Putting The Pieces Together

I twirl the puzzle piece in between my fingertips.

“It’s cool to be smart.”

The first five words that my Tufts Information Session Admissions Director, Patrick Gladstone, greeted me with in the summer of 2016. 

I take a step back and watch, thinking of possible places where my puzzle piece would fit in the big picture.

On my campus tour around the school, that statement held true. 

I overheard students passionately talking about topics from women’s rights to food branding. The campus was brewing with activity, and my tour guide, Allison (part of a dance crew that doesn’t know how to dance), added to the exciting atmosphere.

I put down the puzzle piece, interlocking it with its neighbors.

I knew I had to visit again. 

Two years later, I dragged my family on another road trip to Boston. On a rainy afternoon, we pulled into the Tufts campus.

I pick up another piece of the puzzle.

This time, I was greeted with another set of five words.

“Tufts’ vibe: thoughtful, kind & humble.” Three words my family and friends would use to describe me in a heartbeat.

Smiling, I already know where this piece is going to fit in the big picture.

At Tufts, I am surrounded by collaborative, curious, intellectual and down-to-Earth people from different backgrounds and upbringings. I am accepted, loved and embraced by others for my own individual journey in life. 

Everyday, I wake up to the perfection of a medium-sized campus with easy access to the city of Boston. I am supported for my wide range of intellectual passions from Biology to Biomedical Engineering to Education to Child Study and Human Development. I am never frowned upon for having “too many interests” but rather encouraged to pursue and explore them until I find “the right one”.

Every night before I go to sleep, I am greeted by a warm Houston Hall community as well as a never ending list of things I am grateful for with my roommate. 

At Tufts, I feel like I am dreaming with my eyes open. Here, I have everything I could have ever wanted and more.

There’s one spot left, and I place the puzzle piece that I hold in my hand down to finish the picture.