3 Emmas, 3 Tufts Stories
Freshman year, I walked into my first Tufts Tap event to find another Emma. We quickly began to go by Emma L (her) and Emma S (me), just so that it…
With Regular Decision acceptances coming out so soon, I can’t help but think about when I found out about my own admission to Tufts. In the spirit of that excitement, I wanted to re-answer one of the questions that I had to write for my application, and that all students have to answer for Tufts: “Why Tufts?” To any students who still need to make their decisions for college and are considering Tufts (or will be once regular decision comes out), I hope this blog is helpful to you. To any students who have already committed to Tufts, we are so excited and lucky to have you!!
So, here it goes: as a sophomore at Tufts reflecting on my time here so far, why would I still choose Tufts now?
My number one answer is the Tufts community. I can’t think of a better group of people to spend every day around. Tufts students are kind, generous, and compassionate people; Jumbos look out for each other however they can. Though it may sound strange, one of my favorite things about Tufts people is that I can walk up to any student I’ve never met before, say hello and introduce myself, and it’s likely that I’ll be able to stay in touch with that person. Everyone is just so friendly and willing to talk, whether it’s about mutual classes or academic experiences, about clubs, or just about life in general.
Other than this openness and kindness, I am also continuously blown away by how passionate and intelligent the Tufts students are. All the students are accomplished in their different ways, and pushing to educate themselves in and outside the classroom. Despite this clear level of achievement in every student, no one feels the need to brag. In my experience, Jumbos are humble and would rather cheer on their peers than compete in any way. In my Tufts peers, I’ve found an incredibly supportive community.
The Tufts community stretches beyond the students, too. The faculty and staff at Tufts are just as kind, intelligent, and fun as the students. So many professors here go out of their way to ignite passions in the students, whether by introducing them to new research opportunities, taking the time to create fun assignments, or by welcoming students to office hours to talk about anything at all. The staff also work so hard to make sure the Tufts experience runs smoothly; they prioritize students’ needs, and we couldn’t be here without their hard work.
Other than the Tufts students, faculty, and staff, I can think of random other things about this school that continuously make me smile. I love that our campus is small, but so beautiful. I love being able to sit on Pres Lawn (by the President’s house) with my friends when the weather is nice, admiring a skyline of Boston in the distance while looking out upon Tufts campus as well. I also love sledding down Pres Lawn when it snows, acquiring random plastic trash bags or cardboard because none of us have sleds. Walking on the academic quad uphill and seeing all the academic buildings also reminds me how much time and effort was placed into making such a beautiful campus. We’re also so close to Boston that if I ever need to see more sights, it’s only a T ride away for a change of scenery.
In short, why would I choose Tufts now? I just love it so much, for the many friends and acquaintances I’ve made, the exciting memories and experiences I can look back on, and the way it’s become a second home for me in two years. Even now, having gone through two difficult semesters this academic year, I am so, so grateful that I get to do it here. If I have to experience school and life during a pandemic, then I absolutely choose to do that alongside my fellow Jumbos in this caring, supportive community.
Freshman year, I walked into my first Tufts Tap event to find another Emma. We quickly began to go by Emma L (her) and Emma S (me), just so that it…
Ever since I joined the Diversity Admissions Council, I have had the chance to represent Tufts throughout various college fairs. Some of the most frequent…
A joy of being an admissions officer is sharing so much of Tufts with so many different students. I never know which part of our community will resonate…