You may have heard the term “imposter syndrome” before. You may have even felt it. And if you’re anything like me, you may be plagued with uncertainty and insecurity and thinking to yourself, “Wow, Tufts is everything I could want and more. But do I belong here?”
Yes. You do.
If you have a passion for learning and creativity, Tufts is for you. Whether you already have your eye on an academic department or student organization that captures your interest, or you’re not sure what your niche is, Tufts communities have a way of making it feel like home. At times, it may seem like some of the people here have polished plans to be a doctor or a lawyer or an engineer. But these plans are never set in stone. You don’t ever need to feel like you have it all figured out, there are so many resources available to you and your fellow Jumbos will always be here to help.
When I was deciding on a school, I had a vague idea of my interests, but the path was still unclear. I knew that I enjoyed my history, English, and French classes. But I wasn’t sure exactly which one subject I wanted to focus on. I didn’t think I was exceptionally talented in any of those areas, so I wondered how I would fit in at a college that prides itself on the talent of its students. Once I learned how common it is to have multiple majors and minors at Tufts, I knew that I could explore all of my interests and not be confined to one track. Not only was this exploration an option, it was encouraged, especially in Arts and Sciences. Your distribution requirements push you to take classes in areas you find your strength in that you may have never even considered.
As a matter of fact, that is exactly what happened to me. I was considering an international relations major upon matriculation, but I postponed traditional IR classes in favor of getting my distributions out of the way. Since I loved writing, I decided to take a class called “Creative Writing: Journalism” because it would fulfill my art distribution. But it did so much more. I found myself excited to wake up for the 9 am lecture, eager to learn more about how to create good journalism content. I suddenly had that feeling that everyone talks about where you think to yourself, “This is what I want to do. I see myself doing this.”
So I took more English classes. I joined the Tufts Daily. I started writing articles for Jumbo with Tufts Admissions. I wrote poetry in my personal time. I just kept writing and never looked back because I finally found something I could take pride in. Something that made me feel like I had a purpose. I realized that I did have the aptitude and skill all along, I just needed an environment to cultivate it in, and Tufts was the perfect place for me to do so. Once I discovered this part of myself, I began to attract like-minded people. I found so many wonderful mentors and friends who were passionate about the same things I was over the last two years, and I can’t wait to meet more people and make more memories.
You belong here. Whether you know it or not, there is an opportunity for you to thrive here and a community willing to welcome you into its arms. There are a lot of factors that influence a college decision, but self-doubt shouldn’t be one of them. You are capable of flourishing here. And if you choose to join the Jumbo family, I can pretty much guarantee you will.