Many assume that Amherst is as far west as you can go in Massachusetts. However, just beyond the Pioneer Valley is a mountain range that is home to many Collegiettes at UMass Amherst: The Berkshires. As a Berkshirian and somewhat farm girl myself, I found that the transition from living in a small farming community essentially out in the middle of nowhere to attending a large state school such as UMass was a “culture shock.”
1. The number of students at UMass certainly exceeds the ratio of farm animals to people back home.Â
2. Five bars of cell phone service and wifi everywhere you go on campus certainly is quite the change from the dial-up and one bar of service you get in one corner of your house.Â
3. Speaking of wifi, you notice that your Netflix does not take a million years to load because you’re not fighting other family members for internet connection. Â
4. Your neighbors in your residence hall are just inches away from you…as opposed to about a half mile down the road.Â
5. In the winter time in the residence halls, there’s heat 24/7. No need to wear thick sweaters and fleece socks while huddled close to the pellet stove or under many blankets.Â
6. Everything is within walking distance. Including the center of Amherst, which means there’s no need to plan a road trip to the nearest CVS.Â
7. You are not woken up ridiculously early by your chickens…instead you have a chorus of alarm clocks from neighboring rooms to greet you at various hours.
8. However, the best part about coming to UMass is you never technically leave your small farm town environment. Once you step off campus, you are immediately welcomed by cows and rolling hills, so it feels like you are at home!
…minus the daily routine of feeding the animals.
You may be excited to be at UMass, but you will be constantly reminded about where you come from and that is something that we all should never forget!