Tufts Blogs

Do you know that feeling when you can’t distinguish if a memory was a few days or a lifetime ago? When your sense of time becomes tangled with your sense of self?

That is exactly how I feel about the Civic Semester in Peru. I left part of my heart in Rocafuerte, and I’ll forever vividly remember those sunlit mornings crowded around the table with my cohort. Or the nights shared at the bonfire looking up at the stars. At the same time, I feel as though I have lived three other lives entirely since in just the past year. I have met so many people, traveled to so many places, and learned just how impactful the Civic Semester is. 

When I returned to Boston last winter, I had a hard time coalescing who I was in Peru and who I was before. Now, with more space between me and the experience, my experiences in the Civ Sem are so embedded in my mindset and personality I can't imagine who I would be if I didn't do this program. 

The main reason I (and many others) were apprehensive about doing this program is the fear of missing out on the first semester on campus. I will admit that arriving at Tufts in January of freshman year was no easy feat. There were ups and downs, as there are with any big life change. I was still learning how to take notes in a big lecture and getting to know campus while my peers acted like they knew what they were doing. My biggest lesson talking to people outside of the program is that the transition to college is going to be difficult no matter what—whether you move-in in August or January. Lucky enough, you get to pick your "hard."

With hindsight and my sophomore fall under my belt, I can say with confidence that I don’t feel “behind” my classmates or felt that I “missed out” on key turning points. As long as you are willing to try new things—introducing yourself to your neighbors and going to general interest meetings—what you enjoy will stick, and you will find amazing people on top of those of your Civ Sem family. 

Last month, I turned 20 years old, far from Peru and far from the scared freshman I once was. One year ago, I was overwhelmed with homesickness and “fear of missing out.”. I was so worried about the next few months of returning to campus that in Peru, I missed the opportunity to wallow in the joy of that experience. 

In Haskell Hall, surrounded by friends I love, I blew candles out of a store-bought cake to the chorus of “Happy Birthday.” We laughed over shared experiences, agonized together over class registration, and talked about our lives outside of Tufts. When I looked around the crowded table, I recognized how everyone had entered my life at a very different moment. These friendships were born hiking with the Tufts Mountain Club, sharing pitches at weekly Daily meetings, or introducing ourselves on the first day of class. 

On my 20th birthday, I looked around to see an equal number of people I had met through the Civic Semester and those I had met outside of it. Contrary to my greatest fear, no one is really done making friends after the first semester of college. (Pro tip: if they are, maybe you don't want them in your life.)

And so, when I look back on the past year and think about the Civic Semester, there is no doubt that it altered the course of my Tufts journey for the better. The lessons I have learned this year are infinite. 

The transition during the Spring semester was not an easy one but the hardships are outnumbered by the moments of joy that were brought. And even if I only see my cohort when we wave across the dining hall or to gather for someone’s birthday, I will always be grateful for the experience I had in Peru with each and every one of them.  

If you are interested in applying for the Civic Semester and want to learn more, check out the First Year Global Instagram or email me at teagan.mustone@tufts.edu.