The Slice Is Right
Have you ever wondered how college students celebrate pi day? This year, Commons, one of our eateries on campus, sold pie slices that you could buy with a meal swipe. I ordered the Reese’s peanut butter cup slice, but other options also included caramel apple, oreo, and Snickers pie. I think that my Reese’s pie is a perfect metaphor for Tufts students, who are represented by each layer of the pie.
The bottom graham cracker layer represents how grounded the students are in their different interests. For example, my friend, Hannah, is running a half marathon next weekend, so she is very dedicated to training each day, and that is what grounds her. My other friend, Emma, is very grounded in music, and she is looking forward to restrictions lifting (hopefully, next year!) so that she can enjoy playing in the wind ensemble and flute ensemble again.
The middle chocolate layer represents the rich academic experience at Tufts. This week, I had a really interesting assignment for my clinical methods class. I got partnered with another student and we had to come up with characters who presented with a psychiatric disorder. Then, each of us took a turn practicing being the clinician, who was doing a clinical assessment of the other, the “client.” This was really cool, because we got to have real practice taking histories, creating a case formulation, conducting a risk assessment, and doing a formal write-up. The assignment was a really good opportunity for me and my fellow students, many of whom are considering careers in a clinical setting, and it was fun to have an out-of-the-box assignment that went beyond writing a paper or doing a reading.
The tangy peanut butter layer represents the unique social life here at Tufts. To celebrate pi day, I was invited to a public Zoom hosted by The Hive, our sustainable-living suite on campus, at which they led a vegan banana cream pie baking lesson. I couldn’t cook in my dorm, but I enjoyed watching and hearing their fun facts, which were about pi, pie, bananas, and sustainability!
The final whipped cream layer represents the lofty dreams that most Tufts students have for their futures. The other night, I was talking to some of my hall mates, and we were sharing our dream jobs. The coolest one was my friend Emma’s dream job—to be an editor for a TV show. She really likes the wittyness of The Real Housewives, and she aspires to be able to help create a show like that.
My Emma’s Advice for this week is to find a school with layers of pie that are of interest to you. For me, when I found Tufts, I knew the slice was right—I really love my peers’ diverse interests, the academic experience, the quirky social scene, and the big dreams Tufts students entertain, but if that’s not your slice of pie, that’s okay! The best thing to do is to ask students how they would describe their school, and see if you feel you would fit there too.