Why Tufts Feels Like Home
Along with being a blogger for JumboTalk, I also work for the Tufts Admissions Department as a campus tour guide. At the end of every tour, I conclude by telling the group why I chose Tufts and why I continue to choose Tufts. While I’m sure it’s helpful for prospective students to hear about why I chose Tufts, I think it’s more impactful to hear about why I continue to choose Tufts and why it has become a home for me. Here are the three top reasons why I continue to choose Tufts each and every day.
1. The Academics—And Not Just That They’re “Good”
Yes, Tufts is a great school academically; there’s no doubt about that. The reason why academics is on my list of reasons why I stay at Tufts, though, is not because of their rigor per se; it’s about the breadth and depth of subjects, classes, and ideas available to me. I’m someone who is passionate about a lot of things, from music to literature to social justice, and at Tufts, I can pursue all of my passions. At Tufts, students are able to double major or even triple major in completely different subjects. I have friends who are computer science and theater majors or International Relations majors and sociology minors. At Tufts, you are not limited to one area of study, and you don’t have to be majoring or minoring in a subject to pursue it. I’ve taken classes in computer science, philosophy, earth and climate sciences, and more, just because they sounded interesting. Since coming to Tufts, I’ve never felt like I had to leave a passion or interest behind, and if I discover something new that interests me, I am able to explore that. Tufts' academics support me as a multi-faceted learner interested in many different things.
2. The Professors
The professors at Tufts are some of the most accomplished, fascinating people I have ever met. Aside from their academic accolades, however, the professors at Tufts are also some of the kindest, most thoughtful people I have ever met. For some background about me, I’m originally from a small town in Idaho. My graduating high school class was 41 people—if you can believe that. Due to the small size of my high school, I was able to form strong connections with my teachers. I knew that was something I hoped to continue in college, but I wasn’t sure if it would be possible. I’m here to tell you that at Tufts, it is! The professors at Tufts care deeply about their students and want to form strong relationships with them. They want to uplift you and help you as much as they can, both as a student and a person. Many of my professors, including my academic advisor, in particular, have helped me realize things about myself and my future goals that I would never have figured out without their help. Because of the exceptional caliber of the professors, both as professionals and as people, I am even more motivated to learn.
3. The Community
Lastly, and probably most importantly, the biggest reason why Tufts feels like home to me and continues to be the best place for me is the community. The students, faculty, and staff at Tufts are truly some of the most wonderful people I have ever encountered. When I walk across campus, I almost always see someone that I know, and they (and/or I) always wave, even if I don’t know them very well. It makes me feel like I’m part of this big, interconnected web of people in the best way. I’ve also met some of my best friends at Tufts—friends I know I will have long after I graduate. I think Tufts attracts people who are not only smart, but are also driven, passionate, kind, and empathetic. In short, Tufts feels like one big family, and being so far from home, having that feeling that I have people around me who are always there for me and will always support me has been invaluable.
I could go on and on about why Tufts feels like home to me (and if you’d like to hear more, please reach out to me via email: emma.desserault@tufts.edu!), but if I could distill all of the reasons into just three, they would be these three. Tufts is a wonderful place to be a student and a person, and I hope that after reading this, you’re inspired to join our wonderful community here, too!