When I was a senior at Tufts, spring semester meant two things. First, was panicking about where I would be after graduation (turns out, I didn’t go very far!). The second was planning Jumbo Days, which was one of my main responsibilities as a senior intern for the admissions office. Now, as a staff member, I have seen our admitted student days from multiple different perspectives. Before you make the journey to campus, from either down the block or across the world, I want to share a few tips so you can make the most out of your experience!
- Think of some conversation starters. Particularly during orientation, you’ll find yourself having the same conversation over and over again (where you’re from, what dorm you’re in, what your major might be). This happens at Jumbo Days too, so be proactive by diverting the conversation to something more interesting! It is so much better to ask someone what their favorite part of Jumbo Days was, or mention something cool you found on the Tufts Admissions website (like a certain Jumbo Days-themed blog?).
- Split up from your parents. We separate students from their parents starting with the mock classes, and you can meet up again for lunch. This is very intentional, because we want you to break out of your shell and meet your potential classmates! While your parents or caregivers will be a support system for you during college, they won't be moving into your dorm come fall or sitting in classes with you. Don’t hesitate to chat with the other admitted students around you – talk to the person sitting beside you at your mock class (you at least have one thing in common!) or ask someone to lunch. I can assure you that everyone is in the same boat, and looking for a friend. Who knows, maybe you will meet your roommate in the line for pizza (just ask Hezekiah and Olaoluwa from JUMBO Magazine).
- Speaking of pizza...make lunch a priority. There will be two hours for students to wander campus, attend open houses, and get lunch. Don’t forget lunch! Honestly, it’s one of the most important parts of the day because A) Jumbo Days isn’t fun if you’re hangry B) you will spend a ton of time in the dining halls as a student C) you’ll observe Tufts students in their natural habitat. While you are at lunch, feel free to chat with any student you may see. If you don’t want to do that, eavesdropping on student conversations can be a great way to learn about what students are passionate about, but also what they are planning on doing this weekend.
- Talk to admissions officers. Okay, so this may be a little bit selfish because as an admissions officer, I am genuinely excited to meet as many members as possible of the class that we spent months shaping. But also, I like to think we can be helpful in answering any lingering questions you may have. If you don’t have any specific questions, just come and say hi!
- When the day is over, take some time to yourself. There are going to be a lot of thoughts flying through your head. And that is okay. When all is said and done, take a moment to reflect on how you felt when you were on campus. Can you see yourself being friends with the students you met? Taking classes with the professors who taught your mock class? These intangible feelings are, arguably, more important than all the numbers and statistics as you make your final decision.
We’ve got a lot of fun activities planned for Jumbo Days and we are so excited for you all to come visit campus! If you can't visit campus on Jumbo Days, you can still visit mock classes and eat in the dining hall any other day during the semester.
A throwback to the 2013-14 senior interns...two of us now work in the office!