Tufts Blogs

This Thanksgiving season, I am thankful for a lot. Mostly, I am thankful for my past 3 years at Tufts, and, as this semester draws to a close, I cannot believe I only have one (final) semester left of college. I am grateful for the endless opportunities and connections I have made at Tufts through friends, classes, clubs, and professors. I would love to take this blog post to highlight some of my favorite memories I’ve had at Tufts.

1. Red Sox game with my American Conservatism Class

In the spring of my freshman year, I took one of my favorite classes at Tufts—American Conservatism with Professor Eitan Hersh. While I have very fond memories of learning about the history of conservatism in the United States, learning about values conservatives hold dear, and learning about the differences between conservative and liberal mindsets, I also enjoyed Professor Hersh’s anecdotes about his (and my) favorite baseball team: The Boston Red Sox. Fellow Sox fanatic, my friend Anastasia and I had many fruitful conversations with Professor Hersh during office hours about our class and course material, but also the best team in baseball. When the end of the semester came around, Anastasia and I proposed a (optional) class field trip to Fenway Park. When we brought the idea up to Professor Hersh, he was thrilled. We were able to coordinate with the ticket office for the Red Sox to purchase enough Bleacher seats for those who wanted to go. Over 20 students attended, as well as our Teacher’s Assistant, and Professor Hersh who brought his two young sons. During the game, we all were able to talk to our Professor about anything- ranging from reading assigned that day to if he thought rookie Bryan Bello was able to live up to the challenge of professional baseball. I will always remember going to this game, talking with Professor Hersh like he was a friend who I could have fun discussions about baseball with. It was this connection with my professor that made me truly appreciate a place like Tufts, where you can talk with professors and make connections, even in a larger lecture class. I realized I did not have to be intimidated by my professors, but that I should take advantage of the awesome people they are. The Red Sox won on a walk off home run, and there were high fives all around. My classmates and I were so happy, both with the game outcome, and the awesome excursion. 

2. Hike in the White Mountains during Reading Period

In the midst of studying for finals on a Friday during December of my sophomore year, I got an ominous text from my friend Natalie that read “what are you doing tomorrow?” I responded that I was probably going to hunker down in the library and study for an exam the following Wednesday. She responded that I would have enough time to study later in the weekend and during the next week, and that I should join her and our other friends on a hike on Saturday. I thought she was crazy—a 7 mile hike in New Hampshire in December? She eased my concerns, telling me that she had an extra fleece I could borrow, some peanut butter that I could make sandwiches with, and an extra backpack. We could go as slow as I wanted and take as many breaks as we might need. I decided, why not have an adventure? I gathered with her and our other friends bright and early the next morning, getting grips for our sneakers so we would not slip on the ice. We were even able to use a van the Tufts Mountain Club had access to for transportation. Once we got to the base of Mount Jefferson, it looked like a steep climb, but also a very beautiful day. I was in for the challenge. This hike was super fun and super rewarding. The weather was perfect and the snow coating the trees felt like a winter wonderland. A bird even landed on my friend Syvonne’s head on the summit of the mountain. Getting off campus for this awesome hike was exciting and such a great break from finals. I will always remember this off campus side quest as a spontaneous adventure. 

3. Solar Eclipse, 2024

In the spring of my sophomore year, a near total solar eclipse passed over parts of the United States, Somerville included. The day after my birthday, April 8, this seemingly magical scientific phenomenon took place. Eclipse coverage in the city was over 90%. My friends and I had received packages the week prior from loved ones, sending us protective eclipse glasses. We were excited for this potentially once in a lifetime experience. The eclipse was supposed to peak around 3:15pm. Luckily, I did not have afternoon classes, so I could enjoy the eclipse for the duration of the event. The event was a communal experience: people gathered outside, used our funny glasses, and watched together. So many people gathered on President’s Lawn to watch the eclipse, bringing picnic blankets, snacks, and even decks of cards. Professors either cancelled classes or brought their classes out to watch. It seemed like everyone was out watching the eclipse together. It was very special to join with the Tufts community to watch this rare event. It felt like we were all connected by nature, when the sun finally reemerged, everyone cheered. It was incredibly fun to watch the eclipse with my close friends, classmates, peers, and even some cute dogs. Watching the eclipse felt like one big party, with hundreds of people all joining together to watch the sun get overtaken by the moon. It was so neat to see the sky get so dark in the middle of the day, especially with the greater Tufts community. I felt connected to the strong community that Tufts always offers.