As slowly as my last year of high-school seems to be dragging along, it's really only three more months until this chapter closes forever. I can already picture the tear-stained faces and the cheesy goodbye songs shouted uncontrollably. Even with this door closing behind me, new doors are opening for the future. After one of the few summers I'll have as a "free" woman, Tufts awaits me with open arms and that's all I could really want after working all my life towards this opportunity. Aside from the academic portion of Tufts, it's the atmosphere, the way they treat their students that really drew me in. Just a few days ago I was able to experience it yet again. I attended a reception for incoming Tufts students and their families. I walked in (tragically under-dressed I might add) and was greeted warmly by the hosts, the staff, and both the dean of arts and sciences and the dean of engineering. It was amazing to think that both deans took the time to fly into Miami and welcome, talk, and answer questions for a small group of students and their families when they were surely dealing with more important things. It showed how much they care about their students and their university. Even our hosts for the event represented a beautiful part of Tufts. The married couple of many years had both attended Tufts, met there, and gotten married. They had children and those children attended Tufts as well. Isn't that crazy? It isn't something you see very often. It showed the kind of environment that Tufts has, the one I admire. The Tufts community created a family. It will allow students to express themselves and create relationships that last a lifetime. So despite my final days of senior year approaching with both relief and heartache, I feel prepared to walk into a college that will make my future brighter than I could ever imagine.