Now that we’re retiring our Halloween costumes and getting ready for the tsunami of work we’re about to get hit with during finals, it’s time that us UMass students think about what we’re thankful for. Here’s 10 things I think we’re all pretty glad we have here at UMass, in no particular order…
1. Grab n Go. The perfect solution to when you a) have nobody to eat with and don’t feel like eating alone or b) don’t feel like having any type of human interaction so you swoop into the dining hall’s “grab n go” section, grab something you really don’t want to eat but you’d rather not actually sit down, and eat in your room on your bed watching TV and loving life. We should be thankful that we have this beautiful entity here at UMass because we all know at least two times a week every human needs to GTFO of the way so we can live our lives – and eat in peace.
2. Late Night. To keep going with the pattern of food, let’s talk about late night, shall we? We are so lucky here at UMass to be able to eat from 7am-12am at all of the dining halls combined. Yeah, we’ve got some pretty good food here, especially at Berk, but Late Night is on another level. It’s the type of wicked unhealthy food that you probably would feel bad about eating at dinner time, but because it’s Late Night you can go HAM and not care. Like, hello beautiful plate of happiness…
3. The Weather. Have you looked outside in the past month? How much more beautiful can the scenery get compared to what we’re surrounded with in the fall? The beautiful leaves are sure to put anyone in a good mood. The smell of the crisp air (not to get all poetic) is what gets me the most. I love Western Mass in the fall, but check back with me on my feelings during the winter.
4. The Rec Center. Even though I would probably need someone to give me directions to this place because I haven’t been in so long, I know I am grateful, and you too should be thankful for our multi-million dollar gym. Not only do we have a track, awesome basketball courts, cardio equipment, and a great weight-lifting area, but our gym also offers awesome classes even the most out of shape person can handle. Try Cardio Kickboxing, you’ll sweat like a monster and feel like a million bucks!
5. PVTA. Some of us curse the bus system because it’s so hard to figure out at first. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll be thanking your lucky stars we have such a frequent-stopping bus system that will take us to class or even off campus, especially on winter days. You’ve probably taken the South Amherst bus when you’re supposed to be going to Old Belchertown Road (DON’T DO IT), or maybe you’ve circled campus just to get off at one stop away from where you started because you thought Orchard Hill via Butterfield would take you to Southwest (oops), but once you learn it, you’ll love it. Don’t give up!
6. Amherst Center/Northampton. I come from a small town called Norton, MA. It’s where Wheaton College is located. While it’s such a nice campus at Wheaton, I have absolutely no idea what anyone could possibly be doing in Norton. I love my town, but where do they go? Here in Amherst, we have so many places to go. If you want coffee you can find a different, unique place on every corner. Like Amherst Coffee: it’s not only a coffee shop, but a bar, too. Northampton is not more than 20 minutes away and that holds such awesome and unique stores as well. We’re broke, so we probably don’t buy much besides a $5 coffee, but even just walking around and enjoying the weather or hustle and bustle is worth being thankful for. I mean, just look how charming our Starbucks is.
7. Route 9. Probably not something I ever thought I’d be thankful for because I get massive road rage whenever trying to go to Target, but look at all of the stores and eateries in such close proximity to us. Target, Trader Joe’s, Best Buy, Walmart, Old Navy, Marshalls, T.J.Maxx, Panera Bread, Chipotle, Chilis, Applebees, The Diner, the list goes on and on!
8. The Size. As a freshman, I wasn’t sure if I liked how large the school is here at UMass. There’s so many people and it’s easy to feel alone. I learned to love it, though, because if you meet someone and extremely dislike them, you technically never have to see them again! And lectures. Lectures allow you to skip class unless there’s an iClicker (avoid that), and you really don’t have to do anything but sit and mind your own business. I love to participate in small classes, but there’s nothing like sitting in a lecture hall, sitting back and relaxing, not having to worry about participating at all.
9. The Opportunities. UMass does a ton to give us numerous things to do during our four years here. Campus Pulse holds a huge amount of information on the different clubs, mostly started by students just like you. We’ve got every type of opportunity from a Quidditch Team to BDIC (creating your own major!). Don’t see a club you like? Start your own.
10. Bathrooms. Weird, yes, but here at our great school you have so many places to chose from to go to the bathroom. For us girls, this is a life saver and we are all so thankful. You can go to the bottom floor of the Campus Center or the 19th floor of the Library. There’s always a hidden gem in every building, you just have to find it. Ask your friends, at least one person will have an idea.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a school you should be proud to be a student at. We’ve got a reputation of being a big party school, yes, but who else can party like our school and hit the books just as hard? Your resume will shine because of the school you went to, so be proud and be thankful to be a Minuteman.
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