Have Some CLASS, Will Ya?

Feeling a bit baffled by bio? Get a little help from your friends at the CENTERS FOR LEARNING AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES (CLASS), which offers a range of assistance. More than 70 peer tutors are there to help, and there is no charge for their services. Tutoring is available in four locations: Fox Hall’s first floor, O’Leary Learning Commons’ first floor, Southwick 321 and on the eighth floor of the Inn & Conference Center. Among the other services CLASS provides are advising on everything from academic planning to preparation for graduate school and one-to-one study skills sessions.

Putting the Help in Help Desk

Just because your computer is having a meltdown, you don’t have to. The IT HELP DESK is there for you. The idea is simple: The staff knows what you don’t. Password issues, software, Wi-Fi connections. They’re good at fixing your technology troubles. And they do it a lot. Every year, the UML team of IT folks gets 40,000 service requests. They’re on call for students, faculty and staff from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:30 to 5 Fridays, and walk-up service desks are open the same hours on the first floors of Lydon and O’Leary libraries. The service desk at suite M50 in University Crossing is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Email at help@uml.edu; or call 978-934-4357 or (toll free) 866-435-7437.

Make A Rec of Yourself

To help you maintain a balance of mind and body, check out the CAMPUS RECREATION CENTER (CRC) on East Campus. It’s a 65,000-square-foot facility that offers an indoor track, basketball courts, aerobic studios, squash and racquetball courts, fitness classes, and cardio equipment. And right across the street, you’ll find the Campus Recreation Complex, home to turf fields for intramural and club soccer, lacrosse, rugby and other activities. There are tennis courts, too, part of which become an ice rink in winter. No equipment? You can check out soccer balls, tennis rackets and other sports equipment for free with a valid UCARD at the CRC. On South Campus, on the first floor of Riverview Suites, you’ll find 9,000 more square feet of weight machines, cardio equipment and studio space.

Solving the Pesky Essentials

The SOLUTION CENTER, located on the first floor of University Crossing, is aptly named. The staff can help with questions about the nuts and bolts stuff of college life – registration, paying your bill, applying for financial aid. What do I owe? How do I register for classes next semester? What the heck is a 1098-T? Visit their website for a bounty of information. My JobHawk is the section of the page that features student jobs. And refer your parents to the Solution Center's family resources to let them know the details of their supporting role. You can reach the center at 978-934-2000.

Book it, Buddy!

The RIVER HAWK SHOP, also located on the first floor of University Crossing (978-934-2623), has your textbooks, your River Hawk apparel (dozens of styles of t-shirts alone) and even computers. When you feel a cold coming on, there’s a slew of goodies to help knock it back. If you need to grab a birthday card or a last-minute gift for your roommate, the River Hawk Shop has you covered. And you can count on the staff to help you save money wherever possible. For example, they are more than happy to help you find textbook rentals if they’re available for your class.

Hip Haven in Downtown Lowell

When you’re ready to venture off campus, MILL NO. 5 (250 Jackson St.) is a great getaway. It’s only as far away as downtown Lowell, but as unique as something one might find in Brooklyn. It’s a hip hub of independent businesses, including an apothecary, a gaming/cosplay hub, a cheese shop, an art gallery, a yoga studio and a record store. There’s an independent theater, a coffee shop and an ole-timey soda fountain. Every Saturday through the spring offers a themed marketplace, and every Sunday, there’s a farm market.

Well, Well, Well…

College life is busy. You can get run down. Therefore, you need to know about the HEALTH SERVICES/WELLNESS CENTER in Suite 300 of University Crossing. Students have free access to a wide variety of services, including first aid, diagnosis and treatment of illnesses such as sore throats, mono and rashes, care for minor injuries, and health counseling, contraceptive services and more. The office is staffed with nurse practitioners and registered nurses. For appointments, call 978-934-6800, or email health_services@uml.edu. The Wellness Center also helps put on events like Stress Relief Day which includes massages, arts and crafts, baby farm animals animals (pictured above) and more.

Connect at the “Club Hub”

The CLUB HUB on the 2nd and 3rd floors of University Crossing is your headquarters for getting involved. The Student Government Association, The Connector student newspaper and the Masters Gaming Konnection are there, as are lots of rooms that your club can book for meetings. Student Activities & Leadership, which sponsors and advises a bunch of organizations, is nearby on the 2nd floor. On the 3rd floor, the new LGBTQ+ Resource Center will be opening soon. And the Office of Multicultural Affairs, which also sponsors several student clubs, is right around the corner. To check out all of our student organizations, visit www.uml.edu/engage.

Your own favorite place to study

When it’s time to shut out all the distractions and crank out that paper, or maybe finish that assigned reading, it helps to have a go-to study spot where you can do your best work. Luckily, there’s no shortage of places on campus to call your own. Maybe it’s the monk-like solitude of a desk hidden deep in the stacks on the third floor of Lydon Library. Or a high-top table overlooking the bright and airy lobby of University Crossing. Or a patch of grass behind Allen House on South Campus. You’ll probably find more than one favorite study spot, depending on the time of day, the weather or even your mood, but they’ll all be important to your success.