From Nervous to Unforgettable: My Life-Changing Two Weeks at Tufts Pre-College

Before coming to Tufts, I was dreading how I would spend the next two weeks of my summer. I thought my experience would be boring and full of days spent in my room doing nothing but laying in bed. The first day I got there, my entire perception changed. Within 2 hours of being at Tufts, I had already met a group of girls to hang out with during the orientation day. 

Once classes started, I was anxious seeing as none of my friends from the prior day were in the same program as me. I was worried I would not make any friends or have anyone to hang out with. When we started class, we were split into TA groups. I met my amazing lab group and some of the closest friends I made at Tufts. I was fortunate to be in a lab/capstone group with people that engaged with me and worked well as a team. Every day I looked forward to seeing my lab group and the friends I made within my TA group. After class, there was always something we were doing, whether it be going to the gym or going into Boston or just having a girls night in, doing laundry.

One of my favorite parts of Tufts was the communal bathrooms. That might be a controversial thing to say, however, it is where I met most of the girls I call my best friends. Simple small talk that started because of waiting in line for the showers turned into making plans to meet for breakfast the following day and the rest is history. 

Another thing I really liked was having a roommate and dorm hall full of people from the same program. When we were confused about something, there was always someone close by who was able to clarify questions. Not only was this good for questions, but it helped strengthen our bond as friends since we knew each other going into class already. 

My overall experience at Tufts was unequivocally amazing. Every part of my time there was fun and a great learning experience. The directors of my program put in time and effort to make my two weeks with them meaningful and a great learning experience. My TA was so kind and patient with my lab group, despite all the mistakes we kept making. She was always standing by us to help us figure out what to do after making irreversible errors. The many hours we spent in the lab will forever be engraved in my memories. Laughing with my lab group about the silliest things and coming up with games to play in the downtime we had. Lectures we attended that were on a variety of topics all related to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) allowed us as students to be educated on fields we never would have explored on our own.

Going out and having fun with my friends outside of class was also a huge part of my time at Tufts. We definitely made some core memories, such as swimming across a river and walking along the side of a highway to get back to the other side. The RC (Residential Counselor) I had was always so kind and understanding when we came to him about any troubles or requests we had. The amount of on-campus activities that allowed me to make friends with people in other programs was also amazing. 

When it came to the last day I was at Tufts, it was a bit surreal: the time I spent there had gone by so quickly. It was a bittersweet moment saying bye to the amazing people I met, however, instead of saying goodbye, we said see you soon. As we hugged bye, we decided we would all travel to see each other around the world. Whether it be soon or whether it takes a while, I plan to visit all my friends from around the world. I love each and every one of them and miss them every day. We keep in touch, and I believe Tufts gave me friends I will cherish for a lifetime.