In high school, I found news about ongoing events or club meetings through our morning announcements. We don’t have to sit through morning announcements on the loudspeaker in college. Instead, our weekday morning announcements are emailed to us through the Daily Mammoth newsletter, for which every Amherst email is signed up. Major school events are often shared in this newsletter, and students can submit announcements on behalf of clubs to be featured. Usually, the first thing I do every morning when I wake up is read over the Daily Mammoth to see if there are any events that I can attend. Sometimes, the Daily Mammoth also features psych studies you can sign up for to earn money for completion. This communication system helps both Amherst students and faculty stay up to date. Additionally, many resource centers at Amherst utilize a similar system of weekly newsletters to keep students informed about events certain affinity groups or centers host throughout the month.
Another way people stay informed about events at Amherst is through GroupMe, a messaging app and platform that most people on campus use to share information. There are various group chats on GroupMe for specific clubs where people post event announcements in group chats that are most related to the event. GroupMe is a much more informal system of information sharing, but it also allows people to share last-minute information and updates about events, including if there’s a location or timing change. GroupMe is a great platform for these adjustments, but sharing through the Daily Mammoth can be harder.
A way people who aren’t as online as much can stay informed about Amherst events is through the posters people plaster on corkboards around campus or inside dorms. These posters often catch the eye of people walking through buildings to get to classes and can be a great way to attract people’s attention. In addition to staying informed about on-campus happenings, we also get a New York Times and Wall Street Journal subscription through Amherst, so when I have the time, I also get to catch up on national and world news. Staying informed and up to date is something that I prioritize, and it’s great knowing that various methods help me stay engaged with my school community.