By Dalis Dam
One of the hardest decisions in my life was choosing the right major and the right school because if you change your mind later the time that you put in earlier would be wasted. I have always heard many good comments about the University of Massachusetts Lowell while I was in high school so I decided to apply in 2012 after I graduated from Lowell High School. I entered the University in fall 2012 and there were so many wonderful things this University has to offer. I was eager to meet new people who might share the same interest as me and might be my long life friend after college. I was also looking forward to becoming independent because it is impossible to live your whole life depending on others. I was willing to overrule my fears, get out of my comfort zone, and get involved in the UML community. Most importantly, I came here to absorb knowledge in order to accomplish my dreams and desires to get to the top.
There are many important buildings in Umass Lowell, one of them is the O'Leary Library. It is one of the three libraries of University of Massachusetts Lowell. It has 4 floors and is located on the South Campus. From Monday - Thursday it is open from 7:30 am to 10:00 pm and Friday it is open from 7:30 am to 5:00 pm. The library collects books in Music and Art. O'Leary offers plenty of services to all students. Equipment such as video cameras, microphones, recording equipment, laptops, LCD projectors, iPods, PA sound systems, and more can be borrowed by faculty and students. Music CDs can be borrowed by registered patrons and they are located behind the circulation desk. Public computers, printers, and scanners, and phones are available on the first floor for all enrolled students. Printing is also available at a rate of $.10 per page.
The services that the library has to offer is definitely an advantage for our patrons. My first impression of UML is O'Leary Library because unlike any other public libraries it is very modernized and updated. The way everything is arranged makes the place has sufficient space and feels comfortable. The study area is one of the best places of O'Leary Library that I am looking forward to because I can study for my exams with my friends or get many things done while waiting for my next class. I will surely use what are accessible in the library if I ever needed it in the future.
In addition to that, the Recreation Center of the University of Massachusetts Lowell is a must go place. The Campus Recreation has a goal to provide all students, faculty, and staff the encouragement to an active and healthy lifestyle. Whether you want to go to the next level with your workouts or you are new to the workouts, there are personal trainers there to provide you with instructions and help. All full-time students, faculty, and staff can enter the Campus Recreation Center for free, just bring your Ucard to scan into the facility. The Rec Center offers many different group fitness class such as Zumba, spin, kickboxing, Pilates, Yoga, abs class, and more all year round. There's an indoor squash court, indoor track, and basketball court. The Umass Lowell Bike Shop is a bicycle repair service located on the second floor. Services are being offered to meet all of the needs for your bicycle. Their mission is to encourage bicycling on campus and offer a low cost to get your bike fixed.
I am definitely interested in the group fitness class such as Pilates and Yoga. Yoga and pilates can help releases stress, improves flexibility, muscle tone, and strength. It can also prevent arthritis, asthma, back pain, headaches, high blood pressure, and etc. There's also sunrise yoga which I can start my day off with a great feeling of relaxation. I can gain countless benefits from doing these two spiritual and ascetic discipline. Yoga and pilates not only gives physiological benefits but also psychological benefits such as memory improvement.
In regards to safety on campus, University of Massachusetts Lowell Department is a police agency that serves you 24 hours a day and seven days a week. There are trained police officers, security officers, and dispatchers who are able to help you with any types of capabilities. Dispatchers are trained in answering 911 calls, monitoring surveillance cameras and alarms in the University's buildings. They also answer questions from the public and transfer emergency and non-emergency calls to the police department. There are also special criminal investigation units. Motorcycle and mountain bikes which make it possible for officers to cover a large area of the University community. Foot patrols are also used so students, staff, and faculty can get a chance to know the members from the department.
Tip Line is available for you to share and report about a crime on campus. The information you share will then be reported for an investigation. It is confidential and you do not have to leave your name. Sometime it would be useful to leave more information like your number in the case for further contact.
The department also has a connection with the Lowell Police Department, municipal departments, Massachusetts State Police as well as federal agencies. Information will frequently be shared between the departments in order for a safe environment to be maintained.
Last but not least the Centers for Learning and Academic Support Services provides students with computer and study skills workshops, tutoring, and preparing for major and career in advance. Their goals are to help students adjust to college classes and the heavy workload. The Centers for Learning Advising Center gives students advice and information to help them make a decision on a career. Intercampus Student Information System (ISIS) is also being provided to faculty and students. Through ISIS students can register for classes, check their grades, financial information, and much more. The Advising Center also has a big role when it comes to the orientation program for transfers and new students. Students will get the opportunity to tour around campuses and get a head start on what life is like in college. For computer services, if you don't have access to a specific type of software, there are more than enough software available. There is also advanced equipment available for creating multimedia presentations in the teaching labs.
Tutoring can be received for free of charge at any of the fourth locations: South Campus in O'Leary Commons, 3rd Floor; North Campus in Southwick 321 or evening tutoring is available in Fox Hall 1st floor and at the Inn & Conference Center 2nd floor. Schedule for tutoring is available at the tutoring center. More convenience than face to face tutoring is online tutoring which might be easier for any student who has a transportation issue.
CLASS also offers a one-day orientation program called Strategies for Success in August. By attending this program students will get the benefits of knowing faculty members, courses expectations, syllabi, understand sis, and get to meet new people that might share the same interest.
Entering into a new phase of life was challenging for me at first and it was such a rough time when I tried to adjust myself to the unfamiliar new things. I remembered my goals were to transfer into the Clinical Laboratory Science major, manage time, do well, and not slack at the same time. I am afraid of failure and getting put on probation. I want to make my parents proud of me and full-filled my ambitions when I walk down the graduation stage this spring 2016. As of for now, I am currently taking classes in order to meet the requirements for my bachelor degree in Clinical Laboratory Science and once I look back I feels proud of myself that I am at where I am today and have accomplished many goals that I set for myself during my first year in college as a freshmen. My next goal is to fulfill the requirements for the accelerated BS/MS program for a clinical lab science.