I almost didn’t choose Tufts for college

I wasn’t even going to come visit

I hadn’t heard of Tufts before the college application process, and neither had my friends.

I went to an outstanding public school, Cypress Bay, in Florida – Tufts felt very far away. I was the only one to choose Tufts in a graduating class of over 1,100 students. After receiving my admissions decisions, I was considering Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Tufts, Northeastern and the University of Florida.

At first, the decision seemed fairly easy for me: Northwestern. My friends and family agreed – in retrospect, this choice was probably only because of name recognition and ranking. I decided to visit Northwestern and Vanderbilt, just to be sure. Yet as my mom was buying the airline tickets a thought occurred to me: why not stop by Boston between visiting Vanderbilt and Northwestern? It would definitely be fun because I love the city. I also wanted to ensure that I made the right choice – I had been told by friends and guidance counselors that there is a subliminal feeling when you walk on a college campus that is right for you.

On my first day in Boston, I exhaustively toured Northeastern all day long. By the time I jumped on the comfy hotel bed, I was ready to give up on any more touring in Boston. I told my mom that we should just sleep in instead of going to Jumbo Days, as it started very early. But after some back-and-forth, my mom made the executive decision to go.

The following morning was rainy and the sky was gray…not exactly ideal Tufts weather. I arrived at the school and parked by the track like a clueless freshman (I needed to get to Gantcher, which is on the other side of the school.) When I finally arrived at Gantcher to commence my Jumbo Days, students broke off into small groups and my tour guide introduced himself.

I still remember him. He confidently stated he had three majors and one minor, was taking classes at MIT, and was also a member of a fraternity. He seemed to me like a cool, academically inclined guy in every respect.

As I continued to talk to students, I loved the diversity and the civically engaged atmosphere. The mixture of the people and the beautiful campus, which is conveniently located right outside of the city, made it clear that I wanted to become a Jumbo. I had the “subliminal feeling” that this was the right place for me.

After visiting the rest of the colleges, that feeling had not changed and I am glad I made the decision to be a Jumbo.

At a philanthropy event with my frat, where we cooked for and got to know the patients of Hope Lodge

While Tufts is not as racially diverse as I would want, it is filled with brilliant minds and genuine people. Although civic engagement needs improvement, almost everyone can hold a conversation about politics. Although I dislike walking up the hill, it helps me avoid the freshman fifteen. Although I thought Greek life would violate my personal space, Pi Rho Omega has defied all expectations that I had of a fraternity.

From the view of Medford on the 7th floor of Dowling to the view of Boston’s skyline from Tisch, Tufts is a beautiful place and I highly encourage prospective students to give it a visit.

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