Paul's Tip of the Week: Exploring the Surrounding Communities

Did you know Amherst College has a Natural History Museum?

UMass Amherst is a huge university. Some students rarely even make it off campus due to all the exciting activities constantly going on at our very own school. However, there is so much more going on. Few universities located in less urban environments have as many exciting options as students at UMass have. Here are some tips to help explore your surrounding communities and get outside of your UMass Amherst bubble.

1.) Explore the town of Amherst

Right down the street from our University is the beautiful town of Amherst. Full of great restaurants, bookstores, and more, Amherst is the perfect place to hang out on a Saturday Afternoon. As I'm sure most students know, Antonio's Pizza is a popular fan favorite. Some of my personal favorite restaurants include Panda East, the Loose Goose Cafe, and Paradise of India. Save a swipe at Berk one night and go out to eat with your friends! 

2.) Northampton

Just a bus ride away is the lovely town of Northampton, commonly referred to as Noho. Here, there are even more delicious restaurants and tons of quirky vintage shops. The community is vibrant and busy. At night time there are several music venues where local bands and more famous musicians frequently locate.

Aaron Carter is coming to the Iron Horse Music Hall in Noho March 7th at 5. Talk about a blast from the past. Who is ready for Aaron's party?...

3.) The Four Other Colleges

UMass Amherst is part of a 5 college consortium. The 4 other members of this consortium include Mt. Holyoke College, Smith College, Amherst College, and Hampshire College. There are more ways to learn what's going on at the 5 colleges besides just taking a class there. Each college has their own unique personality and several events, guest speakers, dances, and more. I've had amazing times exploring Hampshire College and attending several concerts and events there. Smith and Amherst are two other schools I have loved visiting. I haven't even made it to Mt. Holyoke yet in my time at UMass but plan to get that taken off my bucket list before I graduate.

Here's a schedule of various events going on within the Five College Consortium: http://calendar.fivecolleges.edu/FiveCol/calendrome.cgi

So pick up a bus schedule, do a little research, get a couple of friends together, and start exploring!