This morning I woke up and immediately opened the facebook app on my phone, per usual. Considering it was 10 in the morning and I last checked the app at 3am this morning, there was only one notification, one telling me that I had memories to look back on. These “memories,” all statuses or photos posted on February 7th of various years, mostly included excited updates on snow days, random thoughts I had that I thought the internet needed to know, and Harry Potter trivia from when I thought it made me cool to know obscure facts about Cedric Diggory.
But my most recent memory was from February 7, 2014. And the status read “TUFTS UNIVERSITY CLASS OF 2018!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JUMBOOSSSS!!!!!!!” Yup, that’s right. Two years ago today I found out I was accepted into Tufts EDII. I should have been at school for a movie night, but it was the opening night of the Sochi Olympics and I wanted to go home and watch them. And when I got home I checked my email, saw a subject line telling me my decision awaited me, and immediately started crying (without even seeing the decision). It was one of the happiest moments of my life.
There were many reasons I decided to choose to apply to Tufts EDII. Part of it was the tour I went on and the lovely tour guide who gave it. Part of it was the way in which Tufts presented itself and the values it seemed to uphold. Part of it was the student body, and part of it was the way the conversation flowed for two whole hours with the Tufts alum who interviewed me. But honestly, I can’t really say the exact reason why I chose Tufts those two years ago. But I can say why I am still choosing it.
During my freshman fall semester I received an email from the university asking me to complete a survey about my first semester at Tufts. I answered many questions about my satisfaction in many areas. I rated the food, the dorms, the academics, the resources, the students, and more. And I wasn’t giving Tufts perfect scores by any means. But then, toward the end of the survey, I was presented with a fill-in-the-blank, and one that I remember and keep asking myself to this day: if today you had to choose a college all over again, with the knowledge you now have, would you still choose Tufts? And I had to pause and think about it.
I had just spent about 10 minutes critiquing every aspect of this school. I had spent the past 4 months calling home and telling my parents that no, I still hadn’t completely settled. Would I still choose this school? Would I choose the hill and the grueling walk to mail services? Would I choose the dorm bathrooms that are devoid of hand dryers or paper towels? Would I choose these people and these professors? And I realized, yes. Yes, absolutely. Yes, a thousand times. While Tufts is by no means perfect, I can say with complete conviction that there is no place I’d rather spend these four years.
I choose Tufts because I am able to act in two plays, paint sets for another, direct a film I wrote, dance in a burlesque show, maintain a blog, attend events for my sorority, work at a campus café, act in a short film, and lead a club, all while taking four classes in one semester. The opportunities are endless.
I choose Tufts because the dining halls are decorated for the fall season, for Hanukkah, for Christmas, for the Super Bowl, for Valentine’s Day, and more.
I choose Tufts because I have professors who care about my education and who care about me as a person. Professors who understand that sometimes we all need a day off, but believe that we are strong enough to never take one.
I choose Tufts because we value collaboration over competition. Because Halligan is teeming with computer science students 24/7, and every single one of those students there is eager to help rather than hurt.
I choose Tufts because the campus is beautiful.
I choose Tufts because the Experimental College is a place where radical thoughts become societal norms. Where a group of film lovers can turn their passion into an officially recognized major.
I choose Tufts because I still read the Jumbo Talk blogs, even though I’ve been here for two years, because I love seeing what my fellow students are up to.
I choose Tufts for the silly reasons and for the serious reasons. For the sunsets seen at the top of Tisch. I choose Tufts because it’s not perfect, and will never be perfect, and yet it’s made me fall in love with it anyway. I choose Tufts because I know I will be proud to call this my alma mater for the rest of my life.
If you’re a high school senior who has yet to hear back from colleges and will have to make a decision of your own, know that you will be happy with whatever school you choose.
But if you have the chance, choose Tufts.