Grasping the surreal feeling of starting senior year at Tufts is close to impossible unless you’re also currently a member of the Class of 2017. Just three short years ago, we drove up with our cars and suitcases packed to the brim, excited to start our university lives at Tufts. This year, I moved into my off-campus house after a year away abroad, feeling very out of place but happy to be back. I joke to my friends that I feel “like a freshman again,” but it’s the best way to describe it.
It’s a bit different for me, having been away from Tufts for an entire year, but it seems the senior class all want to revert back to our freshmen selves a little bit. We consciously feel our time on the hill ticking away, and there’s no more “waiting another year” to try something new or have a desired experience. We’ve all come to know and love this campus, and it’s scary to think of the not so distant future where it’s no longer our home. We have to step off into the real world, but it’s so tempting to stay in the comfort of the Tufts bubble for as long as possible.
Unfortunately, living off campus means more disconnect from the goings on around campus. However, living in and taking care of a house instead of a dorm room is actually a great way to grow and live alongside friends. I love being able to take a step away from campus when I need to, but it’s also there any time I want it.
Starting senior year is both less and more intimidating than starting freshman year. On the one hand, I have so many friends here and so much familiarity with Tufts, but on the other, we have the open ended void of what will happen once this year is over. Will I see these people after we graduate? Where will I end up for graduate school? How will my Tufts experience affect the rest of my life? It’s an nerve-wracking year full of questions, but I’m excited to take it all in stride!