Why I’m Still Here
If you’ve ever been on a campus tour, you’ve probably noticed that every tour ends with a “Why Tufts” statement from the tour guide. So let’s talk about mine, both then and now.
To give you some background, I went to high school here in Medford, MA. Being so close by, I obviously knew about Tufts. But funny enough, that proximity actually made me less likely to consider it. I always knew it was a great school, academically competitive and well-regarded, but I never seriously pictured myself here until I took a campus tour. And honestly? I fell in love almost immediately. There was something about how green and alive the campus felt that just got me. That tour gave me a real sense of what life here could look like, and that’s ultimately what pushed me to apply.
Another thing that drew me in was the sheer number of student organizations, especially the pre-professional ones. What really caught my attention was JumboCode, Tufts’ pre-professional software development club. The more research I did into JumboCode and other organizations like it, the more excited I got to eventually get involved.
The last deciding factor was location and size. Tufts being in the Medford/Somerville area is incredibly convenient for me and my family. My house is only about an 8 minute drive from campus, which made moving in and out simple, and being this close to my parents is genuinely useful, whether I need to run home for something or they need help with anything. On top of that, Tufts being around 15 minutes from Boston is its own kind of perk, close enough for an easy train or shuttle ride in, but far enough that you’re on a residential campus.
Now that I’m actually a student here, the answer to "Why Tufts?" has changed. When winter came and the snow buried all that greenery I’d originally fallen for, my love for this place didn’t fade one bit. That’s when I realized the campus is what drew me in, but the people are what kept me here. The friends I’ve made have turned average weekends into some of my favorite memories. From a trip up to Vermont to sledding down Prez Lawn after a big snowstorm, they are what made my experience here even better.
It’s not just the social side either. As a Computer Science major, one of the most popular and competitive majors on campus, I’ve never once felt like I was on my own, largely thanks to how helpful the Teaching Assistants are. Since Computer Science TAs are usually just upperclassmen, there’s something comforting about being taught by someone who sat in your exact seat not too long ago.
And the best part is that my original reasons still hold up. I still love this campus just as much as I did on that first tour, and joining JumboCode turned out to be an incredible experience that taught me more than I expected. The question may have shifted from "Why Tufts?" to why I stay, but the answer, has stayed pretty consistent.