I had never been to Boston before I came to Tufts and the two things I noticed right away were the weather and the style of the buildings. I am from Los Angeles and when I hopped on the plane, it was around 75F and sunny, but when I landed in Boston it was windy and a bit gloomy. Being from a place where it is consistently sunny and warm, that stood out. I even joked how I had never seen some of the symbols on the weather app on my phone. Also, the buildings stood out to me because it was such a different style compared to the houses I see around Los Angeles. That emphasized my “newness” to Boston because the surroundings did not feel familiar. Sensing a bit of a culture shock upon arrival, I continued to make my way to the campus.
Once I arrived on campus, the campus looked gorgeous. As someone coming from a very busy city, I appreciate how Tufts is apart from the city but not too far away. It has such a peaceful ~vibe~ and that is what I was looking for. In the first week, I got lost so many times to the point it was a bit embarrassing. Though I got lost quite often in the beginning, the one place that I could always find was the Prez lawn–yes, I realize it is quite big. I began spending more time at the Prez lawn whether it was to eat lunch with my friends or to do some work. Going from sunshine all year long in Los Angeles to sunshine “sometimes” or “rarely” in Boston, I would always try to take advantage of the weather on sunny days and spend some time in the Prez lawn. The Prez lawn quickly became my favorite place at Tufts. Taking a lunch break with my friends and getting some fresh air helps me feel less stressed and keep in touch with my friends. In the fall, it is picturesque with leaves changing colors. Personally, I think it is even prettier in the spring. The Prez lawn is almost full of students in the spring and the campus becomes very lively. One thing I want to do at the Prez lawn is to hang out on a hammock! I see some students on Prez Lawn hanging out in hammocks and it looks fun and relaxing. I hope to do it before I graduate!
Though it was a big transition for me, I am grateful to have this experience of attending a college in a place I had never been to before. As a junior looking back on my experiences so far, I have made so many memories on Prez lawn and it is easily one of my favorite places at Tufts. Hope to see you around, maybe on the Prez lawn!