Body Talk.

By: Jenna DiDonato

As Summer is coming up and we are already shopping for that perfect swimsuit…there seems to be the underlying fear of how will my body look?! As women, we are told our bodies aren’t the “right size” or they don’t have the “right look”. And this doesn’t magically end once we are older, it’s a constant struggle. 

As someone who is and has always been on the thinner side, I have experienced body shaming which has then turned into self hatred. I don’t eat enough, I have no muscle, I look like a child, parts of my body aren’t big or small enough, I should eat more meat...I could go on and on about all the lies I’ve been told and have believed. I know I am not the only one who has gone through this. It’s hard not to believe when you see girls and women on TV who are “desirable” and “dateable”, and no, not represented as my body type.

And looking at the past couple years, it’s only recently that we have plus size models on the forefront. And woman with all breast sizes. Or people with different skin types and colors. With freckles. With beauty marks. With something “different” than the ordinary! This is what we have needed all throughout life, as women, as little kids. What everyone needs is representation of ALL bodies that ALL look different. We need young & old, transgender & non gender conforming, we need gay & straight, we need black & white, we need plus size, we need thin size, we need ANY size.

What I have to focus on, is loving my own body and re-learning that I am perfect just the way I am. Yes, let’s build each other up, but let’s not forget to build ourselves up too. I am a strong, beautiful and healthy woman, and I will wear whatever swimsuit or dress or shirt that feels good on and for ME. 

And Never forget, there’s no winning in comparison, so love your body up!

Consumer Values: What do you Look for in a Brand?

By: Lauren Hughes

Online shopping platforms have given consumers an overwhelming number of options to choose from. As companies continue to enter the ecommerce space, consumers are faced with more choices. How does one choose which brand to shop from? Many people take into account the price and quality of the product. However, consumer behavior is changing. Consumers are more focused on corporate social responsibility, and whether they are supporting brands whose values align with our own. Corporations continually craft bold mission statements to explain how they will grow their business, while abiding by legal and environmental standards; these mission statements are not enough to establish consumer trust. An article from Forbes explains, “Although 81% say trust impacts their purchasing decisions, only a third of people say they trust the brands they buy from” (Fertik, 2019). So, how can we learn to trust companies and feel confident in our purchasing decisions? 

Company Initiatives

Company websites will often have an initiatives page; this is where the company will share information about their efforts to be socially responsible. Important information to look for includes the types of resources they use to produce their products, and how their operations impact the environment. Additionally, donating to charitable causes and volunteering initiatives are positive signs of a company who’s looking to do more than simply maximize shareholder wealth. 

ESG Ratings

Public companies are given Environmental Social Governance (ESG) ratings. These ratings help investors determine whether a company is worth investing in, based on which end of the spectrum they are scored on. Some of the factors that ESG measures are carbon footprint, water usage, natural resource conservation, employee working conditions, and accurate accounting principles (Chen, 2021). Comparing company initiatives with their ESG scores can show whether they are “greenwashing”, or truly committed to running a socially responsible business. All UMass students have access to the ESG Manager on Campus database, which provides in-depth ESG reports for hundreds of companies! 

Online Presence

Having a presence on social media is critical for business success. It is important to look at how a company engages with their consumers online, and whether they respond to customer feedback. For example, if they ignore negative feedback, maybe they are not “operating in the consumer’s best interest” (Fertik, 2019). Looking at their social media page can also give insights into company values; if you relate/feel passionate about the content they share, you are shopping with the right brand!

Some brands that have successfully developed a socially responsible reputation include Levi Strauss, Ben & Jerry’s, LEGO, and Google. As consumers, we want to make sure our money is being spent in the right places. It can be difficult to determine whether companies will truly uphold their promises to be socially responsible, using the resources above will help.

Sources:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelfertik/2019/11/26/how-to-get-customers-to-trust-you/?sh=24b19c44f8d6

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/environmental-social-and-governance-esg-criteria.asp

https://www.vault.com/blogs/workplace-issues/5-ways-to-identify-a-companys-social-responsibility

https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4679-corporate-social-responsibility.html

How to Deal with NOT Getting a Summer Internship (From Someone Who Didn’t Get One Either)

By: Laura Balinski

To anyone out there that will not have an internship this summer, you are not alone!! As someone who applied to many this year and came out with nothing, I just want to tell you that it’s going to be okay. As college students entering their sophomore, junior, and senior year we all know the pressures that internships cause, and it can be overwhelming on top of school and everything else. I feel that there is so much stress on college students as early as freshman year to have an internship for every summer and if you don’t have one you are a failure. That might be a little dramatic, but that’s exactly what I was thinking about going into this summer with absolutely nothing going into my junior year. However, the few tips I am going to talk about helped me change my negative mindset and look at the positives. I hope that after reading this and reflecting on your own situation that you still hold yourself highly and realize you are not the only one without an internship. 

1. First of all, we are in a GLOBAL PANDEMIC

Yeah, last time I checked we are still in a pandemic and our lives have not been the same. Over a year ago the whole world shut down and life had to go on pause. This put a set back on many things going on in people’s lives, and for many college students, their summer internships were cancelled or went remote if lucky enough. This means that many were moved to the following summer, so spots were already filled for this summer before others had a chance to apply. Even today the future is still unknown, and many companies have decided to not do any internships this summer, limiting the number of internships students would have the chance to apply to normally. All I’m saying is that the global pandemic and the consequences of it, are something completely out of your control so cut yourself some slack. 

2. Remembering your self-worth and staying positive

The pressure that Isenberg and just college in general puts on us for internships is extremely stressful and overwhelming in my opinion. After gaining no success with application rounds and even interviews, it can really hurt your self-confidence. Personally, I am someone who is extremely hard on themselves, so when I failed to get an internship this summer, it was something hard for me to deal with. So, if you are like me and need some positive reinforcement, I want you to remember how amazing, motivated, and talented of a person you are and that this little set is just a bump in your full life of success. Any experience is a good experience, so I have done my best to remain positive throughout this time and look at all the things I can still do this summer. There is also one piece of advice that many people have told me that I really like “Just enjoy this time because you are going to work in the business world, probably at a desk, for the rest of your life so enjoy this time while you still have it”. Personally, that has helped me realize that I can take advantage this summer of just enjoying my summer job as a Pool Server where I get to work with all my friends and have super flexible hours.

3. Future resources to look out for  

Now that I have hopefully made you feel a little better about your situation, let’s focus on how to secure that internship for next year. First resource to take advantage of if you haven’t already been is the Chase Career Center in Isenberg. They offer so much support for anyone looking to practice for an interview, get their resume looked over, or just figure out what to wear to the interview. They are constantly sending weekly emails of all the events and feature lots of internships. I hope in the fall semester all the events like Career Fairs can be in person, but for now I would say start planning for them because they are coming soon. Another thing that I found super helpful, and a great resource is the business clubs I’m a part of. Through WiB and Isenberg Marketing Club I became a Student Ambassador for the Women of Isenberg Virtual Speaker Series and participated in Networking Night with the Marketing Club. Both were amazing opportunities to work on my networking skills and get used to talking to recruiters. I hope to eventually experience those and many more in person. 

Overall, I still want to congratulate everyone who received an internship this summer! But to all my fellow classmates who are in my shoes, keep your head up high and don’t stress too much,  We all got this!!

Navigating UMass as a Transfer Student

By: Julie Dannevig

Heading into my freshman year of college in 2019, I was an unconfident teenager who knew little about life outside my hometown that I had become accustomed to throughout the first 18 years of my life. I was daunted by such a significant change and was unsure how to navigate a new state amidst a sea of strangers. Anticipating this next chapter of my life, I felt an anxiety-inducing combination of unpreparedness and excitement for months leading up to move-in day. Yet, behind all of the stress, I had high hopes and expectations for my freshman year. I envisioned myself meeting my new best friends and feeling a sense of unadulterated freedom for the first time. However, this storybook vision was not to be my reality. Instead, I found myself feeling very alone, missing my family, my hometown friends, and showering without flip-flops.

Transferring to UMass in the fall of 2020 for my sophomore year proved to be a rewarding and fulfilling transition, despite the altered state of mid-pandemic life. Finding my place on campus this semester has granted me a long-awaited sense of comfort and community, disproving the bleak discontentment that I had grown to believe was really an unspoken norm for college students. Nevertheless, going into a new school with few friends and a pessimistic mindset was a challenge that came with many ups-and-downs. Being thrown into a large community where everyone seems to have a pre-existing friend group and routine can be discouraging. Yet, I have discovered that the UMass campus community is indescribably welcoming and there are many unexpected opportunities to get involved which I am eager to share.

Be Open Minded:

I can confidently say that everyone on this campus has something positive to offer and is worth talking to. Whether it be a new friendship, a professor who gives you a project extension or just a friendly smile in the dining hall, it is so important to be open-minded and friendly whenever you can. I made it a point to push myself out of my comfort zone and approach this semester with an ongoing goal to take any opportunity I have to meet new people. College can feel lonely at times, so it is comforting to have relationships with peers who make you feel welcomed in the UMass community. Some unexpectedly easy places to meet new people are in the bathroom of your dorm and in Zoom breakout rooms. Utilize these commonly shared spaces to strike up conversations and strive to find similarities with anyone and everyone; you never know who you might meet. 

Take Time for Yourself:

Going into a new environment easily becomes overstimulating and is often a driver for stress and exhaustion. To ground myself after a busy day or a tedious exam, I enjoy going on walks around campus when the weather is nice or taking time to eat a meal alone in my room. With the pressures of meeting new people, trying to remain active and staying on top of schoolwork, it is very easy to overextend yourself, so it is important to be aware of your mental state and take time out of the day to relax. Call your friends and family or watch a movie in your bed, prioritizing even small mundane breaks can be immeasurably therapeutic. 

Get Involved:

This campus offers so many opportunities to get involved, regardless of what your interests are. There are recreational sports teams, clubs, jobs and events that are designed to bring the community together and get you out of your dorm. For my first semester on campus, I joined Isenberg Women in Business, a recreational soccer team, and I often take group classes at the Rec Center. Even with a busy schedule, taking advantage of the campus offerings is a worthwhile, low commitment way to have fun and take a step away from school work.

Tips for Course Registration

By: Anvi Ranjan

Course registration for the fall semester is coming up in a few short days, and with that can come a lot of stress and uncertainty. Whether you have a set plan ready for your upcoming semester or are struggling to map out exactly what you need, it’s always good to remember the following basics as you choose your classes. 

Check your Academic Requirements Report

If you need to see a clear summary of what courses you’ve taken, what requirements you need to fulfill, and what you still need to graduate, make sure you take a look at your academic requirements under the Academics tab in spire. This will have a clear look of how you’re doing courses wise, and you can also see your grades and credits for each course by requirement for your major(s). This is a great starting point and should be looked at even before seeing an advisor, so you go in with some awareness and potential questions to ask. Sometimes, you may see a course fulfilling the wrong requirement or missing information, in which case you can bring it up to an advisor during a meeting. 

Meet with an advisor

If you’re having trouble knowing which requirements you still need to fulfill or just need a better idea on how to plan out your years ahead, it’s best to meet with an advisor and discuss your academic goals and options. Everyone has different goals in mind for not only the present but also the long term, such as different graduation times, certificates, additional majors or minors, dual degrees, and many other varied paths. If you have multiple majors in different colleges, make sure to meet with your advisor in each major. If you are in the Honors College, your advisor can keep you up to date on honors requirements. Advisors can help you make sure you’re not missing anything important and give advice on your specific needs. Virtual advising appointments are by appointment or walk-in, and drop-in peer advising is an option as well (all linked below). 

Isenberg Major Curriculum Plans 

If you are still undecided or just need a refresher on the Isenberg requirements by major, they are all available on the Isenberg website linked below. This provides a holistic view of each major and provides a checklist on what you need, and is overall a great resource for semester planning. 

Balance your Workload

Though we may not know what the upcoming semester will look like in terms of the university overall, it might be helpful to plan for your courses as though they are in person. Think about distances between buildings, class times and days, and course difficulty when laying out your schedule. For some people, concentrating their courses on some days while keeping the others fully free is ideal, while some students prefer more spacing throughout the week. While you may be confident you can take that 8:30 AM, keep in mind that if you’re not a morning person, early courses can be tough (especially if there’s a transition back to being fully in person). In addition, it may be a good idea to spread out your Gen-Ed requirements across all semesters, as they can provide a break from more rigorous major-related courses. What works for some people doesn’t work for everyone, so do what is best for you! 

Backup Options 

Always keep backup options in your enrollment shopping cart and be ready to switch to them at any time, as more popular classes fill up quickly and often don’t allow for extra seats. Monitor your cart until your enrollment appointment (which can be found in Spire) and make sure you enroll at the earliest possible time to give yourself your best chance at success. While you can switch around your schedule during add-drop the next semester, don’t rely on it as guarantee especially considering the shortened one week period for Fall 2021. 

Don’t Stress!

Even if you don’t get the classes you wanted or are unsure of what you need to do, you have many available resources and people that are willing to help. As you accumulate more credits, you will be able to enroll in the classes you want sooner, so know that it gets easier as time goes on. Even if it’s not what you planned for, you might just stumble upon a course or Professor that you really click with, so don’t be afraid to try something new and unexpected. Lastly, you can also take advantage of winter and summer sessions, as they are a good way to take courses on your own time. 

With that, good luck with course registration and be sure to keep these tips in mind! Important links: 

Isenberg Major Curriculum Plans: 

https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/resources/guides/ug-oncampus-advising-curriculum-pl ans 

Virtual Advising: 

https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/programs/undergraduate/on-campus/advising/virtual-a dvising

Isenberg Course Catalog by Semester: 

https://www.isenberg.umass.edu/programs/undergraduate/on-campus/browse-courses?term=1217