As a student blogger, I always challenge myself to write about things that aren’t on our website. I didn’t know what I wanted to share this week, so I decided to take a look at my past week’s emails to search for inspiration. I have a pink sunset background for my email inbox, which gives it a peaceful vibe (since it can be stressful to check emails at times). Just then, an idea crossed my mind.
“Why don’t I share what my daily emails at Amherst look like?”
I think it’ll be a wonderful way to offer you an exclusive sneak peek into my Amherst experience. Also, I still can’t believe that school emails are a thing. I feel like they are too good to be true because you can do so much with them! For example, I was able to sign up for the GitHub Student Developer Pack using my Amherst email and got access to super cool software like Copilot and Notion Pro. But above all, I believe school emails are one of the best ways to bring the college community together. As long as I check my Amherst email, I’m an Amherst student.
Let’s talk no further. Let me give you a tour of my Amherst email inbox:
1. Amherst College Daily Mammoth
Everyone at Amherst gets an email from the Daily Mammoth at 8 am every weekday. It’s basically a summary of everything happening on campus. I love checking it because it’s like a “treasure hunt.” There are all sorts of cool events in there, and I just need to dig through the list to find the right ones for me to attend.
Also, the Daily Mammoth has more than just campus events. At the beginning of each semester, some professors advertise their classes here as well. We also get updates and reminders from the college about, say, applying for Theme Housing for the next school year.
2. Activities!
In addition to sending out event information via the Daily Mammoth, many student clubs, offices, and centers also send out their own emails. For example, as an international student, I get a newsletter from the Center for International Student Engagement (CISE) every week about their events that week and/or month.
Many clubs that I’m interested in, like the Math Club or Philosophy Club, also send out information about their weekly meetings this way. These things don’t normally appear in the Daily Mammoth because they aren’t school-wide events for everyone to know about.
This is probably the kind of email I receive the most.
3. Communication with Professors
Professors often send out important announcements via Moodle (the course management website we use at Amherst), and these get sent to students via emails. Sometimes, students may send emails to professors to ask questions or schedule Office Hour appointments.
I’m actually surprised by how easy it is to communicate with my professors because I used to believe they would be beyond reach. However, I’ve emailed my professors about things like inviting them to school-sponsored dinners or asking about research. In fact, even before I made it to Amherst, I emailed one of the professors in the CS department and got a reply longer than my long list of questions itself! It was like a whole new world to me.
4. Dean Message for New Students:
As a first-year student, I get an email at the start of every month from Dean Vigil, my class dean, with important reminders and helpful advice for the upcoming month. They remind me that I’m well-supported here at Amherst, and there’s always someone I can reach out to if I need help.
5. Resources from clubs
I’m on the Women in Finance mailing list, and they recently sent out an incredibly helpful investment banking recruitment guide. Another club I frequent, AI Safety, also sent out a curriculum for learning about AI Safety at the beginning of the semester.
In short, checking emails can be tedious, but there are many good things in my Amherst email inbox. Also, my inbox is always open if you have any questions about Amherst! Just reach me at thuhoang28@amherst.edu.
P/S: If you’re a prospective student, then good luck with your admission decisions! I know they’re coming soon. Hope to see you at Amherst next year.