Words of advice

It seems that everyone is very prepared to dole out advice towards the end of the spring semester -- how seniors should handle life, what freshmen should learn from the seniors, and never mind those in transit. Usually it is all full of clich?© and airy ideas like "live life to the fullest." But how do you do that and meet your distribution requirements at the same time? Here are a few ideas...

Know your professors. They're brilliant, fascinating people. They don't hold office hours for their own health -- they want to see your face in there. You don't need to be confused about class material or have some dazzling insight on how to bring peace to the Middle East to go visit them. Getting to know your professors will significantly enrich your Tufts experience. Keep in mind as well that it's important that faculty members aside from your advisor have something meaningful to say about you when it's time to apply to fellowships, grad school, or jobs.

Get involved in a campus organization or sport early. Ask anyone who is involved in anything on campus -- it's probably what's defining their college experience. It's where you'll make some of your best friends, or add new ones if you're joining up as an upperclassman. Not to mention, you'd be surprised how quickly you can find yourself in a leadership position if you stay committed. Concurrently though, don't get so caught up in one particular clique of friends that you limit yourself. Your classmates are interesting people; take notice and venture outside of your "crew" -- you might be surprised by some of the friendships you make.

Go abroad and plan your academic program early so that it's possible to do so. It's quite fashionable these days to assure unsuspecting freshmen that they can change their major as many times as they like and they'll be fine. This is false. Many a disgruntled Jumbo has found her or himself in the position of being unable to go abroad or being forced to take summer school in order to graduate in four years. If you plan ahead you can go abroad without any qualms and in your senior year take classes that legitimately interest you -- not those that you might just be taking to meet requirements.

Finally, but perhaps most crucially, do not allow intellectualism to be taboo. It's absurd to spend four years struggling through social gatherings attempting to come up with inane small talk because you're afraid that if you reveal your profound interest in imperial Russia to others, they'll think you're weird. There's probably someone else out there at Tufts who is either equally enthralled or would be curious to hear about it. The same goes for class: our professors know that we have something in our heads -- just staring at them blankly when they ask the class questions is strange and cruel. Everyone here is capable (and probably more inclined) to talk about something beyond the goings-on in the latest reality television show. It's about time we collectively come out of the nerd closet.

It's never too soon or too late to heed any of these suggestions.