How to Create Your Ideal Workspace

By: Katie Ellsworth

For about 6 months now, we’ve all been working, socializing, and doing just about everything we can remotely. We spend so much time at our at-home workspaces staring at that same blank wall for hours on end. I found that looking up from my work just to see my bedroom wall isn’t the most invigorating experience. This caused me to dedicate some time to redoing my space in order to help make my long, unenthusiastic days into something a little more exciting. Here are some tips in transforming your at-home set-up into your ideal workspace:

1. The Main Focal Point

I’ve found that having something fun and colorful to look at rather than just a dull, boring wall can help rejuvenate you during the middle of a particularly rough day. This can range from a movie poster to a collage of you and your loved ones. I decided to utilize what painfully few DIY skills I have and create a vision board for my ideal future life. If I’m drowning in schoolwork, I can look at my vision board and tell myself that that is what I’m working toward, and it may be challenging now, but it’ll all be worth it in the end. Make your main focal point something that has this same effect on you. It’ll work wonders on raising your motivation level and help make the hours of work you have feel rewarding.

2. Natural Light

Though I’m definitely guilty of staring outside and completely zoning out when I should be writing an essay, I still think having your workspace situated by a window is super important for your mood. Personally, I’m always happiest when it’s sunny, so having sunlight stream onto me through my window as I annotate 40+ page readings doesn’t only brighten my room, but my mood, as well. In fact, exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brain’s release of serotonin, a hormone that boosts your mood, meaning you should totally sit in the sun for a bit if you’re not feeling too great. If you’re not able to have your workspace near a window to receive that sweet sunlight serotonin, take a walk outside when it’s sunny or sit on your lawn to let the sun’s rays hit you to give you the same feeling of calmness.

3. Make it Yours!

A huge aspect of making your ideal workspace actually yours is adding a bit of your own personal touch to it, whatever that may mean to you. Are you someone who’s a big fan of planning and organizing? Then get some cute pen/pencil holders (maybe even paint or decorate them if you’re a DIY kind of person) to display all of your writing tools. Are you a big music lover? Perhaps writing a list of your top songs for studying, de-stressing, jamming out to when you’re taking a break, and displaying it where you can easily glance at it would be up your alley! Adding these seemingly small personal touches to your workspace, truly make it yours, and will help you actually enjoy your time spent there, because it’s more fitting to your style and interests.

Of course there are many more ways you could renovate your workspace to make it perfect, these are just a few simple tips that have worked really well for me. It’s an extreme challenge to spend your time working and your time relaxing in virtually the same space. Not only does it cause you to blend your work and rest areas, it absolutely gets mind-numbing to be in the same area every day. Once I spent some time redecorating my at-home workspace to make it ideal for me, I started to look forward to spending my time there everyday. I began feeling more professional in a way, since I started treating that area as my “private office” of sorts. I can almost guarantee that following at least one of the tips I mentioned above will help you feel a bit better about being stuck at a desk for such prolonged periods of time. I truly believe in taking care of ourselves, mentally and physically, and redoing your at-home workspace so that it’s perfectly ideal for you is an amazing form of self care since it’ll affect you every single day. So have some fun with redoing your workspace, and make sure to take care of yourself!

Voting 101

As you may know, this year is a presidential election year! In 2016, the voter turnout for ages 18-25 was just over 40% out of all other age demographics, the lowest turnout overall. The upcoming election will affect more young generations than ever, hence the importance of showing out to vote! Here are some websites that make registering to vote super easy! 

Vote.org 

Rock the Vote

Massachusetts Voter Information

All you need to be eligible to vote is:

• Be 18 or over before the election day (if you are 16, you can pre-register if you are from California, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Utah and Washington so when you turn 18, you are an active voter)

• Be a U.S Citizen

• Meet your state’s residency requirements

• Register before your state’s deadline

Although we are in a pandemic, there are several ways to cast your vote this year! 

All states are allowing mail-in voting this year, but it may look different for each state. Some states mailed in ballots to registered voters, others require an absentee ballot request. You can look into requesting your absentee ballot here for any state in the U.S. This is also a great way to support the USPS and the safest way to vote! As long as you submit your ballot in time (usually before Election Day), your vote will be counted. Most states also offer drop-off boxes typically at their city/town halls where you can self-deliver your mail-in ballot.

Early voting is also a great way to cast your vote if you prefer to do so in-person, without the commotion of Election Day! If you are able to go to a polling location, it is definitely available. All states have varying dates and requirements for early voting and you can check the early voting calendar here!

Lastly, if you cannot do either of the previously stated, you also have the option of voting in-person on Election Day. Make sure you check your polling location and voter registration status upon going to the polls. Given it is a Census year, some locations may require you to fill out a state or city Census in order for your voting status to remain active so be sure to check that before you go vote!

Another great way to become involved in the elections this year is to become a poll-worker! In most states, this is a paid position and a great opportunity to learn how polling systems work. Due to the pandemic, many past poll-workers do not want to return due to safety concerns so it is being heavily advertised to younger demographics to become involved! You do not have to be 18 in most states to become a poll-worker and doing so is as easy as calling your local city/town clerk to get hired. Power the Polls is also a great resource to learn more about what being a poll-worker entails. Get a friend from your town and help out the community while making some extra dough!

Voting is a privilege and if you hold that privilege, own it! Our future is dependent on this election and voter turnout of the younger generation specifically. Become involved, do your research, and happy voting!

Tip: Bring your own black pen to the polls to avoid the spread of the virus in using other pens if your location does not allow you to keep your own pen!

Staying Connected & Socializing Remotely

Transitioning to college life itself can be stressful and overwhelming, especially when it comes to being virtual. Although classes are very important to your college career, it is not the only part of college. Student life and involvement can still happen remotely. Becoming involved in clubs, organizations, jobs, athletics, etc., within Isenberg and UMass can create pathways to new friendships and lasting connections. These parts of college may look slightly different than usual being virtual, but once you get into the groove, it will definitely enhance your time at UMass as a whole.

I asked some executive-board members from WiB their advice and tips on staying connected with others remotely:

Emily Harding, ‘23 

Joining multiple clubs my freshman year really helped me form friendships with people who share the same interests, and find my place at UMass. Although we can not meet in person with others, still make it a goal to immerse yourself in the UMass community! I suggest joining at least two clubs you find interesting, and find ways to become involved besides just attending general body meetings (such as joining a committee, attending a virtual social event, etc.). Taking that extra step will help you become recognized and get connected with leaders of the club, and other members! These events will also give you something to look forward to each week throughout the semester, and make online learning a little more exciting. 

Mikaela Bowler, ‘21

Class group chats are good for more than just studying! I’m in a class called ‘Feminism and Environmental Justice’ which requires a lot of complex reading. I proposed that we students should have a place to chat, so someone made us a Discord server. We use it to talk about assignments, but more importantly, we check in with each other! The class is a mix of undergrad and grad students across a wide variety of majors; now I’m friends with people who I would’ve never met otherwise. A mini online community for a class can make work and socializing easier — win-win! If you’re nervous about speaking up, post the idea in Zoom chat or suggest it during a breakout room conversation first. Start small and let the group grow!

Tyler Spellman, ‘21

Another good way to stay connected in a fully virtual environment is to continue attending networking events! Firms are still looking to recruit and have completely adjusted their recruiting process according to the current times. The Chase Career Center is also still up in running! Schedule an appointment with a career coach to get your resume perfected and learn how to job search during this time. Although an internship seems out of reach right now, do not give up! Attend all the networking events that Isenberg provides and be open to working in a new way. After taking part in a 5 week virtual internship, I learned anything is possible.

Making new friends and forming your community in college can definitely be stressful especially when you cannot see everyone in-person, but becoming involved is a great way to get your foot through the door and open up new opportunities. Getting out of your comfort zone and diversifying your college experience will definitely come with its perks. Join clubs, stay avid on social media pages, and have fun! College is a completely customizable experience and you have control of it. Make it enjoyable and join those Zoom Calls!

How to Spring Break in 2020

With this year’s recent events, Spring Break this year is up in the air. Where do we go? What do we do? During this pivotal time in our lives, it is important to stay positive and stay safe, especially during this period of Spring Break and the switch over from in-person classes to remote online learning. Here are some tips to spend this year’s Spring Break:

1. Spend time with family: It has most likely been weeks or even months since you’ve last seen your family. Take this week to spend quality time with loved ones.

2. Re-group: These past few weeks have been quite overwhelming. Take some time for yourself over Spring Break for yourself. Whether this be binge-watching a show, spending time with friends, or reading a book, I think we all need time to re-group.

3. Start Something New: Take this time to do something you’ve always wanted to do! For me, I’ve always wanted to start a blog separate from WIB and this is the perfect time to do so.

4. Make In-Home Workout Plans: Stay active by grabbing a friend and making a new workout plan you can do from home. This keeps you motivated in a super fun way.

5. Try Out New Recipes: Whether it be new baking recipes or lighter recipes, trying out new meals is a fun way to spend time with friends and family. 

6. Re-Organize: Anyone else feel extremely disorganized lately? If so, I am right there with you. Take this time to organize your life whether it be cleaning your room or planning out assignments for remote online learning. 

Here are a few suggestions you can take on this Spring Break. It is important to stay safe and positive during this transition and prioritize the things in your life that matter most to you. The E-Board here at Women in Business wishes everyone well!

How the Coronavirus has Affected the Economy

By Ziling Huang

From the New York Post, “How Bad Could It Get? Companies Gauge Threat”, The Coronavirus is affecting the economy from several standpoints. Major companies like Apple, Microsoft, Mastercard, and United Airlines got affected profoundly by this virus. Due to this virus, worldwide companies had lost many profits since most of their suppliers and consumers are from China. Amazon and Nestle have canceled employees’ international trip, and United Airlines got many cancellations from customers on international itineraries.  

This outbreak of virus had also affected the S&P 500 stock index, which the New York Post author explained that the stock hit the lowest one-week performance since the Financial Crisis in 2008. It is shocking how much this virus has influenced the U.S. and the world as a whole so far. Also, because of this outbreak, some small businesses will not be able to get funding since the investors foresee that the virus will tremendously affect the banks.  

Credit by: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/28/business/economy/companies-coronavirus-economy.html

What exactly is the coronavirus?

• It is a virus mostly from livestock or dead animals.

Where did it come from?

• It began in Wuhan, China where someone was diagnosed with an unknown virus. Later on, doctors found out that this virus is contagious, which the hospitals started the coronavirus quarantine, and separated them.

• Soon, it spread to European countries, other Asian countries, and eventually the United States.

How does it spread?

• The virus spreads through coughing from those infected.

• Touching the surface with the coronavirus

How can we prevent it?

• We should clean our hands with soap around 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer with alcohol-based.

• Avoid contact with the face without washing your hands. 

• When you know your family members or your friends might get the virus, call the doctor or hospital on the front to clarify the situation.

• Spread the knowledge to people around you and let them know the facts of coronavirus in order to help stop the spread of the virus.  

Check out the Videos below about more details of the Coronavirus, 

https://youtu.be/yN_vbPo1DUI 

http://allworldnewschannel.com/facts-about-what-coronavirus-is-where-it-came-from-how-it-spreads/