New to UMass? New to the Spanish program? Maybe you’re neither of those things but are still interested in learning a little bit more about the Spanish program! Here’s some things I wish I knew beforehand, but didn’t know who to ask. I am currently a junior at UMass, and I entered my freshman year here as a Spanish major with the intention of teaching at the highschool level. My experience with the Spanish program has been delightful and we are so lucky to have such a great community within the major. Even if this post reaches one student considering the Spanish major at UMass, I hope it helps to hear from a first hand perspective as a current student here.

The Spanish program at UMass has lots to offer its students, and I have felt academically supported for my entire time here. Everyone has different experiences as a Spanish major, but I want to give you a little more insight on my personal experience because I know it can be useful for new or interested students to hear directly from another student.

It is most definitely helpful if you are able to use your AP Spanish credits as an incoming Spanish major at UMass. With my AP Spanish credits, I was able to begin my first semester of freshman year in a 300-level Spanish course. I remember this being a little intimidating for me as a new college student because I did not know what to expect of a college-level course, but I am grateful that I took an advanced class early on! In the end, it made me more confident for future Spanish classes to come, and it was a great beginning to completing my Spanish major requirements. Don’t worry if you can’t use your credits though, this is just a bonus!

Spanish is not my first language, and I was unsure if this was common as a Spanish major or not. It is very common for Spanish majors to have English as their native language, with Spanish as an additional language. You will likely meet plenty of peers where Spanish is their first language, and I find that this mix really elevates the level and style of Spanish courses at UMass. You will have the opportunity to take literature classes, writing classes, and various special topics about the Spanish language, culture, and community (including Latin American studies etc).

I expected much of the Spanish major to revolve around grammar and writing styles, similar to Spanish classes in high school. However, you will be able to dive right into classes that are tailored to utilizing your knowledge of Spanish, expecting that you already have the skills to participate in discussions using Spanish. The Spanish professors are all wonderful, and they understand that many of us are still Spanish learners, so don’t be afraid to become a Spanish major if you aren’t fluent. We are all here to learn and improve our Spanish skills so that we can be better prepared for the future.

You already have your mind set on a different major? No problem! The Spanish major is a super popular double major or minor for many students. Although I am a primary Spanish major with a secondary major in Communication, I have met plenty of students in my Spanish classes who are secondary Spanish majors or minors. Knowing another language is a great life skill and a wonderful professional skill too. However, I highly recommend Spanish as a primary major if you are interested in receiving a degree in Spanish.

Something else I wish I had known about the Spanish major at UMass is that the class sizes are small. I expected many of the classes to be large lectures, like you see in many of the classes at UMass due to the large student population. However, the Spanish program offers small class sizes which is super special when you go to a school so big. You have more opportunities to engage in class discussions when the class sizes are smaller, and you also have more opportunities to gain relationships with your professors and classmates. The connections and network within the Spanish department at UMass are truly spectacular, and the smaller class sizes make the campus community feel a little smaller which can be nice and less overwhelming for newer students.

There are also plenty of opportunities for you at UMass that you may be able to take advantage of while pursuing your degree in Spanish. Many students choose to study abroad, which is super accessible as a Spanish major because if you are studying abroad somewhere Spanish is spoken, you are highly likely to fulfill many of your Spanish major requirements. I was able to study abroad during my spring semester of my sophomore year, and I absolutely loved it, and on top of this amazing opportunity to live abroad, I was able to receive twelve credits and fulfill several Spanish requirements.

If you are new to UMass or are interested in becoming a Spanish major or minor, please feel free to contact me if you have any more specific questions, and I may be able to share some more of my own experiences with you! You can reach me at my email: carolinesmit@umass.edu

Independence can look different depending on where you are (and who you are)! For me, I learned a lot about myself during my time abroad in Seville, Spain. I studied abroad for a Spring semester, expecting to make great new friends and immerse myself in the Spanish culture, which I did! However, what I did not expect was the noticeable shift in independence between living as a young adult in the U.S. versus living as a young adult in Spain. 

Living in the U.S. as someone in their young twenties looks like a pretty independent lifestyle when you’re placed somewhere else with a different perspective. You realize that lots of responsibilities change depending on where you are. For example, living in the United States, and speaking for the average person around 18-22 years old, some generalized, independent tasks you are often expected to do include:

• Laundry
• Living with other people than your parents (or alone)
• Driving
• Washing the dishes
• Grocery shopping
• Working (even while being a student)

While I was studying abroad, my independence was critical in much different ways than the typical tasks I have been used to in the U.S. It begins as soon as you take your first steps on the plane to fly you abroad! I remember the plane ride to Spain was the first moment in which I realized I was alone, and I would have to navigate how to spend my first few hours/days in a foreign place all by myself. Luckily, going abroad with a program allowed me to make new friends very quickly. 

Once you have officially arrived and are living abroad, your independence becomes vital. Here are some ways in which I was independent while I was abroad:

• Walking everywhere (especially as a female, this took some adjusting before I became more comfortable with it)
• Communicating with locals 
• Traveling by bus, train, plane, taxi (all alone!)
• Being unreachable by family
• Being aware of your surroundings and taking care of yourself and belongings
• Learning landmarks/common phrases to help myself learn my way around a foreign city

Although I added some of these new responsibilities that required me to be independent, some of my typical tasks that I have been used to doing for a long time in the U.S. were not required of me while studying abroad. My meals were cooked for me, my clothes were washed and folded for me, and my room was cleaned for me. To my surprise, this felt off-putting for me for a long time, and it took me a while to get accustomed to the fact that these simple chores were being done for me, even though I was more than capable and happy to do them. However, we weren’t allowed to do any of it.

Once I realized that these responsibilities would not be expected of me, I learned to accept the cultural differences and focus my independence on something else. There were no chores for me to do, but I realized early on that I would have to be independent in other ways–specifically, in ways that would keep me away from dangerous situations. Being a part of an abroad program, you will likely have a fantastic support system of directors and advisors, etc. However, much of your safety is your own responsibility.

I quickly became someone who could take myself out to breakfast, and someone who enjoyed taking long walks alone, and even someone who could travel by myself on the weekend. I never experienced this level of independence in the U.S. simply because I never had to. When I returned home to Massachusetts, after living in Spain for four months, I realized that all of the reverse culture shock I experienced was linked to independence. Coming home, I had to switch my responsibilities back to my typical chores and going to work. However, it was my goal to take some of the independent qualities that I learned while abroad back home. Ever since studying abroad, I have added new layers of independence in my life. I am more comfortable spending time with myself, exploring new places, and trying new things. 

You will find out a lot about yourself after studying abroad, and your independence will likely change while you are there, but you will adjust with time. Being alone in a new place can be intimidating, but you are likely more capable of being independent than you may realize.