Tufts Blogs

As my time at Tufts comes closer and closer to and end, I’ve done more reflecting on my time here. In particular, when events or holidays roll around, I think about where I was three years ago and where I am today. And in this thinking, some of my favorite things about Tufts come to mind.

1) Fridays at Hillel

I started going to Shabbat at Hillel the first possible time I could—the first Friday of orientation! I even missed the big freshmen food fair so I could arrive on time (and if you don’t remember, I happen to be a big foodie in charge of the culinary society on campus). Although Shabbat has changed in meaning for me over the years, one thing has always remained the same. It’s a time that I can block out of each week where I can spend time with friends (and make new ones), sing songs with other people who enjoy praying and singing, free myself from computer and phone screens, and, of course, eat challah. The great thing about Hillel, and Shabbat in particular, is that many people who do not consider themselves religious, or are not Jewish, join us for dinner after services. 

2) Volunteering at the Boston Marathon

Fun fact: Tufts has one of the biggest collegiate marathon teams in the US! Tufts is also in charge of securing volunteers for three of course’s 26 miles and I’ve had the honor to volunteer at one of these miles for the past four years. My friend recently asked me why I love volunteering for the marathon so much and I had trouble formulating an answer to her question. As volunteers, we set up tables with four to five layers of cups filled with water and Gatorade, hand the drinks out to the runners, and then clean up the cups from the road when all the runners have passed. During set up, I’ve gotten to meet fellow Jumbos, many of whom have run the marathon in the past. The best part, though, is handing out the water—there’s this incredible feeling that comes along with helping someone run the Boston Marathon, even if I only play such a small role in the experience. And I just love how “Boston” the marathon really is—people from all walks of life run the race and it feels like the whole city comes out to support them and celebrate their accomplishments. 

3) The Pizza Crew

This fall, I decided to get a group of friends together to go to a pizza restaurant in Kendall Square that had been written up in the New York Times. Since everyone loves pizza, that didn’t prove too hard, and a group of about 10 of my friends (and their friends) ventured into Cambridge and the Pizza Crew was born. Unfortunately, Area Four, our destination, had over an hour wait. We were not deterred, however, and found another pizza place a few blocks away, called Za. This night is one of my favorites of the year because it was great to be so many of my friends, have my friends meet one another, and meet new people myself as well. It didn’t hurt that the pizza was tasty (definitely not the best I’ve had, but the toppings were really fun) and we went to probably the best ice cream place in the Boston area, Toscanini’s afterwards. Since this night, I’ve gotten a pizza crew together three more times and we have another place and date selected for the beginning of May. As much as I love pizza (I am from NY), these outings would be nothing with the Crew I enjoy the pizza with.