More Than a Feeling
We know you’re going through a lot right now.
Joy. Anxiety. Fear. Anticipation. Indecision. Satisfaction. Confusion. Hopefully a healthy dose of Jumbo pride.
Even though the dust has somewhat settled since decisions released a week or two ago, April is another beast of sorts. It takes some stamina, guts and positivity to get to the finish line and make that difficult (or easy?) final call on where you’ll be headed next fall. We believe that you’ll get there – and be happy with your choice.
Many people might suggest that “you’ll just know” when you walk onto campus. Sure, that may happen. But it also might not. And that’s okay.
When I was researching colleges, I was that person who wanted to just “know,” to get that intangible indicator from a viewbook or college website that told me that this was the place I’d create amazing memories and find undeniably kind and interesting friends. I often felt I was trying to create an attachment that wasn’t necessarily authentic.
Because your college choice is more than a feeling. Well, what does that mean?
First off, that doesn’t mean you should disregard your feelings. They matter. It’ll likely happen when you come for Jumbo Days or an accepted student Q&A. Maybe you see a varsity swimmer clutching a linear algebra textbook who’s raving about the awesome art exhibit she saw at the Museum of Fine Arts over the weekend. Perhaps in the dining hall, there’s a ton of vegan options and you feel like you don’t have to eat only raw veggies for once. Then, on the academic quad, there’s a cohort of Jumbos throwing around a Frisbee while simultaneously planning a TMC (Tufts Mountain Club) trip to Vermont. You’re getting good vibes from the people around you.
But your college choice, ideally, should be comprised of both those good vibes and some substantive research. Alongside those intangible feelings that all of us are seeking on a campus, you still need to ask the important sometimes boring, mundane questions.
- Will I be able to study abroad as an engineer who also wants to minor in art history?
- Will I get enough AP/IB credit to graduate a semester early?
- I highly value my religious identity – will there be places on campus for me to explore faith?
- I’ll have to travel 8,000 miles to get home; am I going to be okay with that for 4 years?
- How early can I observe classroom teaching as an Education major?
- Is a 15-minute walk to the train station ideally close or actually too far?
- I’m not a huge fan of languages – am I comfortable with the foreign language requirement?
- Where’s the closest Starbucks?
How you actually answer these is up to you; you’ll need to navigate them on your own terms. Our team of accessible admission officers and friendly Tufts students are always here to help you along the way, but you’re the one who’ll need to ask the questions and figure out if our responses make sense for you.
So don’t fret if you don’t get that elusive, somewhat mythical “feeling” that people say you’ll get when you step foot onto a college campus. But make sure you ask good questions, smart questions, questions that matter to you and hopefully, the end result will be more than a feeling.
Photo by Evan Sayles via The Tufts Daily