Tufts Blogs

        Around one year ago, I had no idea what my future would be. While I was waiting for college decisions, I tried to not even think about it. There were too many possibilities to try to conciliate. I just anxiously waited. 

        After I got into Tufts, the paths my future could take had been narrowed down. But they were still too many to be predicted and calculated. I had ideas, however: I wanted to audition for the orchestra, to try out for the rowing crew, and to do some physics research. However, I had no idea what I had to do to even be able to compete for a spot in those activities.

        So I simply tried to patiently wait for the fall and prepare myself as best as I could: studying some small things before I got here, maybe trying to decide my first classes, going to the gym and doing rowing-focused exercises and practicing my violin. It seemed vague, but that was all I could do. 

When I finally got on campus, I lived an intense information absorption period. I had to learn every single detail of how to live by myself: from keeping track of when I needed to buy soap to managing a bank account. Furthermore, I was finally listening and speaking English 24/7, so I could see my improvement day by day.

        After one year, I can say I am settled. Now I look back, and see how much my life has changed. I list to you the main parts of my current life of course not to show off, but rather to show a few of the countless opportunities one has at Tufts.

        I turned from a lost and full-of-questions boy to a college student who plays in the Tufts Symphony and Chamber Orchestras and writes for the (this!) Jumbo blog.

        I am now a physics and computer science major, although I applied with plans of majoring in computer engineering.

        I ended up not getting into the crew, which made me a little upset for a while but served to teach me I cannot do everything. That was also positive because, had I gotten into the crew, I would not have time to do everything else I am doing. Moreover, I know the guys and girls who did get in are the best and who can make Tufts win.

        My world vision also changed a lot. I constantly have conversations with very smart people who analyze the world in ways I never did. Moreover, besides currently taking German, I also have gotten in touch with so many different languages because of the diversity of people I meet every day. I learned, for example, a few words in Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Nepali and Vietnamese.

        I also have had different jobs that provide me with unique experiences. I have worked as a Portuguese TA (Teacher Assistant), food packer and robotics intern. I am also going to work for the events happening during Commencement.

        In addition, I am already involved in research, more specifically in biophysics. We are applying physics to investigate neuronal growth, and we already have promising results in our hands. 

        These are the main points I remember off the top of my head. Coming to Tufts is what I needed to fill in the gaps I had in my near future. When I was lost around a year ago, if someone told me what my life would be like after one year, I would definitely had made the same decision again. But someone coming from the future is just a thought experiment, so this what I recommend you: be brave. You may be lost, but whatever you are looking for in your future, you can fulfill that at Tufts. Even if you don’t know what you want for your future, at Tufts you will have endless opportunities to find that out. You just have to be brave, and make that decision that will make you proud for the rest of your life.

Image: license CC-BY-2.0, copyrights Moyan Brenn (cropped).