Tufts Blogs

Before the busyness of spring semester classes and extracurriculars take over I thought I would take the time to reflect on all the amazing experiences I had during my first semester here at Tufts.

From the social highs of making new friends to the academic lows of learning about parametric equations I’ve been through a lot this semester. I also learned a lot about myself and the environment I chose for myself. One of the first lessons I was taught was that college means freedom. In September, I realized no one was telling me who to talk to or avoid, when to eat and go to bed, or even to go to class. Making all of those decisions were suddenly all on me and that was a lot to take in all at once. I then learned it was essential to surround myself with a support group of good friends, community, and mentors who I could turn to when I needed advice and motivation. Most importantly, I learned that it was okay to make mistakes and that the people around me would give me grace when I tried to make it right.

In high school, I thought college was only about academics and the only social aspect was the party scene. Teachers and family friends would tell me to make friends that would help me in classes and connect with professors that would help me network and get research and internship opportunities. They never told me to find people that would help me through the new personal development that began last semester and will continue for the rest of my life. The incorrect idea I had of what college is supposed to be, I thought I would have to take advantage of all the opportunities Tufts has to offer as soon as I stepped foot on campus. When I couldn’t realistically do that, I felt like a failure who was already behind all of my classmates. During the semester, I didn’t really have time to stop and recognize how far I had really come because I was so focused on playing an imaginary game of catch-up. In reality, I did a lot last semester and I’m really proud of all that I was able to accomplish.

For the first time, I wasn’t afraid to ask for help when I needed it and I used resources like the STAAR Center and the RISE seminar when I needed extra support. I worked on coming out of my shell and made a diverse group of friends that are there for me socially and academically. I found mentors in professors and staff and I started learning about potential future career paths. 

I found the community here at Tufts to be welcoming and supportive and always looking for ways they can encourage students even more. I loved being on campus and going to classes even if there were many many many days where I really didn’t want to get out of my bed in the morning. I had a great first semester and I’m excited to have another one this spring!