By Bella Burbic

As we finish up finals and our classes, I want to congratulate all communication students for another successful semester. We have all persevered through changes and challenges throughout this whole year, and we have managed to come out stronger. There have been some great moments too, and we should all be proud of ourselves and our accomplishments. 

A special shout-out to my fellow seniors, we have come so far. We are at the finish line! As a senior myself, I am feeling many emotions, excited, fearful, proud, uncomfortable, sad, happy, and thankful, are just some of the many. I want to remind everyone to let themselves feel these emotions, because they are extremely natural. Change is hard and scary, but also a chance to allow new sources of happiness into your life. I know that the class of 2022 is going to do great things and can get through tough times, so remember to take it easy on yourself, and to try and enjoy this last week. 

It’s also time to celebrate! The university wide commencement ceremony is Friday, May 13th at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, from 4:30-6:30 pm. The college of Social and Behavioral Sciences graduation, which includes the Communication department, is on Saturday, May 14th at 1:30pm in the Mullins Center. Family and friends are encouraged to attend this graduation and your individual name will be announced. Communication professors and faculty will be attending this celebration as well. 

As I reflect on my experience, I am proud to be a part of the communication department and to have finished my undergrad degree at UMass. Whether you are finishing your first, last or spring semester, a final congratulations and a reminder to finish off strong. The future is bright for us all. Good luck on whatever’s next for you, and a final farewell from your senior Peer Advisors. It was a pleasure working with you and getting to know you!

By Christine Souaiden

With summer on the horizon and the semester coming to an end, energy levels may be running low. However, It is important that we power through the rest of the semester. Staying focused towards the end is always the most difficult. However, there are multiple ways to keep yourself on track. 

Make sure you know your academic standing in all of your classes. To do so, check your grades on the interfaces that your professors use (Blackboard, Google Classroom, Moodle…). If you do not know how to find your grades online or if grades have not been posted, do not hesitate to reach out to the TAs, or to your professors to get a better gauge at where you stand in your classes. 

If you are feeling overwhelmed with your classes and future plans, make sure to take a step back and take breaks for your mental health. Friendly reminder, nothing is more important than our health. Take random walks during the day, treat yourself to good food, reward yourself for all your hard work with some ice cream from the local creameries, make fun plans with your friends, and plan it all out to be able to balance your time between breaks and academics.

Some exciting events are going on to help us wrap up the semester nicely. On Thursday May 5th, 2022 from 5-9 pm the 2022 PondFire will be taking place. Gather a group of friends and huddle around one of the fire pits, make good s’mores, and even better memories. Do not forget to register!

The best way to destress is to do something that will make you laugh. What better way to laugh than to hang out with farm animals. On April 26th-27th, at 10am-3pm, on the lawn between Isenberg and the Fine Art Center, sheep from Hadley Farm will be visiting UMass for a day packed with student-led activities and an opportunity to learn about the use of sustainable land on campus. To learn more, visit this website!

The W.E.B Du Bois library hosts a series of final study break activities. Stay up to date by checking their website for new events. The events will be listed under “Libraries Outreach Series.” To list a few, on April 28th, from 7-8pm, the library is hosting a Superhero Bingo night on the 3rd floor. On May 4th, from 7-8 pm, they will be hosting a Star Wars trivia night on the 3rd floor, do not miss out on a chance to win fun prizes!