So You're a Jumbo -- Now What?
I think I’ll always remember the big CONGRATULATIONS plastered across the screen, with virtual confetti pouring down on the words. Even as someone who participated in Voices of Tufts, I had not expected to match (via QuestBridge) to my dream school, Tufts University. Whether you’re admitted or committed, I urge you to take a moment to reflect on what being a Jumbo means.
Of course, it means telling anyone and everyone about this accomplishment. You just got into a school with a 10% acceptance rate, beating out a solid 30,000 students who also wanted to be a part of the Herd. Be PROUD of this! OWN it! It means buying some Jumbo merch and doing an insane amount of research and making a list of all the clubs, classes, and concerts you’ll want to be a part of. You deserve to be proud!
But at the same time, it means so much more.
Tufts is a journey. Yes, this may be a physical one, spanning anywhere from three to 3,000 miles from home, but it’s also a personal one. You’ll be melted, molded, and stretched throughout your first year as a Jumbo. You’ll have to grapple with the good, the bad, and the ugly. This is a hard fact to wrestle with sometimes: Tufts isn’t perfect, nor is any other college. When it’s cold and wet and you have a 9:00 AM class on a Monday, you’ll wish you were anywhere but here. Sometimes things won’t go your way, and sometimes you’ll take the brunt of someone else’s mistake.
We strive as a community to be kind and cohesive and unified, but no one's perfect. You can’t let that bring you down when it does happen. When it happens, I want you to remember this moment. Not necessarily the moment you’re reading this, though I’d be very flattered if you let me have such an impact on your life. Instead, remember what admission felt like. Remember what opening that new door felt like, what the prospect of meeting like-minded individuals who want you to succeed felt like. This is what is going to carry you through your four years. Of course, so will the amazing experiences you will have on campus, but when life gets tough, remember your initial reaction. It is easy to get stuck in the moment. During the stress of mid-terms or final exams, when your friend group has fallen out and you feel alone, it is easy to want to give up on yourself. But at Tufts, we don’t do what’s easy.
I have full faith that you, the reader, will do good in the world and bring innovative ideas to fruition, at Tufts. It may feel like the end, and perhaps it is, but only of a chapter. But, high school was only the beginning. You have so much more ahead of you, and I cannot wait to see all the good you do for the community, values, and ideas you believe in.
Congratulations to the Class of 2029, and I can’t wait to see you at Tufts University!