Highlights from my Tuck experience include bonding with my Consortium classmates via ski trips, our end-of-first-year celebrations, and Zoom homework help sessions. The Consortium community is where I met my first Tuckies who became a family far away from home. A major highlight of my experience was the class trips I was fortunate to go on where I got to meet new classmates and befriend people that went on to become my best friends. On these trips I also conquered some of my fears: hiking where bears live, treading water in the sea, and fear of heights in the Alps. When I contracted COVID, I relied on my Tuck community to get me through. It was a dark time, but the bright side of it was letting others help me in my time of need—something that is incredibly hard for me to do and let go of. My classmates were the sweetest—not only checking in on me but also delivering groceries and home cooked meals.

The top three things I’ll miss about Tuck are the location, living close to friends, and having easy access to ski mountains.

The location: My first year at Tuck was infinitely better because we were so remote and were able to be outside while weathering through the pandemic. Did the pandemic make it a little harder to meet people? Yes, but we were still able to bond and really get to know each other living in the Upper Valley.

Friendships: I live five minutes from every person I am close to at Tuck. Some are within walking distance and some are within driving distance, but I won’t ever be at a place where I can have all my favorite people in one spot again. More coordination will be necessary as we all spread out in the country and abroad. But these bonds will never be broken.

Mountains: While at Tuck, I fell in love with skiing (after taking a few one-on-one lessons and of course the group lessons). After avoiding being outside for too long in the brutal winters of Minnesota, I embraced all that winter had to offer at Tuck. I cannot wait for ski season to start and continue to improve my skiing, although I will miss my beginners ski crew and seeing Tuckies on the slopes.

If you are ready to learn new things in a place that is unlike any big city with a group of people who are invested in your success, there is no place better than Tuck. You must be willing to take the leap and push yourself out of your comfort zone.