Remember how Elena and Stefan fall in love in The Vampire Diaries? They bumped into each other on campus on a warm afternoon. The moment they looked into each other's eyes, time stopped. And that one sight is enough for them. Easy guys, this is not going to be about my love affairs with girls. Rather, this is my love story with Tufts.
As a rising 2020er, I haven’t got a chance to visit Tufts campus yet. But my love of Tufts does not even need a first sight.
Part I: The beginning
Before I opened my browser for university information, I got some basic criteria for schools. One of them was I want middle sized university. Tufts perfectly met this criterion. What’s great about mid-size universities is that you won’t feel like you're drowning in the crowds as in large universities, but you also won’t be disappointed for not enough research resources as in small colleges. I’m not saying that these two kinds are bad, but there is a natural advantage for mid-sized universities. You are not overwhelmed yet not alone. The other basic criterion was that I wanted was an open curriculum, in other words, no core classes. Tufts meet this one too. Core classes may make you waste time in studies that you will never touch in the future. Instead of time spent on core classes, I want to spend time on courses that prepare me for the higher levels of my major. At Tufts, declaring a major is never a hurry. Courses from Calculus to History are all available for freshman to choose from. You are totally free to develop your academic interests.
Part II: The blossom
Many universities meet these criteria, one might say. Indeed, but my love accumulated as I dug deeper. In my official “Why Tufts” during application, I wrote: Being a Jumbo means being brave. For Tufts, the elephant is a unique creature. Even though Jumbo the elephant was killed in 1885 and the first Jumbo sculpture was destroyed in a fire in 1975, the spirit of Jumbo lives on. Being brave enough to encounter ups and downs in life is the knowledge that Jumbo passed down. And, that mentality is just what I want to have in the future. Talking about encountering new experiences, Tufts offers tons of opportunities. Walking on the campus, I want to be armed with the determination to learn how to thrive in an increasingly globalized and intercultural world in Leadership Studies classes. I want to confront dark episodes of history that I could not question in China, and will excitedly explore in “Modern Chinese History”. I want to discuss “Physicalism” with professor Daniel Dennett (a professor that I admire a lot) on philosophy of mind. Time by time, every time I visit Tufts website, I will find some loving details, and my love is blossoming.
Part III: The upsurge
My standardized test scores were not outstanding, so when I finally decided to apply to Tufts for ED, my heart was uneasy. I was afraid that I would be rejected by “my lover”. After the nervous waiting for a month, one morning I opened the email for my application update. The “congratulation” on my screen made me scream. So the acceptance triggered every drop of my love of Tufts to spring out. I joined the facebook group, met with local Jumbos, and most importantly, became a blogger. As I started to know more fellow Jumbos from facebook and the blog, I found out that Tufts students are superb. I bet my four years will be colourful with them around.
So, this is my love story with Tufts. Now, if you were accepted and do not know much about Tufts. Go ahead and open Tufts website or contact us to find out more. Your love story can begin here!