As my first semester away at college at Tufts University has come to an end, it is nice to look back at how life has been these past couple months. I explored different subjects that I normally would not have delved into, such as social psychology, which expanded my interests in the brain and neuroscience as I learned about interesting cognitive biases humans have and interesting responses we have to everyday and abnormal stimuli. I also joined clubs such as the pre-medical society, a club that aims to mentor and provide opportunities for pre-med students at Tufts. I was able to meet like-minded people through this club and learn about a wide range of volunteering opportunities that would fit my interests. I also learned a new sport, squash, and even joined the boys squash club which allowed me and my fellow teammates to play matches against other schools like Harvard and Amherst. My friends and I, all clumsy amateurs at the sport, spent many weekends reveling in the endless fun squash offers. Of course, I continued to play tennis with other students who I met in various classes, and tried out for the extremely competitive boys tennis team.

Being close to Boston, I indulged in all the city has to offer, from late night karaoke to public skating, all of which were fantastic experiences with the amazing people I have befriended this semester. Next semester, I plan on pursuing some of the available volunteering opportunities, such as document translation for immigrants from English to Spanish or helping individuals struggling with suicide and depression through a 24 hour texting hotline. Exploring all of these academic and non-academic ventures throughout my first semester at Tufts University has left me excited for what the school has to offer, and I very much look forward to expanding my horizons more in the spring semester.