Unwind at WNE

We all procrastinate sometimes. Some of us more than others, but one of the nice things about WNE is that you don't have to leave all of your procrastinating to Netflix and Facebook anymore. There are fun events that not only let you procrastinate, but help you unwind from the stress of all that work you haven't done yet.

Campus Activities Board (CAB) puts on a lot of fun events, like Freak Week happening this week (with a mentalist, glow golf, and more) and things like comedians and fun trips. Various clubs hold late nights, where they do all sorts of things from making dream catchers to an Open Mic Night. There are often games of some sort to go watch, not to mention going to the dining hall or gym with friends. The library even has DVDs you can check out if you just want to have a movie night. WNE isn't just a place for academics. It's also a place where you can relax and have fun.

Okay, so I can't say procrastinating is a good thing. I'm happiest when my work is done, despite what else I may be doing. But even if you can't admit to yourself that you're a chronic procrastinator, and you fall behind in your classes, WNE can help. The Academic Support Center can help you improve your time management, get you a tutor, and more. If you find yourself in academic trouble, go there and they'll help you. The Writing Center can help you pull together that paper you've been putting off, and the Math Center can help you tackle that foreboding homework assignment or exam. So if you just need help with those homework assignments piling up, that's where you can go.

The point is, WNE is a great place to procrastinate (in moderation of course). But if you do dig yourself into a deep hole, it's an amazing place to get help.

--Abby

Celebrate the Spooky Season

October has flown by! Halloween is already less than a week away! To celebrate the spooky season, the campus celebrates Freak Week. Freak Week is a time period put on by CAB (Campus Activities Board) in which a Halloween inspired event happens every day. This year, the week was started with a Wednesday night event. A mentalist came and made tables and chairs fly before people’s eyes! It was a really popular event and it was talked about for days. Other events during Freak Week were glow in the dark minigolf, pumpkin painting, psychic readings, a trip to Salem, Massachusetts, a Murder Mystery dinner, and a showing of the movie This is the End. It is always a really fun week and we have been having the perfect weather to celebrate Autumn and the Halloween season. Another way I have celebrated Halloween is by going to a corn maze with the other Peer Advisors. We all dressed up and had an amazing time. I’ve always loved corn mazes and it was fun to break up into groups and then find each other within the maze. After getting lost, and found, in the corn stalks, we went on a hay ride. We went by this really cool pumpkin patch right as the sun was going down. It was a mystical moment and an all-around great time with some of my favorite people. My friends and I dressed up as Sandy and Danny from Grease. Bobby was Danny, Jess was Sandy at the end of the movie, and I was Sandy at the beginning. Our other friend, Alexa, was Tiger!

-LyndseySJ

Farms are Fun in Western MA!

Springfield may be a city; however, the surrounding area is pretty rural. It provides for a nice change of scenery. During fall break, I went with some friends to go apple picking at Echo Hill Orchards in Monson, which is about 25 minutes from campus. It was only $5.00 to take a tractor ride over to the orchard and pick a bag of apples. The next day, we went to Westview Farms Creamery which is also in Monson. We got pumpkins there and some homemade ice cream. Two small pumpkins and a gourd came to only $4.00. It was a chilly weekend but still tons of fun! Last weekend, I went with some other friends to McCray’s Farm in South Hadley which is about 30 minutes from campus. At night, they have a haunted hayride with a haunted house immediately afterwards. It was $20 for each ticket and it was a long wait in line, but definitely worth it. They have hot chocolate and food that you can buy while you are waiting. They even have a less scary ride for children earlier in the evening. The actors this year were very good and there were a lot more animatronics. I don’t get easily scared, but the haunted house even got me to jump once or twice! Unfortunately, they don’t let you take pictures at this event. I really love Fall and Halloween--luckily Western Mass has a lot to offer this time of year! Stay Warm, Brandi

My Favorite Places on Campus

Fall is my favorite season, and since being at Western New England University I have fallen more and more in love with the season. I like to go on walks around campus as often as possible to see how truly beautiful this campus becomes during my favorite season. I want to share some of my favorite places, inside and out of WNE. (Not in any particular order).

• The Leadership Garden. This is just a beautiful, and sometimes overlooked, part of campus. It is right in the middle of campus surrounded by a bunch of trees. It’s a nice quiet place that a lot of homework, life chats, and meditation happens.

• The library. I spend a lot of time in the library, so I am glad it is so nice in there. I was studying for Statistics the other day and I used the white boards to write all of my equations down in one place. It was really helpful for me.

•   The Center of Campus. There are always students, faculty, and friends walking around. I always see someone to say hello to and it is really nice to see almost all of the academic buildings. 

• The Campus Center. Whether it be the picnic tables on the outside of campus or the comfy chairs on the inside, the Campus Center is a great place to meet up with someone or to just hang out. It is one of the best places on campus to feel how community oriented this school is.

•    The Golden Bear. The Golden Bear is Western New England’s mascot and this Golden Bear is the best place to take pictures to show some school spirit. I love when I see students, alum, and prospective students taking pictures with the Golden Bear because it gives me even more pride in this school. 

-LyndseySJ

Fall Break--On Campus!

I am one of the few students who is not going home for Fall Break. Don’t be fooled. This is nothing to be sad about! There are many perks to staying on campus during short breaks that I have realized in my three years here. Here are a few things:

1) You don’t have to wait for your laundry. With so many students going home, and many of them taking their laundry with them, the laundry facilities are much more free than usual. It’s a great opportunity to catch up by doing multiple loads while no one is here.

2.)  There are lots of parking spots. Most students drive themselves home for vacation and free up about ¾ of the parking spots or more. So you don’t have to worry about finding a spot close to your room; it will be there!

3.)   The dining hall makes better food. I haven’t exactly figured out what it is. I think it might be because they have to make less quantity, they up the quality and taste of the food significantly. I’ll admit our dining hall is much better than many other colleges, but it’s even better during long weekends.

4.)   Also, there are Alternative Fall Break Programs on campus now. You travel from campus to a place in Springfield to do community service. I volunteered last year at the Children’s Study Home and it was fantastic!

I decided that this year I am just going to relax this weekend. I plan to go apple and pumpkin picking this weekend. I also may be going to McCray’s haunted hayride next weekend. I love October!

                                                                                                            Cheers!

                                                                                                            Brandi

A Mustache for Your Thoughts

Look at that awesome mug. Isn't that an awesome mug?

Okay, so maybe you're not amused by mustaches as much as I am. To each his own (especially if his own is a really cool mustache mug). I'm not just here to show off a dapper 'stache, although it is relevant to what I have to say. I'm here to talk about roommates.

I don't know if you're aware, but at Western New England University, students choose their own roommates. You can take a survey to get a suggested list of people who would be your best fit, but I just found mine on my class's Facebook group. Being responsible for finding your own roommate might sound kind of stressful, especially if you're like me and know absolutely no one going to this school. I was stressed about it, I'll admit, but it turned out well for me. Even if you don't find your own roommate, it's okay. 

Don't get too obsessed about finding the perfect roommate. Maybe you're meeting this person online; maybe you're meeting them at an open house, etc.  Either way, talking to this person for a few minutes isn't going to tell you what it'll be like living together. Honestly, from what I've seen, people who want the "perfect roommate" end up hating them.

I talked to my roommate for five minutes on Facebook before agreeing to room together. We had a few things in common, so we'd have stuff to talk about, but not so much in common that we'd be together all the time and get on each other's nerves. I think that's all you need to look for in a roommate. She turned out to be one of my better friends on campus. Accepting my "quirky" love for mustaches, she came back from a shopping trip one day with that nifty mug.

Living with a roommate, I'm finding, is just about getting to know and accept their quirks. Find the compromises that make your quirks fit together. Maybe your roommate will get on your nerves one day, but maybe your roommate will be cool and bring you a mustache mug, because she knows you like them.

Picking your own roommate is a nice opportunity, because it gives you a chance to find someone you'll get along with. It's not all going to be pretty and perfect, but it is generally a worthwhile experience. And if things don’t work out, the RA (Resident Advisor) is always there to help.

--Abby Helfrich

Fresh Advice

Hey guys, Kaitlyn here! So I’m going to start this post off by giving you guys a piece of advice.  BRING A RAINCOAT TO SCHOOL!  Unfortunately I “forgot” mine at home and today I nearly drowned walking to class.  Although I’m exaggerating for effect you really should bring a rain coat otherwise you end up walking to class in a soaked sweatshirt and end up freezing cold.  Gotta love New England weather!

As far as classes go, things are starting to heat up a little.  I’m getting a decent amount of homework and let me tell you, time management is not my strongest trait.  So for all of you procrastinators out there, prepare for some changes, and enjoy senior year.  I also took my first college exam in the past week and it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I mean who knew studying actually works? For those of you reading this and you’re similar to me, in the sense that your studying habits consist of watching TV while emptying a box of Cheese Itz, I’ve got some advice for you LEARN TO ACTUALLY STUDY.

So enough of this academic talk, let’s focus on something more fun: having a roommate! In all honesty having a roommate is pretty great, whenever I’m having a bad day it’s nice to have someone to vent to.  Or if I’m still awake at 3 am, it’s nice to know someone is there if you need them.  I honestly can’t imagine having a great college experience without a roommate.  So there a few pieces of advice for you guys! Good luck with applications!

Also as a side note, I have a new job on campus working in the Admissions Office as a student Telecounselor! So for those of you out there who are getting a call between the hours of 5:00 pm and 8:30 pm Sunday through Thursday, please answer! We just want to talk about WNE! I promise we're friendly people! J