in the Fall! There is the Centers For Learning on every campus! As well, you can talk to your professors, peers, Resident Advisers if you live on campus and your Orientation Ambassadors, of course!

Here are some links below if you would like to contact anyone I have mentioned above:

University Crossing
http://www.uml.edu/UniversityCrossing/Floor-Plan.aspx
http://www.uml.edu/UniversityCrossing/Hours.aspx

Centers for Learning
http://www.uml.edu/class/
Orientation Ambassadors
Message us on Facebook, Tweet us at @UMLOrientation and/or email us at Teresa_Santana@student.uml.edu or Miguel_Landestoy@student.uml.edu with any questions you may have!

I hope you all have a great semester, friends! Good luck and study hard!

Stay beautiful!

-T

DIY (Do It Yourself)

Hey friends!

It’s close to the end of the end of the semester… Can you believe it?! This semester is going faster than you know it. There’s only two and half weeks of the semester left and you all are off for break!

So, I wanted to do something different for a change. DIY’s (Do It Yourself) are projects that I LOVE doing. Being a college, I’ve always tried to find ways to save money whether its making it by hand or finding it cheaper somewhere else. Money doesn’t grow on trees and if it’s cheaper, why not?! I am an avid user of using the website Pinterest. This website gives you images of anything you type in the search bar. If you enjoying looking up random things, like photos or ideas, this website is for you!

As the weather is changing and the winter season is approaching, I thought it would be cool to have a DIY to make a scarf. This process will only take 30 minutes of your time. The only materials you need is your hands and 4 skeins(length of string that’s about 40m/130 ft/44 yd long and weighs .25 lbs) of bulky yarn.

Here’s the instructional video below:

If you are interested in looking at more images, for ideas or random things from Pinterest, click here
Well, that’s all for now folks! I hope you all have a good Thanksgiving Break and happy Friday!
Stay beautiful!
– T

Thanksgiving :Before, During And After

Enjoy your break!

Hello and happy Wednesday, or as I like to call it, Blog day! Next week is Thanksgiving, which means that all of you are very close to the end of your first semester of college. As exciting, or terrifying, as that may be you can take solace in the 4 glorious days of rest on the horizon.

For many of us Turkey Day is our first time back home from college and it can be Jarring for both you and your family. You have been staying up until 2 in the morning for three months, eating at all odd hours of the day and have not been told what to do since you left. They have been without there first born child for 3 months and have probably gotten used to not having a messy college freshman around the house. It will take some adjustments from both parties.

Your first thanksgiving home is always a unique experience, here are a few tips for before during and after to make it a positive, rather than a drag.

Before:

Yes, you have a break next week. I repeat NEXT WEEK, as in not this week. That means you most likely still have a thousand things to do for all of your classes.Turn in all of your assignments due before the break, you do not want to be cramming work in that you do not have to do during your relaxation time.
Make sure to let your professors know if you have any vacation or travel plans that cut into class time. If given the appropriate notice most professors will be extremely accommodating.
Make sure you pack only what you need to bring home and bring that same items back to school with you. It is no fun to be missing that extra pair of underwear with no quarters for laundry or missing that calculator you need for that Calc 1 test, no fun at all.
If you plan to work during winter break you should schedule any interviews or hours during this break so that everything is set, and you do not have to worry about those kinds of things during finals week.
Talk to friends back home and try to get everyone together before your home. That way everyone can see each other and no one is left out. Life gets complicated once you hit college, if you want to maintain those long term childhood friendships some effort will have to be put forth!

During:

Relax! Take the time you need to recharge. Receive the tender love and care that your family has built up for you over the last 3 months! Eat all the home cooked meals you can, sleep in, this is your time to get ready for the final push of the semester.
If you have a test to study for or an assignment due the day you get back from break make sure you set an allotted time to do the work, get it done and out of your mind. Giving yourself the time to be successful includes “you” time.

After:

All students come back from break physically, but many do not come back mentally. They return to their residence halls and classrooms with zero motivation and as a result their final grades suffer. Don’t let that happen! the last three weeks of the semester should be your most focused period of the semester. Come back from break ready to push yourself mentally to get those grades that you deserve.
I for one am definitely looking forward to Thanksgiving break and I hope you all are to! 
– Migs
 

Scheduling

Hey friends and Happy Friday!

I hope midterms and advising are in your favor. This can be one of the most tough times during the semester for college students and if it is, I wish you the best. On the bright side, you are one step closer to walking across the stage and receiving a diploma in the major of your choice!

 
Now, going back to advising, making a schedule is IMPORTANT. I can’t stress it enough because this is something you can schedule with the help of an adviser with your preference of time, day, professor and campus. Here are some suggestions below to help you out!

  1. Please, see an academic advisor. They are there to help you, whether its deciding what classes you would like to take or helping you make this schedule. If you’re not sure how to figure out who they are, check iSiS on the Student Center page and it says “Department Advisor” with their name under it. You can also email the Centers for Learning to schedule an advising meeting and they will help you as well. The email is: advisement@uml.edu 
  2. Choosing classes can be overwhelming. However, you know yourself well enough to know how many classes you can take with homework and any other commitments outside of academics. This is something you can control, but make sure you have time for yourself, too! 
  3. If you need help choosing what classes, each major has academic requirements in order to graduate. It is divided up by semester for a four year plan and a credit amount for each semester. It is not required for you to follow exactly of what the paper says. Make sure you are taking each class that is necessary for you to graduate and check it off, so it’s one less thing you can worry about. 🙂
  4. Always have several options for classes! If there’s a class that doesn’t fit in your schedule, you have a list of others you can use and fit in.
  5. If you have other commitments outside of academics, factor them in with your schedule, too. It will help you stay organize and you can see what you’re working with.
  6. Pay attention to deadlines!! With each amount of credits you complete, you are able to sign-up for classes at a given date. If you would like to know the date, on iSiS look on the Student Center page where it says “Enrollment Dates.”
  7.  WHAT TIME IS IT?! This is a question you don’t want to ask yourself when leaving one class to go to another. When scheduling classes, always leave yourself a time gap in between to get to your classes on time, maybe print out a paper, grab a snack or get to class on time. I usually give myself a 15-30 minute gap with classes if its on the same campus. If its not on the same campus, give yourself an hour gap, you will be able to get to class early, get a few things and if there’s traffic, you have some time to yourself. Its whatever you prefer, but this has always worked for me.
  8. Make time for eating, ALWAYS. Your health is important!

I’m hoping this was helpful! It’s a lot of information at once. If you have any questions at all with scheduling or classes in general, feel free to talk to us with social media or email!

I hope you all have a good weekend! 😀

-T