Days with Dasha Recap & More!

Happy Wednesday!

We hope you all enjoyed listening to our Co-President, Dasha Shterenberg, open up about her body positivity and mental health journey, leading to creating her own brand to help others like herself! As mentioned in the meeting, Dasha is open to communicating with anyone; DM her on instagram @Days.with.Dasha or email her at dshterenberg@umass.edu.

We will NOT be having a meeting next Monday, October 11th, because of Indigenous Peoples' Day. Enjoy the long weekend!

Apple Picking - Join us next Saturday, October 16th, for apple picking at Kielbasa Orchards! Have fun and meet new people while taking cute photos and picking delicious apples! Sign up using the Google Form attached here.

Reminders:

• Community Service Committee - Our next meeting is TONIGHT, Wednesday, October 6th, at 7pm. Keep an eye out for an email with more information!

• Fundraising Committee - Join us tomorrow, October 7th, at 7pm for our next meeting! Stay tuned for an email.

• Headshot Fundraiser - If you took part in our headshot fundraiser, keep an eye out for an email coming this week with instructions on how to access your photos!

Be sure to follow our social media accounts for more frequent updates, Instagram specifically (@IsenbergWiB), and check our our website here!

Watch Last Week's Meeting by Clicking Here:

Additional Opportunities
Santander EmpowHer
Santander is hosting a virtual information session hosted by their women's employee resource group, EmpowHer, allowing students time to network with employees after hearing about Santander overall, some perspectives from employees, and their Summer 2022 internship opportunities. To join the event this Thursday, October 7th, from 1 - 2pm, RSVP here.

Isenberg Real Estate Advisors
IREA will be hosting a Women's Development Program this Fall for freshmen and sophomores, where participants will be provided with the opportunity to join meetings and learn more about the real estate industry to help determine if a career in real estate is right for them. Learn more and apply here!

Women Entrepreneurship
WE is hosting an entrepreneurship program consisting of weekly meetings with key industry experts who have been greatly influential entrepreneurs. The program will take place from November 2nd - December 7th. Sign up here.

Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual is hosting a Student Diversity Symposium for students interested in learning about how diversity, equity, and inclusion play a role in recruiting. You can apply here.

UMass Alliance Against Ableism
The Alliance is hoping to identify individuals with as many perspectives as possible, who are willing to share their experiences of being disabled at UMass as a speaker on a panel discussion. If you are interested in being on the panel, please apply here.

PepsiCo
PepsiCo is recruiting students for various full-time and internship positions! You can apply for any of these roles using the corresponding links: Supply Chain Associate (Full Time), Supply Chain Internship, Sales Designate (Full Time), and Sales Intern.

Fun Local Fall Activities

By: Page Cole

I know everyone is feeling the stress of the beginning of the school year start to weigh down on them. Transitioning back to in-person classes and normal campus life has been a huge adjustment for most of us. Taking time to relax and unwind with friends is super important for our mental health and wellness. With my favorite season right around the corner, there are so many fun fall activities that are available locally for us students to enjoy, on campus and off campus. I encourage everyone to take a break from homework and treat themselves to a good time with old and new friends! 

Atkins Farm, 1151 West Street, Amherst MA 

When most people think of fall, they think of apple picking and enjoying a delicious, warm, apple cider doughnut. Personally, apple picking is my favorite fall activity and I just had to start off with Atkins Farm. Atkins Farm is located just about fifteen minutes from campus and is perfect for a stress-free afternoon. They provide services to go apple picking in their orchard, as well as an adorable locally grown grocery store with fresh fruit, vegetables, produce, and even a flower shop. They also have an ice cream shop that features two delicious fall ice cream treats. They serve an apple harvest shake as well as an apple cider donut sundae. Don’t walk, but run to Atkins Farm to feast on all of their delicious apples and treats! 

Pumpkin Painting, W.E.B. Du Bois Library 

I know a lot of us don’t have a ride to off-campus locations, so if that is the case then this is the perfect opportunity for you! Right in Umass’s own library, the Library Outreach Series is offering pumpkin painting from 7-8 pm on October 21st, which is a great way to end your busy day and meet other Umass students who you might not usually be able to meet. But, this is not any normal pumpkin painting like we are all used to. Participants will be using a 3D printer to print their own pumpkin to paint. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, sign up now! Spots are limited and they are being filled up fast. 

Mike’s Maze at Warner Farm, 23 S Main Street, Sunderland MA 

About thirty minutes north of campus is Mike’s Maze at Warner Farm, which offers a corn maze, shaped into the word “Imagine”. If you are the type of person who is up for a challenge, then this is the fall activity for you. Grab a couple of friends and use your navigation skills to find your way out of this challenging maze. If you find yourself out, (don’t worry, you will), then treat yourself to a delicious meal at the Corn Cafe. They have a wide variety of foods and even some specialty desserts. If this isn’t enough for you, they also have a petting zoo and hayrides. It is a little far, but definitely worth the drive for all of this fall fun! 

Get outside and enjoy one of these activities in this beautiful fall weather. Remember to make time in your busy schedule for yourself, it is just as important as schoolwork. Happy Fall!

Struggling to Find a Balance

By: Victoria Boyne

As we all return back to in-person classes, it is impossible not to recognize the common juggling act that many students are facing. This is the act of balancing a full course load with extracurricular activities, jobs, family commitments, social life, and self-care. Unfortunately, many students are unable to balance their commitments and thus some are forgotten about. If this is a problem that affects you, don’t worry. Below we will explain how to stay organized and balance all of your commitments! 

1. Use a calendar! This is such a small habit to adopt that can make a world of difference as you try to plan out your time. This can be an agenda, a desk calendar, or my personal favorite calendar apps such as Google Calendar. Regardless of the medium, adopting a calendar system that will work for you will allow you to plan out your classes, extracurriculars, homework time, etc., and thus leave you with ample time to complete your day-to-day tasks. 

2. Put your electronics away! This is a skill that I still struggle to adopt. The amount of time that we, as a society, unknowingly spend on our phones is insane and could likely be more efficiently spent. For example, aimlessly scrolling through Tik Tok and Instagram before bed not only takes away our beloved sleep but also makes it harder for us to wind down after a busy day. Furthermore, having your phone next to you as you study and do homework is a known distraction that I, and many others, struggle with. Taking the time to disconnect from electronics and focus on work, friends, and family could be a really valuable change to focus on as we get deeper into the semester! 

3. Find a good study space! This is different for everyone, but I truly believe that a good study spot can make all the difference in your productivity when completing your work. Personally, I love working in the Breakout rooms in Isenberg, the top floors of the library, and any coffee shop. But recommend trying new study spaces until you find the best working environment for you, this is likely somewhere that is free of distractions! 

4. Take good notes! This is so important as we begin to adjust back to in-person learning and can save you so much time when you need to go back and study. Prioritizing notes not only allows you to stay focused in class but also helps tremendously when searching for content, as you will no longer have to search through lengthy PowerPoints for formulas and simple concepts.

5. Create study groups! This allows you to meet so many new people in your classes and be social while also giving you an outlet to ask questions. This can be extremely beneficial when studying for a test or in classes that have a focus group assignments. 

One last tip is, don’t be too hard on yourself! It is okay to take breaks, miss events to focus on yourself, or do poorly on an assignment here and there. Though we all want to do everything perfectly, that is not always attainable and that is okay! Remember that you are not alone and so many other students are struggling to balance everything.

Days with Dasha Tomorrow!

Happy Sunday!

Join us tomorrow, Monday, October 4th, at 7pm in Isenberg 137 (Flavin Auditorium), for a meeting run by our Co-President, Dasha Shterenberg! She will be sharing with us her body positivity journey and how her mental health has played a role in working towards self-love. Dasha will also be talking about how to create your own brand! Check out @Days.with.Dasha before tomorrow's meeting!

We will be live streaming on Zoom for our virtual members to attend:

Zoom Link: https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/92299580036
Meeting ID: 922 9958 0036

Reminders:

• Headshot Fundraiser - If you took part in our headshot fundraiser, keep an eye out for an email coming this week with instructions on how to access your photos!

• Community Service Committee - Our next meeting is this Wednesday, October 6th, at 7pm. Keep an eye out for an email with more information!

• Fundraising Committee - Join us this Thursday, October 7th, at 7pm for our next meeting! Stay tuned for an email.

Be sure to follow our social media accounts for more frequent updates, Instagram specifically (@IsenbergWiB), and check our our website here!

Additional Opportunities

EY Women in Business Event
Join this Tuesday, October 5th, from 6 - 7:30pm via Zoom! The company will be hosting an EY New England Women in Professional Services virtual panel and networking event. Attendees will hear from panelists from various levels and service lines about being a woman in the workplace and how to break the glass ceiling. Click here to register!

Cornerstone Research
Cornerstone would like to invite interested students at UMass to apply for their Summer Analyst positions. The deadline is October 5th at 11:59pm. More information can be found here.

Women Entrepreneurship
WE is hosting an entrepreneurship program consisting of weekly meetings with key industry experts who have been greatly influential entrepreneurs. The program will take place from November 2nd - December 7th. Sign up here.

Liberty Mutual
Liberty Mutual is hosting a Student Diversity Symposium for students interested in learning about how diversity, equity, and inclusion play a role in recruiting. You can apply here.

UMass Alliance Against Ableism
The Alliance is hoping to identify individuals with as many perspectives as possible, who are willing to share their experiences of being disabled at UMass as a speaker on a panel discussion. If you are interested in being on the panel, please apply here.

PepsiCo
PepsiCo is recruiting students for various full-time and internship positions! You can apply for any of these roles using the corresponding links: Supply Chain Associate (Full Time), Supply Chain Internship, Sales Designate (Full Time), and Sales Intern.

Managing the Pressure of Feeling the Need to be Involved on Campus

By: Julie Dannevig

Between being surrounded by high achieving peers and juggling assignments from demanding professors, feelings of success and satisfaction can be hard to come by as a college student. While readjusting to pre-pandemic campus norms this semester, I have been painfully reminded of the added pressures that come with in-person classes, clubs, and events.  I’ve personally had to recognize and give myself credit for the effort it takes to jump full-swing back into this taxing lifestyle. This semester, in particular, I have been dealing with an ever-present sense of dissatisfaction and unrest. Having the opportunity to be in-person after a year and a half of restrictions was gratifying at first, as it inspired motivation and opened many doors for me. However, I found that gratification quickly turned to feeling overwhelmed and unable to keep up. 

Whether it be your roommate who is on the e-board of what seems like every club UMass offers or your lab partner who has already been accepted into their dream internship for next summer, it’s easy to feel as though everyone around you is running ten miles ahead. I have come to realize, however, this comparison is not only unproductive but for some, it can be downright debilitating.

As I entered the latter half of my college career this semester, I fell into a panicked mindset and felt as though if I didn’t get my life together immediately,  I would never get a job post-graduation. As a result, I found myself maniacally signing up for clubs, spamming my LinkedIn with posts, and applying to any and every internship position I could find on HandShake. My efforts, however, were not very fruitful and I wasn’t transformed into a stellar, standout student (shocking, I know). After a brief reality check followed by a strong dose of introspection, I forced myself to step back from this manic episode, take a breath and remind myself that college is not a competition and trying to do everything is only a recipe for exhaustion. 

It is so easy to fall into the trap of comparing yourself to peers and thinking you are not doing enough, but it’s important to remember this mindset rarely gets you far. In order to keep myself grounded, I try to take time out of the week to not think about work and do something for myself. Whether it be going to a class at the rec center or watching a movie with a friend, taking a step back from academics can be so effective in avoiding total burnout. I also make it a point to remind myself that college will not always be fun and in reality, it often just instigates stress and self-doubt. Recognizing that these feelings are normal and undoubtedly shared by many of my peers helps me to remember that hard times do pass and it’s important to remain realistic about my own abilities so I don’t push myself too far. 

Taking control of your college career by joining clubs you are passionate about, taking courses that are relevant to your aspirations and, most importantly, staying present to appreciate and enjoy your fleeting youth is ultimately what will enable you to build your strengths, develop confidence in your work and allow you to flourish in the many years ahead.