people might assume that because i’m jewish, i'm comfortable with all sides of the religion, but in reality i’m not religious and frequently feel out of place in religious situations, even around other jewish people.

i’m the one in the tie dye shirt

21

she/her

New Delhi, India

Senior

One assumption about me is that people often think my sister and i are twins because we look so similar but she is three years older than me

Some people might have the assumption that because I enjoy taking picture of nature and wild things including bugs, I enjoy being outside and doing outdoor activities. This is not true, I despise outdoor activities especially in wooded areas and hate most bugs.

People may assume that people in band or band kids are the nerdy type and solely focus on music but in reality I have never been the one to enjoy music education and I had mostly focused on basketball back in high school. Just a rly passionate hobby.

A.J

18

He/Him

I’m from Baltimore Maryland, and I am a freshman business management major

18

she/her

I’m from marshfield ma and i’m currently a freshman majoring in elementary education

2. 18

3. He/him

4. Peabody, Massachusetts and I am a freshman finance major.

21

She/her

I’m from Leominster Massachusetts, and I’m currently a full time senior at UMass

I’m from Brattleboro VT, and I’m a senior Music Education major!

Whenever my name is ever written down on an attendance sheet or roster, people expect “Virgil Neddenriep” to be an international student. Ive gotten it A LOT, even though I’ve always lived in the US. I just happen to have a unique first and last name.

Based on first impressions I give off when meeting people, people might assume that I’m naturally outgoing, social, and “normal” but this is actually a masking behavior and I struggle with anxiety.

2.) 18

3.) she/her

4.) Wakefield MA

20

She/her

I am from New Jersey and I am a junior here

I come from a fairly wealthy town, however I would not categorize myself as wealthy in the slightest. Growing up, friends from other towns would call me a spoiled rich white girl who never has to work for anything just because of my association with extremely wealthy people in my town. Obviously, this is not true and I am very hardworking and believe everything I want has to be earned, so it was hurtful to hear my friends say this. Safe to say I’m no longer friends with these people!

A general assumption about me is that since I am a singer people think I want to perform any and all times. The picture is of me and my best friends when were in California, as summer music educators in vocal pop.

One assumption that people make about me is that since i’m quiet, I don’t enjoy being social. This isn’t the case at all, as despite not being very talkative I love being around people I know.

21

She/her

Im from shrewsbury MA and i am a senior at umass studying electrical engineering

18

Old Tappan NJ

Freshman Undergrad

19, He/him

Westford mass

Freshmen

Psych major

A misconception some may think of me is being emotionally distant or just in general not having emotions about stuff die to not being big on talking about emotions and stuff like that.

One assumption people have made about me is that I am not very school smart when I actually care a lot about my classes and my grades!

21

He/him

Junior computer science

I’m a twin

I ice skate in my free time

People usually assume, though I do not know why, that I have my life put together. This cannot be further from the truth as I am very messy.

Age 20

Junior

History major

People often assume I’m a dog person because I have 2 dogs when I actually prefer cats

19

she/her

sophomore

winchendon,ma

education + psych major

22

He/Him

I'm from Sandwich, MA and I'm a junior in Electrical engineering.

One assumption about me is that I'm more of an indoor person since I like movies and games. This isn't true and I'm more of an outdoor person always preferring hiking and camping.

he/him

freshman

seekonk, ma

undecided major

I don't think people make any assumptions about me besides stereotypes, so I just constantly strive to do what's least expected to keep everyone on their toes.

One assumption about me is that because I am adopted that I don’t have a sense of close family. This assumption is nothing like my family.

She/her

21

Junior

psych major

Perth Australia

Misconceptions distant family thought I was crazy because I have dyed hair

He/Him

Braintree

19

Sophomore

Computer Engineering

21

He/Him

Im from Webster MA, I am Polish and Im a senior Mechanical engineer here at UMASS.

I’m usually perceived as being very outgoing, however growing up I was very very shy and overtime I have been working in being more outgoing. People who meet me now think I’ve always been like this but in reality I worked hard to be more comfortable around new people and still have my shy moments.

19

He/Him

Sophomore

OIM Major

I’m from Freetown MA

20

He/Him

Worcester, MA

4th year Electrical Engineering major

A misconception that was made about me is that since I’m a christian, I can’t possibly relate to someone who’s not. And that’s so untrue because I have spent majority of my life not even believing in God, and it was only 2 ears ago that I became christian.

**I’m the girl in white next to Cliffe :)

One assumption about me is that since I have guinea pigs in my dorm that they’re allowed anywhere and they free roam like a dog would, but I keep them in their cage unless I’m out with them.

from Vietnam

Compsci major

Something people assume about me is that I am immature, not really sure why, but I feel as if I’m extremely mature for my age! (yes thats me in the wheelchair, i broke my leg last year lol)

I’m a sophomore in Mechanical engineering from Andover MA. I have a cat named Cheeto!

A common misconception about me is what my hobbies are. People in my major that I work and study with usually are unaware of what I do in my free time. People i spend time with during my free time in my dance clubs are unaware of the work I do and my academic passions. Oftentimes I’m forced to pick a side when organizing my schedule but I strive to balance time for both. Some people are unwilling to understand though.

Paragraph 2: An assumption people have made about me is some people think I am not the most intelligent since I have blonde hair.

A misconception about me has been my sexual orientation for the past few years. This is my girlfriend and I :) <3

People usually assume I’m going to be homeless in the future because of my art major, mainly focusing on the idea that I would sell my own art, but in reality, I would love to work in concept art or with a team.

One Assumption about me is I walked into my family reunion and my family because of my last name accused me of being Irish because of my last name but I’m a true blood Italian like, C’mon

19 years old

sophomore

she/her

From Belmont MA

Psychology Major

I have a twin sister and one assumption made about me is that we are exactly alike in every way which is not true. Although we may look alike we are very different people and people may not know that unless they get to know us.

One assumption made about me is that because I am reserved, I don’t have a lot of friends. While I like to keep to myself, I’m very open when I am with my friend’s.

One assumption that was not correct was many people think I play basketball because I am so tall. I used to play basketball when I was younger but quit a while ago to focus on softball. I have been playing softball since I was 9 years old and have 2 years to go!

19

She/her

Grafton Ma

Sophomore education major

I feel like I am perceived authentically to myself

In school, I was repeatedly underestimated due to my mental disabilities and my autism. My work or efforts would sometimes be shrugged off or put aside in favor of others. Sure I’m not a fast thinker and can’t grasp certain social cues, but I definitely can achieve a lot! In fact, my twin brother Preston and I conquered the Eagle Scout rank at age 16 which is incredibly rare!

Age: 22

He/Him

I’m from Chelmsford Massachusetts and I’m a senior this year at UMass

One assumption made about me is that because me and my sister are close people think I’m just like her and assume we like the same things but we do very different things and have different personalities.

An assumption that someone has made about me, is that because i am blonde, that I am dumb, or a bad driver, or stupid things like that.

One assumption people hold about me is due to where I come from. I went to a high school in Hadley and often was judged or looked down upon because I came from a bigger city. People thought I should be ashamed to be from somewhere like Springfield, but in actuality I am deeply proud of my city and the culture that it has.

Studying biochem and molecular biology

Assumption: People think I like the cold because im from Canada, but its false

One assumption people make about me is that I am the same person as my 3 older brothers. Growing up as the youngest of 4 brothers, people who had met my brothers before me assumed I would be exactly like them. As a kid this hurt as I didn’t want to just be referred to as their little brother, I wanted to be my own person as well.

20

He/Him

Chelmsford, Massachusetts

Junior Business Management Major

The perception I hear the most is that I must be good at soccer, since I’m Brazilian and Portuguese. To how I feel about that, I don’t feel any hatred or any feelings of the sort towards those comments. I usually let things slide a lot and I’m usually not bothered at all. Also I love soccer, it’s my sport, so I fit the stereotype anyways.

The way people perceive me is pretty similar to the way I see myself so I feel like I can’t think of a time where others have made a misconception about me.

I guess one of the only assumptions I can think of is that when I tell people I like going out west and New Hampshire, Maine, etc. during the winter is that people always think I ski because of my height. I’ve actually been snowboarding since I was 4 years old, but overall the assumption doesn’t ever bother me. This is just one of the most consistent assumptions I receive.

18 years old

She/Her

Long Island, New York

One misperception I have gotten is that since I tend to dress a certain way and do things like go snowboarding, people assume my sexual orientation. I am the one in the middle of the photo!

An assumption that could be made about me is that I’m not very sensitive/compassionate. This image reminded me of how attentive to detail and caring I am when it comes to my work. Over the summer I worked with a four year old boy with autism and memorized dwarf planets and space facts so we could share interests and I could better engage with him :)

An assumption about me is that people think i’m Irish because i’m a ginger but I actually have no Irish roots

20

He/him

Natick

Sophomore

Computer Engineer

One assumption people make is thinking I’m younger than what I am (most recently during a doctor check in)

One perception people have had about me is that is because I am a girl that means that I can't wrestle against boys. I did three years of wrestling in highschool and when I tell people that they are often confused and I have to tell them "yes I did wrestle against the boys" and I had a lot to success too!

One assumption about me made is that because I'm a middle child I am often forgotten or disregarded by my parents. This is not true, my parents are still my best friends, and my siblings and I are all treated similarly.

One misconception people make about me when they hear that I have four older brothers is that I am naturally not close to them due to our age difference, but I don’t think that is true at all. I am very close to all of them and I owe a lot to them.

I often get labeled as someone who is pursuing math because I have to and not because I want to.

I grew up in a wealthy and privileged town, and many people from that town and surrounding areas assume that because I live in that area, I have life served to me on a silver platter and don’t do anything for myself. I am very lucky to live there and am taken care of by my parents and my community, but I work a full time job both over the school year and during the summer and pay for a lot of my own things, including some of my own tuition, which is something a lot of people don’t know/assume.

One assumption about me is that I am a naturally quiet person. I do tend to be quiet around people that I do not know, however, when I am around my family and friends and like to express myself more.

18

She/her

Boston, MA

Freshman psych major

People perceive me as quiet and withdrawn, which is pretty true. I have a small group that I keep to and I don't really leave my comfort zone that often.

I'm from Brockton MA, I'm currently a CompSci major, and I'm looking to switch to another field of engineering aligned with robotics/something that combines software and mechanical engineering. i have a dog too his name is humphrey

One incorrect assumption made about me is that I'm extroverted, because I can be hyperactive (mental illness) when I'm around people I'm comfortable with, but I'm actually debilitatingly socially anxious

I actually grew up in Staten Island NY and moved to CT a couple of years ago. So, a lot of people didn’t know/just assumed that I grew up in a big town like Greenwich but I actually come from one of the small boroughs of the city. People would never expect me to be from Staten Island NY and just assumed I lived in CT my whole life, but I always enjoy visiting Staten Island whenever I get the chance to! I added a photo of Staten Island NY!

I’ve grown up listening to many different genres of music, and I’d say I have a pretty diverse music taste, but that might not be obvious to those who are looking at me/meeting me for the first time. I’ve had coworkers who have been shocked to learn that I actually do like the bands that are on some of the different t-shirts I wear to work!

I think people may perceive me as quiet and boring because I am an introverted person. Though that is not how I am with my friends/ people I have gotten to know.

18

He/Him

I’m from Old Tappan, NJ and I’m a freshman undergrad Majoring in Sports Management here at Umass

When I was little or even now. Most people assume that i’m fully Asian when meeting me. Yet, I’m Chinese and half Colombian. A lot of people do not know I’m biracial.

One assumption is that people think that I am a bad driver because I am from Massachusetts but I feel like I am a pretty safe and good driver.

20

She/her

Central MA

Speech language pathology major

One assumption about me is that people assume my twin and I are exactly the same because we’re identical.

I like to be open about who I am, I wear clothes related to the media I’m a fan of, I dye my hair, I use my cane when I need it. A common assumption about me is what pronouns I use. I’m aware I have feminine features and such, but people are often quick to assume what I identify as, whether it is incorrectly using she/her pronouns or assuming I’m [insert gender/sexuality identity].

I love to laugh and have fun and a lot of people because of that used to think that I am genuinely stupid and have no academic aspirations.

One assumption made about me is that I must be wealthy because I live on Cape Cod. I’ve had many people say this to me and I never really understood it at first. This is not an assumption that I ever felt matched my actual life, coming from a single parent household and seeing my mom have to work hard for everything I was given.

I’m pretty tall so I feel like a huge assumption about me is if I played basketball or volleyball which I did, but not for very long.

An instance where someone misjudged me was when I was younger people used to perceive me as younger than I was because I was smaller and shorter than the average kid, but for some reason in their minds that also meant I wasn’t as smart as them. Where in reality I was smart if not smarter. I still get mistaken as younger than I am but no one questions my intelligence.

Some people think i’m super smart because I wear glasses in school but I don’t think of myself as a wiz.

When I went to France for a school trip, some locals assume dumb American and treat you differently.

2- 20

3- he him

4- from Natick mass, I’m a transfer from coastal Carolina and I’m a finance manager

An assumption people make about me is that I am Middle Eastern because I “look” it, but I am actually Hispanic. My mother is from Dominican Republic and my Father is Puerto Rican. My culture and ethnicity is very important to me so it’s interesting to see people perceiving me differently based off how I look.

Since 7th grade I have gone to a private ski academy in northern Vermont and constantly got call spoiled and don’t really know what money can do for people. But that’s the opposite of how I was raised. My family owns a family business since coming to the US from Poland. Having my family start from legit nothing really proved to me that everything can go away in a second.

My phone is being annoying so my photo isn’t uploading…😐

One time I was wrongly perceived was when, one of my now best friends, thought I wasn’t going to like her and thought I’d be rude to her because I have an RBF.

A common misconception is that people often confuse me for my brother. I can sometimes be called a different name or be defined by this switchup people have.

I’m usually perceived as middle eastern simply because I share some features and hang around a lot of middle eastern people, but in reality I’m actually Dominican