No two colleges are exactly alike--regardless of their proximity in location, mission, demographics, academic programs, or available opportunities. For this reason, the college search process is undoubtedly difficult and important.
Currently, college-bound high school seniors are in the midst of hearing back from institutions and making these crucial decisions. At the same time, college freshmen are reflecting on their first quarter or semester experiences and thinking back on the decisions they made at the end of their senior year.
Since it is impossible for any one person to visit and get a taste of every single school, I've reached out to my friends and former classmates at colleges across the United States and Canada and asked them to share their insight and experiences*. Interviews are arranged alphabetically by college name. This article is a continuation of Comparative College Experiences: West Coast Edition, and provides a first-hand account from freshmen at nine distinct East Coast colleges.
*Please note that interviewees were given the option to answer all or some of the interview questions, which is why some have more responses than others.
Julia Chalker - American University (Washington, D.C.)
“DC had beckoned to me from a very early age. Being the capital, it was always the center of something exciting, something progressive, and to be in the middle of movements as they happen is an experience I knew I would grow exponentially from."
Why she chose American: "I chose to go to American for a variety of reasons--I had always wanted to get away from home, and something about DC had beckoned to me from a very early age. Being the capital, it was always the center of something exciting, something progressive, and to be in the middle of movements as they happen is an experience I knew I would grow exponentially from. Also, American’s placement is directly in DC, but it’s not a city campus--so I have the opportunity to escape from the day to day bustle of the city while still being a five-minute shuttle away from it.”
What she likes most about American: “My favorite part of school so far is the location. Again, there’s always something happening in DC--from concerts to poetry slams to rallies, and the ability to learn from all of them means I’m being taught far beyond the classroom. ”
Major: “I’m currently majoring in Justice and Law at AU. The classes have been super enriching--and all my professors are directly involved in what they’re doing.”
Extracurricular activities: "I’m involved in a couple organizations on campus. Being Persian and coming from an area with so many of them made me immediately gravitate towards our Persian student organization on campus--which, surprisingly, is much smaller than the one I had in my high school. I’ve also been active on the club rugby team, which demands a lot of time, effort, and bruises, as well as rushing Sigma Kappa, a brand new sorority on American’s campus."
Favorite class she's taken so far: "My favorite class so far was my Intro to Systems of Justice class. It was full of field experience--we had the chance to tour DC Superior Court and witness a case, as well as a prison in Virginia and attend a police ride along in some of DC’s most notoriously high crime neighborhoods. It opened my eyes to the breadth of problems in our country’s justice system, and the ground experience helped me see firsthand how our legal system works.”
The food and dining at American: "To be honest, I think the dining is probably the lowest part of American. There are pretty limited options, and though there’s awesome off campus food, I’ve eaten so much Subway that I think it’s officially part of my food pyramid. "
The social scene at American: "The social scene is very much "work hard and play hard." People take their classes seriously--and almost everyone is involved in lots of extracurriculars or willing to tell you about a cause they care about, whether you ask or not. However, there’s definitely a lot of parties, ranging from low-key gatherings to more wild adventures. There’s something for whatever you’re into."
The surrounding area at American: "The area of DC that we’re in is called Tenleytown, which is an upper class more suburban area of DC. There’s a variety of restaurants and stores to get whatever you need, but it’s pretty quiet. We’re right by the metro stop, however, so if one wanted to escape and get to downtown DC, it’ll only take ten minutes.”
Her most memorable college experience so far: "One of my most memorable experiences here would have to be attending a rally in DC for reproductive rights. The amount of people there was beyond crazy--and the sheer, visceral passion on everyone’s faces and in their hearts was so obvious. Everyone so firmly believed in their cause, and the energy was something I’ve never seen before.”
What she misses most from home/life before college: "I miss a shower without wearing shower shoes so much. I miss it so, so much.”
Her advice for graduating high school seniors: "Some advice for graduating high school seniors would be to remember that in college, everyone’s going to be scrambling super quickly to make friends. Feel no obligation to keep the people around that you don’t want to be around. It’s totally okay to eat alone sometimes. Everyone does."
Veda Sunkara - Brown University (Providence, RI)
"It’s a wonderful feeling to wake up and know that you’re going to spend your day surrounded by your best friends."
Why she chose Brown: "I chose Brown because it was the school I felt the most immediately comfortable in when I toured. The open curriculum seemed amazing, and has been wonderfully flexible by allowing me to take classes in five departments unrelated to my major in the past two semesters alone."
What she likes most about Brown: “I know everyone’s going to say this, but I will absolutely say that the people are what make Brown amazing. It’s incredible how fast friendships form in a college setting, and it’s a wonderful feeling to wake up and know that you’re going to spend your day surrounded by your best friends.”
Major: "I think I’m going to concentrate in Computer Science, and potentially double with Cognitive Science or some sort of Biology."
Extracurricular Activities: "I am on the women’s ultimate frisbee team as well as the women’s club basketball team. I am a co-Coordinator of the Artemis Project, which is a summer camp that gives girls about to enter high school a free five-week introduction to computer science. I’m also a host for Experience Brown, which is a program that allows prospective students to shadow a current student, and am coordinating A Day on College Hill, which is Brown’s admitted students day."
Favorite class she's taken so far: "I really loved my Introduction to Creative Nonfiction class; it was a 20-person seminar and we spent the whole semester reading short stories and experimenting with different writing styles."
Her dorm/housing situation at Brown: "I currently live in the only not renovated freshman dorm on campus, so it’s not quite as beautiful as where the rest of my friends live! It’s getting rebuilt this summer but it’s definitely not horrible."
The food and dining at Brown: "There are lots of good options here; personally I’m not the biggest fan of the all you can eat style dining halls, but there are lots of small cafes and eateries on campus that you can use meal credits at and get good quality food."
The surrounding area at Brown: "Providence is actually a really cool little city. There’re tons of great coffee shops and hidden hiking spots that are fun to explore."
Her most memorable college experience so far: "My first frisbee tournament was very memorable; we all got dressed up for our theme (mad cows vs. mad scientists) and played frisbee all day. It was my first time really playing ultimate and I had so much fun bonding with everyone and learning a new sport."
What she misses most from home/life before college: "My dog and good coffee. Philz."
Emily Porat - Carnegie Mellon University (Pittsburgh, PA)
"This is a photo of me and my friend Riva on halloween, before going to our first (and last) frat party. This is our sad attempt as dressing up as 'cowgirls.'"
Why she chose CMU: "I chose CMU primarily because it was the best school I got into. The other main reasons were that it has a lot of really cool interdisciplinary programs, it’s known for being very strong in CS, it’s in a relatively large city (Pittsburgh), is far away from home (California), and is mid-sized (around 6000 undergrad)."
What she likes most about CMU: “First, the classes. Apart from a few general ed classes, I have really enjoyed and been appropriately challenged by all of my classes. Second, the people. Everyone here is super passionate and driven, and that definitely enhances my learning experience.”
Major: "I want to double major in Information Systems and Human Computer Interaction (HCI). Those are both programs to which I have to apply at the end of this year, and if I’m not accepted to either I have a few different backup plans, which involve potentially majoring in Cognitive/Decision Science or maybe Statistics and minoring in Computer Science."
Extracurricular Activities: "I write and do layout for a music magazine called The Cut. I am also a pusher for a buggy team (you kind of have to see it to understand it), which involves waking up at 5 am during the fall and spring months to practice before people are on the roads."
Favorite class she's taken so far: "Fundamentals of Programming and Computer Science (15-112)."
Current courses: "I’m taking Statistical Methods, Global Histories, Calculus II, Fundamentals of Programming and CS, and a Freshman Seminar called Body Politics. Global Histories and Freshman seminar are freshman GenEd requirements, Calc and Programming are prerequisites for Information Systems, and Stats interests me. There were a bunch of different options for freshman seminar, and I chose the one about Body Politics because I’m really interested in gender/feminism."
Her dorm/housing situation at CMU: "I live in an apartment style dorm with two roommates about half a mile away from CMU. It’s a great setup if you like cooking, privacy, a private bathroom and don’t mind the walk."
The food and dining at CMU: "Overall, the food is a solid 6/10. I’ve found a few places I like, and I stick with those options for the most part. Luckily, I’m on a lighter meal plan than most people (I get one meal a day on campus vs. the typical three meals) because I live in an apartment-style dorm. So, I eat breakfast and dinner at home 95% of the time and actually enjoy my food."
The social scene at CMU: "CMU is not known for being a “party school,” but if you want to party, there are plenty of parties going on. The social scene really depends on who you hang out with and what you do with your friend group. There are always events going on on campus and in Pittsburgh, but I find that many people (myself included) are too busy to take advantage of all the cool stuff going on. That said, I always manage to get out of my dorm at least a few nights a week to do something fun."
The surrounding area at CMU: "Pittsburgh is a medium sized city, with three main neighborhoods directly surrounding CMU: Oakland (where University of Pittsburgh is), Shadyside (which is more upscale), and Squirrel Hill. Each area is walking/bussing distance, and each has a different feel, but there are lots of good places to eat."
Her most memorable college experience so far: "Going to an amusement park in Ohio with a group of friends and waiting in line for three hours to ride a very scary ride."
What she misses most from home/life before college: "My boyfriend, my friends, my mom’s cooking, the WEATHER, and my cats."
... and once they get to college: "Dear incoming college freshmen, please eat vegetables and work out when you start college. And sleep. These things are good for you. Just because you’re in college does not mean you should turn into a stereotype who pulls all nighters consistently and binge drinks all the time. Your mental health is more important than your grades. You’re at college to learn, so take the pressure off to get straight A’s. If you put in the effort and learn the material, good grades will come. Good luck!"
Kathleen Langlais - George Washington University (Washington, D.C.)
"You will meet incredible people in college, have new, awesome experiences, and learn things that you don’t know even exist yet, but if it doesn’t click right away, or even at all for you, that is okay.”
Why she chose GW: "I chose to go to GW primarily because of the quality of the Elliott School of International Affairs. As an IA major, it was really important to me that I would be able to not only learn about my field in the classroom but also have easy access to it right at school. GW offers a really unique environment for learning and applying my coursework in the nation's capitol.”
What she likes most about GW: “My favorite part of going to school at GW is that I feel like I am experiencing history. I can hear the protests that happen at the White House from my dorm room window, my international affairs class takes place directly across the street from the State Department, and I walk by diplomats on my way to class. There is no other school in the country that gives that kind of experience. Location, location, location!”
Major: "I am majoring in International Affairs with a concentration in National Security and a minor in Arabic Language Studies."
Extracurricular activities: "I am a part of Greek life (Alpha Phi), and I am an active member in the GW Catholics club, participating in masses as a Eucharistic Minister weekly."
Favorite class she's taken so far: "My favorite class so far has been my Arabic class. It is an intensive course so I have it every day and it is a small classroom environment so I have been able to learn a lot while also developing close relationships with my classmates and my professor.”
Her dorm/housing situation at GW: "I am in a dorm called Potomac House at GW. My dorm is all freshman housing with conjoining doubles with a jack and jill bathroom.”
The surrounding area at GW: "GW is in the neighborhood known as Foggy Bottom in Washington DC. Right off campus are The World Bank, the State Department, and the White House. We are in the heart of the American policy machine, and sometimes, if you listen hard enough you can practically hear it beat.”
Her most memorable college experience so far: "My most memorable experience was being in DC for the Papal visit. I live four blocks from the parade route so I woke up at 4 o’clock in the morning and was able to be against the barricade on the Ellipse as the Holy Father passed by me only 10 feet away. The coolest part was what happened after though. One of the guys who lives on my floor interns for his Congressperson and he had extra tickets to see the Pope at the Capitol after his address to Congress. So the next morning, I woke up at 4 again and waited on the lawn of the Capitol for hours with a friend from my IA class until the Pope finally arrived. There were tens of thousands of people standing around me all gripped with his address to Congress, broadcast on large jumbotrons for everyone to see. After his speech, Pope Francis made an appearance to address the crowd, and it was the most spiritual moment I have ever had in my life. As I, along with about 50,000 people bowed their heads in prayer with the Holy Father of the Catholic Church, I was struck with the fact that this was one of the moments I would tell to my grandchildren one day, and it wouldn’t have been possible if I didn’t go to GW.”
What she misses most from home/life before college: "Life on the East Coast, especially in a city like Washington DC, is so different from the Bay Area where I grew up. I miss how at home I could put on a sundress and Rainbows and it would be considered dressing up. I miss how when I said my parents work in tech everyone knew exactly what I meant. I miss saying hella and not being looked at funny. But most of all, I might miss good Mexican food, because there are only so many months a girl can go without a good taco without being driven to insanity.”
Her advice for graduating high school seniors: "Trust the process. I know, it sucks. Like, a lot. It sucks having to try to sell yourself to places and then be rejected. I’ve been there, and most everyone who has ever been to college has been there as well. What is extra important though is that life is not always “la vie en rose.” You will meet incredible people in college, have new, awesome experiences, and learn things that you don’t know even exist yet, but if it doesn’t click right away, or even at all for you, that is okay. What is important to remember is that this one decision, about where to go to school or what to study, won’t define your entire life. Where you start your college experience is not where you have to end it. You don’t have to have everything figured out, hell I still don’t and I already made the decision. So chill, take a deep breath, and realize that there are many more decisions that can, and will, be made in the future, so this one? You can handle it."
Lucas Novak - Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Boston, MA)
"Go out of your way to find things that make you happy."
Why he chose MIT: "I picked MIT because of the educational opportunity and that I wanted to be in a new environment."
What he likes most about MIT: "My favorite part is the people here and the new environment."
Major: "Currently, I am thinking Materials Science and Engineering but may switch to CS."
Extracurricular activities: "I'm involved with D3 water polo, swimming and a frat."
Favorite class he's taken so far: "Haven't taken a lot but [I have] liked Chemistry and Intro to Python."
Current Courses: "Intro to CS and EE, E/M Physics, Micro Economics, Differential Equations and Intro to Materials Engineering."
His dorm/housing situation at MIT: "I'm living in a big dorm on campus--I got lucky with getting a big double."
The food and dining at MIT: "Food-wise, there are a lot of options and many dining halls, but they all aren't great quality-wise."
The social scene at MIT: "Socially, there is always something happening and easy to find."
The surrounding area at MIT: "Surrounding area is great, with Boston right across the street."
His most memorable college experience so far: "One memorable experience has been traveling to CA for water polo."
What he misses most from home/life before college: "I miss some friends and avocados."
His advice for graduating high school seniors: "Go out of your way to find things that make you happy."
Lila Rimalovski - New York University (New York, NY)
"Being a student in such a vibrant and changing metropolis makes me value my location much more than I expected.”
Why she chose NYU: "NYU has always been the school that is most… me. My college within NYU, The Gallatin School of Individualized Study, is a requirement-free, open curriculum program in which each student is entirely in charge of her academic journey. I have complete autonomy over my class schedule, which ultimately was what I was searching for during the college process."
What she likes most about NYU: “Existing in New York City subculture, hands down. Attending classes in the West Village, living on Washington Square Park, and having all of New York at my fingertips is incredibly empowering and liberating. Being a student in such a vibrant and changing metropolis makes me value my location much more than I expected.”
Major: "No idea! At Gallatin, we design our own concentration (rather than picking a major) so no concentration is the same as the next. I am leaning towards an intersection of feminist studies, politics and civic engagement, gender and sexuality studies, and design/innovation. Maybe fashion, too."
Extracurricular activities: "I am really active with the NYU College Democrats. I plan events for the club and my involvement so far has totally characterized my first year at school. I also am helping plan the 2016 NYU Entrepreneur’s Festival, which is coming up in March. And I am a Jewish Learning Fellow at NYU’s Bronfman Center."
Favorite class she's taken so far: "My favorite class by far was Approaches to Gender and Sexuality Studies. My professor was unbelievable and she was incredibly intersectional in her approach to… everything. I wish this class was required for all freshmen.”
Current courses: "I am taking Human Society & Culture, Creative Computing, Gender in Law, and The Politics of Work. I’m trying to incorporate my political interests with everything else this semester."
Her dorm/housing situation at NYU: "I’m not in love with my dorm. I live in the Residential College and wish I chose one of the larger freshmen dorms. But I do have the best location on campus and a view of Washington Square Park."
The food and dining at NYU: "Food is good! If you eat in right dining halls. I also became a vegetarian once I started school… so that has its own set of complications. But otherwise, I have been really impressed with the dining options."
The social scene at NYU: "Difficult. Very difficult. Making friends is by no means as easy as it was in high school. I also started school when I was in a relationship, which means most single straight dudes were not interested in being my friend. I definitely have a lot of people close to me now, but not really one friend group. I have lots of friends that I know for different reasons."
The surrounding area at NYU: "Unbelievable. Living downtown in New York City is so, so special. I feel blessed every day to be here, with almost everything I could want within a one block radius of where I live."
Her most memorable college experience so far: "Participating in a Black Student Union’s rally for the #BlackLivesMatter Movement during the weeks of the Mizzou Protests. I will never forget that night.
"What she misses most from home/life before college: "I miss having a kitchen!!!!! And fresh vegetables. And BERRIES. I really miss berries. Also my dog. And having girlfriends that I’ve known for years."
Where she sees herself in four years: "Done with college, traveling the world."
Her advice for graduating high school seniors: "YOUR DORM PLACEMENT MATTERS. A LOT. Do hella research before picking your college dorm… if you have that choice."
"There is a very high chance that you will not be 100% happy your first year at college. You are not alone."
Connor Keane - Swarthmore College (Swarthmore, PA)
"So many opportunities open up with just talking to people and being involved in something you're interested in.”
Why he chose Swarthmore: "Many reasons. I loved the beautiful, open campus and the prospect of working with small classes. Most of all, I value the flexibility to explore different interests both personally and academically. At Swat, taking classes in many different disciplines is not only encouraged--it is required."
What he likes most about Swarthmore: “The professors and the school itself. There are so many beautiful places on campus. If I ever feel frustrated all I need to do is step outside and look around.”
Major: "I really do not know what I am majoring in. I am currently working with the thought that I will major in cognitive science with a potential minor in engineering. I'm also considering a double major in videography or some related field."
Extracurricular activities: "I am the leader of a circus club, I am involved with the college chorus, I'm a member of a guitar, violin, cello trio, and am a sysadmin for the Swarthmore College Computer Society."
Favorite class he's taken so far: "Thus far, Literature and Law is my favorite class. This was a 12 person Freshman seminar studying the relation between, aptly, literature and the law."
Current courses: "Introduction to Computer Systems/Architecture: one of the prerequisite computer science classes, Introduction to Psych: prerequisite for many cognitive science classes and a field I am interested in. Intensive Spanish 3: Wanted to continue learning Spanish, is also a graduation requirement here at Swat, and Linear Algebra: next in the math sequence, something I'm interested in learning more about."
His dorm/housing situation at Swarthmore: "I have an interesting housing situation. I have my own (very small) room that opens into a double (not a suite). Another of my roommates has another single, so I live in a quad while also having my own room."
The food and dining at Swarthmore: "The food here is pretty good. Our meal system certainly has its flaws and is far from home cooked meals, but there is a selection of good food every day that is always easily accessible. Though many swatties like to complain about Sharples (our dining hall), the food here rates a 'pretty good.'"
The social scene at Swarthmore: "The social scene is varied. It's a pretty small school, so everybody has pretty much heard of everybody else. There are parties every weekend, which many people attend. By many, I would estimate about 400 people total, which is only about a quarter of the school."
The surrounding area at Swarthmore: "There's not much here, but Philly is a short train ride away."
His most memorable college experience so far: "The first circus class. This was my first time participating in circus arts with an instructor."
What he misses most from home/life before college: "Most of all, I miss the place itself. I love the mountains and the bay. Back in Los Altos it is easy to get on my bike and go for a ride. Here, not so much."
His advice for graduating high school seniors: "Once you get to college, pick a few things to do and do them in depth. If you ever feel like you want to do something different, do it. You're never too far invested or too far behind in something to change what you're doing. So many opportunities open up with just talking to people and being involved in something you're interested in. Separately, something to think on, smaller schools have fewer courses and fewer activities than larger schools just by virtue of their size. These classes and activities are phenomenal, but it means that you should look ahead at smaller schools to make sure that they have the activities that you're interested in."
Tatum Millet - Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT)
" Challah for brunch."
Why she chose Wesleyan: "I went through a very exhaustive college search process and ultimately found myself guided by the questions: what kind of person do I want to be in 10 years? And which school will help me become that person? Wesleyan presented an image of the kind of person I want to grow to be: socially engaged, thoughtful, critical, and driven by curiosity instead of competition."
What she likes most about Wesleyan: "Everybody is very cool here at Wes, and more often than not, that coolness reaches beyond surface level 'coolness.' People are doing rad, unexpected things all the time and it's fun to be around interesting people following their passions."
Major: "I joke that I'll probably end up an English major, and that joke is probably the truth. I am all over the place with classes, and I enjoy the opportunities for exploration, but I am drawn to literature in a unique way. It seems endless."
Extracurricular activities: "I am in a sketch comedy group: Lunchbox, a play: Catch-22, a violin punk band, a band of two singers and a drummer (sans real drum for now), I'm writing a satirical news show called the BROADCast (women run), and I'm in Middletown Potluck: a group that tries to strengthen ties between the college and the city of Middletown. Last semester I tutored in a local neighborhood called Traverse Square, but sadly I didn't have enough time this semester."
Favorite class she's taken so far: "I took a Latina/Latino literature class that was very valuable for kicking off my Wesleyan education, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Intro to Programming, and I am loving my Tolstoy class so far (sorry that's three)."
Current Courses: "I am taking Tolstoy, Econ 110, Modern China, and a writing class called The Beats and Their Discontents. I wanted a breadth of learning, and I also didn't want to have any classes on Friday. I am excited to see where all the classes take me because I just really love knowing things."
Her dorm/housing situation at Wesleyan: "I live in 200 Church. It's not quite a dorm, instead it's called community-based housing. The house is focused around the theme of social justice and only about 40 or so "churchies" live there. The rooms are beautiful and all different. It's very homey."
Her most memorable college experience so far: "I have met some wonderful friends here and often the best memories are the ones with them that can blend into daily life: surprise mangos for breakfast, writing music on the floor, goofing around, and bonding over coffee."
What she misses most from home/life before college: "I miss my family, but I'm still in contact with them in a lot of ways. So I guess I miss driving with the windows down after a long day at school. That really was a symbol of freedom in high school and it made me feel very American, which can be a hard feeling to capture sometimes at liberal arts college.”
Where she sees herself in four years: "I might go on a campaign trail? Or move to another country. I want to do something that makes me feel as young as I am."
Her advice for graduating high school seniors: "You are going to be okay; to quote The Neighborhood's song West Coast (especially for those going cross country) 'I'm happy cause I'm me it don't matter where I'm living.'"
Cerys Holstege - Yale University (New Haven, CT)
"My peers are spectacular and inspiring and humbling and humble all at the same time. They’re the type of people I’m proud to know and proud to call my friends."
Why she chose Yale: "When I visited for admitted student days, everyone I met was excited to meet me and was genuinely enthusiastic about Yale. They made it feel like a place I could call home."
What she likes most about Yale: "All of the other people who are here. My peers are spectacular and inspiring and humbling and humble all at the same time. They’re the type of people I’m proud to know and proud to call my friends."
Major: "I’m planning to major in either Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology or Geobiology and Paleontology. I’m leaning toward Geobiology and Paleontology because it relates more directly to the career I want to pursue in astrobiology and gives me more flexibility in the classes I take."
Extracurricular activities: "I do graphic design and layout for the Yale Politic, I volunteer at the Yale Women’s Center, and I am a Community Health Educator, which entails teaching health classes in New Haven public schools. I teach a module about STIs and Contraceptives."
Favorite class she's taken so far: "I loved my English class last semester, which was 'Reading and writing the modern essay.' It was a seminar and the professor was excellent. It was all about learning how to write creative nonfiction by reading models. (Think David Sedaris.)
Her dorm/housing situation at Yale: "At Yale, everyone lives in suites. I share a suite with 3 other people, and there are two double bedrooms and a common room that we all share. It’s great because we have a large space where we can hang out without everyone we have overseeing our dirty laundry and unmade beds. The common room is also gorgeous, with a window seat and a fireplace."
The food and dining at Yale: "Excellent. There are 13 dining halls and they have different dishes for every meal. There’s also regularly french toast for breakfast and that’s great."
Her most memorable college experience so far: "A few of my friends are involved with the Yale radio station, which organizes concerts in their basement. They’re a really fun time one of the best memories I’ve made so far was the first one of these that I went to."
What she misses most from home/life before college: "It can be really hard to be across the country from basically everyone I’ve grown up with, except for my best friend who is at Brown. Transitioning to college is hard, and it’s a little harder when the people who know me best and who know what I mean when I talk about In-N-Out and Philz Coffee are 3,000 miles away."
Where she sees herself in four years: "Hopefully somewhere with a better idea of what I want to do with my life, but figuring that out is what the next four years are for."
Her advice for graduating high school seniors: "Chill. It works out okay. Take the summer to relax and spend time with the people from home who matter to you the most, and remember that none of the big changes happening right now will define the trajectory of the rest of your life. If you don’t get into your dream school, you will still be a happy and well-rounded person, you will still grow and learn and fail and succeed and be just fine. If you’re going to college, take the first term to explore, no matter how certain you are of your major. Nothing you do first semester will discount you from being able to be premed or an anthropology major or an art major, but the things you do first semester might just help you figure out that premed is so not for you and you actually want to study French."
This is the second of three articles in a series about first quarter and semester college experiences across North America. Read the first article here, and stay tuned for interviews with students studying in the in-between states and Canada.
