Isenberg Hacks Tomorrow!

Happy Halloween!

We hope everyone is having a great weekend and enjoying their Halloween! Make sure to stay safe and take some time to relax!

Our next meeting is tomorrow, Monday, November 1st, at 7pm in Isenberg 137 (Flavin Auditorium), with E-Board members Julia Gleim and Jenna Midura who will be presenting “Isenberg Hacks”, a meeting on tips and tricks to navigate Isenberg! Join us to learn how to get the most out of your experience here at UMass!

We will be live streaming on Zoom for our virtual members to attend:

Zoom Link: https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/92299580036
Meeting ID: 922 9958 0036

Reminders:

• Community Service Committee - Our next meeting is this Wednesday, November 3rd, at 7pm! Be on the lookout for an email!

• Fundraising Committee - Join us this Thursday, November 4th, for our next meeting! Stay tuned for an email with more information.

Be sure to follow our social media accounts for more frequent updates, Instagram specifically (@IsenbergWiB), and check out our website here!

Additional Opportunities

Career Hub
The Career Hub will be hosting a diversity networking event with employers seeking to diversify their workplaces (Virtual) on Tuesday, November 9th from 5:30-7:00pm. Register here!

Inclusive Leadership Summit
ILS is running November 1st - November 4th virtually. Students will attend panels and a keynote speaker presentation by professional thought leaders on inclusion and diversity. There is also an opportunity for all students to participate in a case competition and earn a certificate of completion. Learn more and register here. Please email here for any questions or clarifications.

Women Entrepreneurship
WE is hosting an entrepreneurship program consisting of weekly meetings with key industry experts who have been greatly influential entrepreneurs. The program will take place from November 2nd - December 7th. Sign up here.

C&S Wholesale Grocers
C&S is actively recruiting for their Associate Accounting Analyst positions (anticipated May 2022 grads) and will be holding a virtual information session with Isenberg students on Thursday, November 4th from 6 – 7 pm for Finance/Accounting majors. You can register on Handshake! The link for the information session can be found here.

How to Wind Down After Halloweekend

By: Sophia DiFonzo

This upcoming Sunday is Halloween and so many people are excited, myself included. This weekend is best known as ‘Halloweekend’; it is a weekend that for most college students is super busy. After ‘Halloweekend’ is a good time to wind down and relax, seeing as most of us are exhausted. Here are some ways that you can relax after this weekend!

1. Take a nap

After a long weekend, sometimes the best way to relax is to take a good nap. And with most of us not getting a lot of sleep, your body will thank you for it. Close those curtains, get under the covers, and rest up. Playing music in the background can help, but, honestly, sometimes a completely quiet space is the best.

2. Watch a movie or tv show

For those who have trouble taking a nap, or maybe aren’t even all that tired, watching a good movie or a tv show is a great way to wind down. I love relaxing in my bed with some snacks and watching my newest interest, which right now is Shameless, Season 11. If you are still in the Halloween spirit and like scary movies, I definitely recommend any of the Conjuring movies! And if you’re completely done with Halloween and want something new to watch, I recommend You (Netflix), Shameless (Netflix), Dynasty (Netflix), and of course the newest season of Grey’s Anatomy (Hulu)!

3. Listen to music or a podcast

If there are some things that you have to do such as coursework, laundry, or tidying up your room, and you do not want to do it in silence, I highly recommend listening to music or a podcast. Or even if you’re just trying to relax and want to take your mind off of things, listening to something can be really helpful. If you have Apple Music or Spotify, you can search for playlists that fit your current mood, or you can create your own! There are also lots of cool podcasts to choose from on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other media outlets. 

4. Read a good book

If none of the above ways for relaxation work for you, reading a good book might be a good way to chill out. There are lots of good bookstores nearby to look at and find books, and the library on campus also has a lot of options. And if you have a kindle paperwhite, that is another option in which you can buy and read books. If you like a good thriller, or something scary, I recommend Steven King novels. 

5. Get some good food  

And after this long weekend, get some good food (or eat some yummy snacks). You can go somewhere on campus like one of the dining halls, Blue Wall, or Roots Cafe. Or you can get food delivered here from a restaurant nearby and chill in your room with some friends. Maybe even get some Insomnia Cookies.

Isenberg Hacks Next Meeting!

Happy Wednesday!

We hope you all enjoyed listening to our past WiB members talk about their journeys as undergraduates and transitioning into a full-time job after graduation. Please reach out to any of them if you have further questions or just want to chat!

Carly Griffin - carlyjeangriffin@gmail.com
Tyler Spellman - tcspellman@umass.edu
Alyssa Biscotti - abiscotti@umass.edu
Alyssa Towle - ajtowle@umass.edu
Tori Soucy - victoriaesoucy@gmail.com
Ashley Robinson - ashleyrobinsonp@gmail.com
Haley Chupka - hchupka@gmail.com

Join us next Monday, November 1st, at 7pm in Isenberg 137 (Flavin Auditorium), where our E-Board members, Julia Gleim and Jenna Midura will be presenting “Isenberg Hacks”, a meeting on tips and tricks to navigate Isenberg and get the most out of your experience here at UMass!

We will be live streaming on Zoom for our virtual members to attend:

Zoom Link: https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/92299580036
Meeting ID: 922 9958 0036

Reminders:

• Peer Mentorship - Our first event is TONIGHT, Wednesday, October 27th, at 7pm! Come to the Isenberg Hub for an exciting welcome event filled with fun things to get to know eachother!

• Marketing Committee - Our next meeting is Thursday, October 28th, at 7:15pm in Isenberg 108! We will be having a Halloween meeting with lots of spooky games! Come for a relaxing mid-week meeting and lots of fun!

Be sure to follow our social media accounts for more frequent updates, Instagram specifically (@IsenbergWiB), and check our our website here!

Watch Last Week's Meeting by Clicking Here

Additional Opportunities
U.S. General Services Administration
GSA is hiring for positions across the country. They will be hosting virtual information sessions this month for candidates to learn more about the various job opportunities. All interested students should send a copy of their resume to christine.dua@gsa.gov by October 27th.

Isenberg Real Estate Advisors
IREA will be hosting a Women's Development Program this Fall for freshmen and sophomores, where participants will be provided with the opportunity to join meetings and learn more about the real estate industry to help determine if a career in real estate is right for them. Learn more and apply here!

Inclusive Leadership Summit
ILS is running November 1st - November 4th virtually. Students will attend panels and a keynote speaker presentation by professional thought leaders on inclusion and diversity. There is also an opportunity for all students to participate in a case competition and earn a certificate of completion. Learn more and register here. Please email here for any questions or clarifications.

Women Entrepreneurship
WE is hosting an entrepreneurship program consisting of weekly meetings with key industry experts who have been greatly influential entrepreneurs. The program will take place from November 2nd - December 7th. Sign up here.

C&S Wholesale Grocers
C&S is actively recruiting for their Associate Accounting Analyst positions (anticipated May 2022 grads) and will be holding a virtual information session with Isenberg students on Thursday, November 4th from 6 – 7 pm for Finance/Accounting majors. You can register on Handshake! The link for the information session can be found here.

Tips for Managing Your Money

By: Olivia Coelho

When it comes to adulting, one of the more confusing things to figure out is money. How do you budget your money? What are some basic ways you can understand your personal finances better? While I am still figuring out how to manage my own money, here is a list of some tips that have helped me understand money a little better:

*Quick disclaimer! These are solely recommendations; if some of the tips are not feasible for you for any reason, that’s totally okay! Pick and choose what works best for you :)

Consider opening a Roth IRA

While some of us already have a checking or savings account, I think it is less common to have an account where you invest your money long-term. This is where a Roth IRA account comes in.

For those who don’t know what a Roth IRA account is, it’s a form of a retirement account. A benefit of the account is that you can increase your earnings without the money in the account being taxed. 

Many of you might be thinking, isn’t it a little early to plan for retirement? It may be a long time until any of us need to worry about it, but starting an account now means you can get a head start on investing your money. Plus, once you’ve had the account for five or more years, regardless of your age, you could access the money in the account and put it towards a big purchase like a home! As long as you have a job that allows you to earn an income, you qualify for a Roth IRA account.

Figure out how to split your finances and income

Something that helps me when deciding how to spend my money is having a set amount that I want to put into each bank account. Alternatively, I have also split up my income by deciding how much money I want to spend in a given period of time and how much I want to save. 

For instance, you could aside 70% of your income towards your longer-term goals and 30% as spending money. Doing this can also help you with budgeting; if you only allow yourself to use a certain amount every week or so for spending, you will be less likely to spend more than you are comfortable with.

This is just an example, but consider creating percentages you feel are reasonable based on your income/current savings. 

Set money goals for yourself

Going along with the previous point, create money goals for yourself! Like any goal, make sure it is specific, attainable, and has a set timeline. That way, you can stay on track to complete it.

If you’ve been thinking about taking a vacation with your friends for spring break or saving for an apartment next year, you can set aside a little bit of money every month or week toward that goal. Plus, it’ll motivate you to achieve your goals quicker if you see your savings piling up.

See where you can save (student discounts, sales, etc.)

If you are anything like me, you try to save wherever you can. If that’s the case, keep an eye out for student discounts. Some stores in the area offer discounts in-store if you show your student ID, so take advantage of these when you can.

One app I recommend is UNiDAYS. When you create an account, you get access to discount codes you can use online at places like Aerie, HM, and plenty of other stores!

Spooky Sights to See: The Top Haunted Places in Massachusetts

By: Anna Martin

Halloween is right around the corner, but most of us have been ready since Starbucks put their Pumpkin Spice Lattes out. Whether you're more of a pumpkin-carving, apple-picking gal or a haunted house and corn maze fan, there’s something for everyone in the fall. If you didn’t know, Massachusetts is home to some of the creepiest areas in the country. With our rich history, we’ve conjured up a lot of stories here in the Bay State. And what better time to talk about these areas than the spookiest month of the year? Here are some of the creepiest locations in Mass (enter at your own risk):

Salem, MA

This is probably the top haunted area since Salem has made its mark due to the infamous witch trials. Of course, you can visit the Witch Museum to get all the witchy vibes, but Salem has a whole bunch of haunted hot spots around the city where spirits love to roam. Some of the most popular places are the Old Salem Jail, the Joshua Ward House, and Gallows Hill. All of these places possess the spirits of people from the witch trials who are still trying to claim their innocence, so it’s very common if you hear voices or see strange figures.

Lizzie Borden House in Fall River, MA

Down on the Southcoast is where the wicked Lizzie Borden used to reside. If you don’t know the tale, Lizzie Borden brutally killed her father and her stepmother with an ax in her Fall River home and later went to trial but was acquitted. What was interesting about her was that she was known as a proper woman who went to church on Sundays, so hearing about her killing her family was odd. The Borden House is now a bed and breakfast, and rumor has it that guests have felt fingers tapping on their shoulders or heard footsteps in empty rooms. A woman in Victorian Era clothes may also pay a visit. So, if you’re up for it, stay a night and experience it yourself.

Hoosac Tunnel in North Adams, MA

This mysterious tunnel aka “Hoosick Tunnel” or “The Bloody Pit”, runs from North Adams to Florida, MA. Although it seems like a normal railroad tunnel, about 200 of the construction workers that were building it died during its 25 years of production, and about 30 more people died after it was finished. If you’re there long enough, you might hear cries of agony coming from inside the tunnel as well as floating lanterns and the ghosts of miners. Even the locals don’t go near the tunnel because of superstitions.

Houghton Mansion in North Adams, MA

*TW: suicide 

What once was home to the former mayor of North Adams during the late 1800s is now a tourist site for paranormal enthusiasts. Albert Charles Houghton, the original owner of the home, lived with this family in this Neoclassical-style mansion. One day, Albert, his daughter, their chauffeur, and a couple of their friends went for a drive up to Vermont and on the way, they got into a car accident. Everyone but the chauffeur died shortly after the incident. Because he felt guilty of everyone’s death, he shot himself a couple of weeks later. Rumor has it that Albert Houghton himself haunts the mansion, and people have seen flickering lights and ghostly shadows move around with no one there. Footsteps, knocking on doors, and voices may also be heard if you’re walking the halls.

Sources:

https://www.thrillist.com/lifestyle/boston/most-haunted-places-in-massachusetts

https://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/boston/haunted-places-in-massachusetts

https://ghostcitytours.com/salem/haunted-places/