It’s been about three weeks since I’ve wrapped up my sophomore year, which means that I’m now halfway through my time at Vanderbilt. But, and as is a common sentiment among most anyone who’s lived through the past year and a half, part of me still feels frozen in March 2020, in the remaining months of my freshman year.

Upon returning to campus this past fall, I often had to remind myself that I didn’t live on Commons anymore. It was jarring to realize that the reassuring net of programs like VUcept, Commons programming (shoutout to Murray Munchies), and all other first-year experiences simply didn’t apply to me anymore. Instead, once you leave Commons you simply become an upperclassman, and while campus resources still exist, of course, there’s certainly a moment of mild panic when you realize that you’re supposed to be finished with the transition to college.

At a place like Vanderbilt, I don’t think that you can ever truly feel like an expert on student life. There’s always a unique academic initiative being launched, a new club rising through the ranks, a shiny residential college being constructed. In other words, campus seems to change as much as we do while we live in it. But with the pandemic this past year, as much as slowing down seems to be the antithesis of what it means to be a Vanderbilt student, I think that the culture here has changed permanently from it, and for the better.

This year has simultaneously been a lonely one and one where I learned to appreciate being alone. It was a year where I didn’t meet as many new people as I might have hoped, but where I strengthened my relationships with the people that I did see regularly. It was one where, without the opportunity to immerse myself as deeply in extracurriculars as I would have otherwise, I gave a singular focus to my classes and found a level of academic fulfillment that I had never encountered before. I learned to take a simple joy in the routine, whether that was pausing to notice how the trees changed color or relishing in the familiarity of places like Satay and Jeni’s as staples of “the card.” I explored new running routes through Music Row and Edgehill, and felt that I got to understand the city in a new way, in its quieter form.

Initially, I found myself making constant comparisons to what used to be. Walking through Rand, I’d look mournfully at the empty space where countless rows of tables used to sit, recalling the memories of how my friends and I used to pull up as many chairs as physically possible during the rush of lunch hour. Every time I took food back to my room that I would’ve eaten in a dining hall or logged off from a Zoom class when I would’ve stayed back to talk with classmates, I wondered what I was missing out on, and insistently looked forward to a future when things would return to normal.

But what I came to realize this spring was that this year was as much a part of my Vanderbilt experience as the chaotic bustle of freshman year. It involved reflection, a focus on the small things and the habits that kept me going through so much uncertainty. I grew differently than in the rush of my freshman year to constantly do more, see more, work more, because it was during this year that I focused on what I truly wanted to do.

And ultimately, in the absence of so many of the annual events that would’ve taken place, some of my happiest moments from sophomore year came from the people that I only could’ve met at Vanderbilt. Whether it was during contemplative office hours with my professors or Friday night dinners with the friends that I met on Commons, I had deeper conversations and felt more grateful for my community here than I had ever before; I learned to recognize a sense of peace in slowing down.

I’m beyond excited as things begin to open up, and I’m looking forward to everything that the fall will bring with football season, in-person classes, and more. However, I don’t think that I could’ve appreciated just how special college is without the change of pace that the pandemic brought.

I didn’t realize how much I would miss what I always assumed would be the day-to-day until it was gone. But my fallback, then as now, are the people in Nashville.

It is hard to believe that my first year at Vanderbilt has come and gone. This time last year, I remember praying that we would go to school in person and not have to spend my freshman year at home taking online classes. When we got the email that we would be welcomed on campus, I was beyond excited, but also really nervous. I had no clue what college was going to be like, especially if I was going to live in a dorm room by myself, take classes over Zoom, wear a mask at all times, and live within the gathering restrictions. I was uncertain about how I was going to make friends and connect with my professors. I was scared that I would be behind in NROTC, not knowing the things that incoming midshipmen usually learn at indoctrination training, which we did not have because of COVID.

Looking back now, I see how each one of those uncertainties faded away once I got to campus. It was not the smoothest transition into life away from home, but is it ever? Despite the virtual setting of club gatherings and info sessions, I got plugged into campus ministries and organizations during my first week of classes. Upperclassmen were so intentional in reaching out to freshmen, which was such a comfort in this unfamiliar environment! I began making friends and sharing meals outside, either in the dining tents or out on one of the lawns. I played Ultimate frisbee and Catchphrase and cards with new pals. I explored campus on my own time, finding good places to study and do homework so that I didn’t have to stay in my dorm room all day doing my asynchronous classwork. The BCM (Baptist Collegiate Ministry) director helped me find a good church to get plugged into in Nashville, and that provided me with relationships with people from all generations––not just college students. I was invited for game nights and much-needed home-cooked meals at church members’ houses.

Second semester, COVID cases declined, and more classes were held in person. Campus dining was somewhat restored to its former glory (or so I’ve heard). Vanderbilt returned to normalcy little-by-little and is still transitioning back to what it was before the pandemic. I am so excited for all the things that upperclassmen have been telling me about: fresh Rand cookies, tailgating and football games, Rand booths, munchie marts, and more. I am excited for NROTC to return to more in-person physical training and drill practice. I am excited to meet more people and get to see people’s entire faces––not just the eyes and up. ;) I am excited to attend in-person club meetings and gatherings and take a break from Zoom. I am also excited to have my vehicle on campus next year so that I can continue to explore this amazing city we get to call home.

There are so many more things that I am excited about, which just adds to my gratefulness that I get to attend an institution with such a diverse, brilliant, capable, and passionate group of people that offers so many amazing opportunities for academic excellence, personal growth, and community building. My first year of college was one of the hardest and most fulfilling years of my life, yet I have a feeling that I have only scratched the surface of my Vandy experience. And I cannot wait to see what lies ahead!

Being one of the most popular majors on campus, if not the most popular, almost anybody on campus can tell you about the HOD major. But I’m here to give you my total unfiltered look into the HOD major and why I love it so much!

1. The Professors/Advisors/Administrators

All of the personnel that work in the HOD department are amazing! The professors are so cool and accomplished, coming from a variety of backgrounds. Professor Lefkowitz for example, who teaches HOD 2400, is so interesting! She worked as a professional clown, and is also writing a novel right now. And Professor Van Schaack worked at Apple Japan. On top of that, everyone who works in the department is so helpful and willing to go above and beyond to make sure that the students succeed.

2. The classes

There are six core classes that all HOD majors have to take, and they provide students with insights on so many different things, from individual human development to organizational structure and the roles you can play to the broader public policy process. Having taken AP Government in high school, I never thought I would find a whole class about Public Policy interesting. However, my Public Policy class with Professor Shaw was one of the coolest classes I’ve taken at Vanderbilt. He encouraged open discussion no matter what your opinion was, instead of just lecturing us about policy. And he made everyone feel comfortable sharing, even someone like me who is notoriously uncomfortable speaking up in class. The coolest part was that throughout the course of the class, we got the chance to propose a new policy or change an existing one. By the end of the class, students wrote a formal policy proposal, based on real ones used in government. It gave me the chance to see all of the different factors that go into creating and passing a policy that you don’t usually think about.

After the core classes, students have the freedom to choose from one of five tracks so that they can focus their area of study. I am personally on the Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness track, but there is also the Community Leadership and Development track, Education Policy, Health and Human Services, and International Leadership and Development. Each track offers its own courses, but HOD majors can take courses from any of the tracks! There’s even a class about Social Entrepreneurship that let’s students decided how they want to allocate real grant money to charities!

3. The Capstone Internship

I think this aspect of the HOD major is the coolest because at Vanderbilt it is something unique to the HOD major. For a whole semester, HOD students must complete a full-time Capstone internship, in a choice of 6 different cities. The point is to apply everything you’ve been learning to a real work environment. During the semester, students also attend a class on Monday mornings with an HOD faculty member to talk about the experience and what they are learning. By the end of the semester, all the students have a demonstration day where they give a presentation where they showcase a project about a contribution they made to their internship site. Students have the freedom to intern almost anywhere, as long as it complies with HOD workplace standards. It is a great experience that gives students the opportunity to test out what they want to do after graduation, and sometimes leads to full-time jobs!

I could go on and on about the HOD major. In my three years at Vanderbilt as an HOD major, I feel like I’ve learned so much, and met so many interesting people. I know that no matter what I do after graduation, I will be able to talk about what I’ve learned and what I can bring to the table.

A few weeks ago, Nashville received a couple inches of snow. Being from Indiana, I am used to getting snow like that several times each winter, but it is rare for Nashville to receive that kind of snow. Because of this, the roads were not plowed and the sidewalks were covered in snow for several days (Nashville usually doesn’t have much need for snowplows or road salt, so the snow removal was a slow process!). Most restaurants were closed, and most of our Vandy classes got moved to online (if they weren’t online already). It definitely changed a lot of people’s plans and schedules, but there were so many positives about the snow! 

1. I lost count of the number of snowmen that I saw around campus. People got really creative–I saw a snowfamily, snowmermaid, and various other snowanimals. 
2. The snow was perfect for an impromptu snowball fight with some of my friends. 
3. I also attempted to go sledding, using the lid of a plastic tote. People are very innovative when it comes to sleds. Naturally, no one thought to pack sleds or snowboards–most people didn’t even have adequate boots in which to trudge through the snow! Therefore, it was fun to see that people were using their imaginations to find ways to sled down a snowy hill. 
4. In addition to these fun outdoor activities, it was such a treat to be able to drink coffee while cozying up inside. 
5. Not to mention, campus is beautiful when it is under a blanket of snow! 

While a snowstorm like this does not happen in Nashville very often, it was very welcome!

So, what is organic chemistry?

Simply put, orgo is the study of organic chemical reactions, mainly involving the elements carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. A typical reaction may look something like this:

You essentially need to know the mechanism of how the reaction works and be able to predict the product and reactant. Seems simple enough, right?

The problem is there are hundreds of reactions you have to learn. You have to know them forwards, backwards, and inside out. Test questions often require you to recall five separate reactions to come to an answer. But there’s a bright side- you don’t actually have to memorize hundreds of reactions! Instead, you can learn why the reactions occur in the first place. If you know the chemistry them, you can characterize most reactions just by your own knowledge, with little memorization at all.

Organic chemistry is not as difficult as its reputation makes it out to be. I enjoyed the course and personally found it to be significantly easier than general chemistry. I wish I was told before my freshman year that general chemistry would be as hard as orgo because I probably would have studied more for it. If you’re willing to put in the work, there’s no need to worry.

Like most things premed: you get out of it what you put into it.

One of the most unique features of the band is that membership is open to all college students from the Nashville area, including Belmont, Trevecca Nazarene, Lipscomb, Vol State, and Nashville State. And so even from my first day on campus, I had the opportunity to be introduced to and become close friends with people who I never would have otherwise met.

You’ll often hear people use the phrase the “Vandy Bubble” to describe the tendency of Vanderbilt students to become so involved in campus life that they miss out on the countless other things Nashville has to offer. And while I think that this is true to an extent, I would also point out the value in spending some time in your first few months simply wandering around campus and getting a feel for the surrounding West End and Hillsboro neighborhoods (aka make sure to hit up all of those Taste of Nashville restaurants). There’s a lot to explore just within walking distance, and it was only after building a familiarity with the areas around campus that I really began to feel confident about exploring the rest of the city.

Nonetheless, I won’t deny that the Vandy Bubble can be easy to fall into at times. Campus life in non-pandemic times truly always has something going on, but part of why any of us chose Vanderbilt was because of its location, and it would be a shame to not fully appreciate being in Music City while you’re here. As things turned out, this was also the reason why I loved SOG in my freshman year. It got me out of the bubble both physically (long walks from Commons to the stadium will clear your head like nothing else), and socially, without even having to think about it. Marching band kept things in balance, and I had the outlet that I needed in SOG to maintain some weekly perspective and remember that I was living in Nashville (an obvious fact, but it was easier to forget than I’d initially expected).

And in terms of band itself, while I’d always enjoyed playing my clarinet in high school, I wasn’t sure if music was something that I wanted to continue in college. Looking back now though, I’m so glad that I did, and I’d encourage anyone involved in music to continue playing in college—it will serve as a continuity that will anchor you through the transition to college, and it’s one of the best decisions that I’ve made at Vanderbilt.

Getting to move in a week early and spend 5 days sweating on the football field with 100+ people who care just as much as you in making good music and putting on a good halftime show is truly an indescribable experience. I knew my way around campus and had a solid group of friends not only by the first day of class, but by the time the rest of my class even moved in. 

People say that you get out of student orgs what you put in, and I honestly believe that’s true. Some people may see SOG as nothing more than an overly intensive time commitment, and while it requires dedication, having scheduled practices and games meant that I also learned pretty quickly how to manage my time. Combined with all of the rituals of band camp, gameday, and section traditions, SOG provided a structure to that first whirlwind of a semester which was sorely needed. Most people learn this by the time they leave Vanderbilt, but it’s something that can be even more invaluable to know coming in: it’s not the quantity of your involvements that matters, it’s the quality, and SOG proved that to me the moment I stepped foot on campus.

Online, I found a link to “365 Days of Writing Prompts” posted by WordPress.com from several years ago. To be honest, I don’t often write in my free time, but as I was writing my 2020 reflection for the year, I must’ve felt a compelling drive to collect more of my thoughts throughout the weeks and months, instead of summing up my life on the singular night of December 31. Thus far, I have held true to this one resolution I have made for myself: to respond to a prompt every day. It excites me to think that at the end of 2021, I will have basically a novel’s length document of random musings for 365 days that I can look back on. I don’t spend long on them, maximum ten minutes. Some of the prompts are more fun like “Vanilla, chocolate, or something else entirely?” Other prompts, I have to sit with for a little longer before I respond. 

The prompt for January 21 was this: When you were 16, what did you think your life would look like? Does it look like that? Is that a good thing?

Admittedly, 16 is only three years ago for me, so it’s not like I’m that much older or wiser. But 16 is when I was beginning to look into colleges to start applying for, trying to decide what major I should apply as, feeling the pressures of standardized test scores, and agreeing with my classmates that junior year of high school is a thoroughly unenjoyable time. At 16, I had no idea I would be attending Vanderbilt University now. Responding to this prompt filled me with the sort of gratitude for the path of your life that you can only appreciate years later.

Recently, I came across this idea of a “thick community” from a book I am reading called The Second Mountain by David Brooks: “A thick institution seeks to change the person’s whole identity. It engages the whole person: head, hands, heart, and soul” (294). Frankly, I don’t think I can fathom quite yet the everlasting impact my time here as a student will have on me until I am years into the future. But it’s the way in which I speak of returning to campus with such excitement while I’m at home, the way I admire the professors who are already shifting the way I view the world or planting seeds inside of me to shape my ideologies, or the way my thirst for knowledge is fulfilled by the brilliant chatter from the student body that I recognize the boundless impact the culture of this institution is already having on me.

Yes, coursework is demanding. Yes, students do care about their successes and their GPAs and their job prospects. Yes, it can feel individualistic and specialized sometimes. But the thread of community, search for higher meaning, and a love for humanity prevails on this campus.

So to my 16-year-old self, did I think I would be at Vanderbilt? No. But am I so glad I am? Yes. And to my December 31, 2021 self getting ready to write a new reflection, I hope you stuck with your resolution for this year. And to you, prospective student or other, where do you see yourself in just a few months time, or few years, from now?

Since NROTC was one of the biggest factors in my decision to attend Vanderbilt, I wanted to write a little bit about my experience with the program thus far. I am a Midshipman Fourth Class (MIDN 4/C), which is what all the first-year midshipmen are ranked. As one moves up in class, it goes from 4/C to 3/C, then 2/C, and seniors, who are 1/C.

At VUNROTC (Vanderbilt University Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps), we are held to a higher standard. We are expected to earn good grades, maintain excellent physical fitness, conduct ourselves professionally, and represent the United States Navy and Marine Corps in all that we do. We wear uniforms twice a week, regularly have physical training, and attend a leadership lab once a week. Covid has definitely affected what we can and can’t do as a battalion, but we have been able to fare pretty well with what we have been allowed.

In Naval ROTC, all midshipmen are required to take naval science classes. MIDN 4/C have to take Intro to Naval Science and Sea Power in History. These courses are both introductions to the Navy and Marine Corps customs, courtesies, history, and general information that we will need to know as we go throughout NROTC and eventually commission into the fleet.

Since the Marine Corps is underneath the Department of the Navy, we have both Navy and Marine options in our battalion. I am a Marine option, which means that I will go to Officer Candidate School in the summer before my senior year. Until then, I will be preparing for OCS in NROTC. Marine options have weekly meetings called Bulldog where we prepare for OCS. Sometimes we are in the unit classroom learning about five paragraph orders or land navigation. Other times we are on Magnolia lawn practicing fireteam maneuvers or doing prac app (practical application of what we’ve learned). Other times, we do workouts, but we assemble into fireteams and appoint fireteam leaders so that each midshipman gets the opportunity to practice leading in different situations.

Leadership, professionalism, and communication are key skills that all midshipmen learn. The mission of NROTC is to develop midshipmen mentally, physically, and morally, and to imbue them with the highest values of honor, courage, and commitment. This applies both on campus, outside of Vandy, and at the unit. After all, the Navy is paying for our schooling. The Naval ROTC scholarship covers all tuition, fees, and textbooks, and all midshipmen get a monthly stipend for their own use. So basically, NROTC is our job. That is why we are held to a higher standard. And what better place to get our education and train to become the best officers we can be than at Vanderbilt University? VUNROTC has been one of my favorite parts about college so far. I encourage you to look into it!

I never thought that a top 15 school was going to want me to attend as much as I wanted to attend it. But then I visited Vanderbilt. Walking through Vanderbilt’s campus for the first time the summer before my senior year of high school was overwhelming. It was easy to believe that the place where I was visiting was one of the most well-known and esteemed in the world. For one thing, campus is a beautiful arboretum, which makes it feel like a state park. The old buildings give it a prestigious feel and the fact that it is in Nashville (a much bigger city than my small Indiana hometown) made it seem like even more of a first-class university.

When I left campus after my first visit, I was slightly intimidated by how amazing Vanderbilt University sounded; still, I knew that I wanted to apply. Later on in my senior year, I applied for a Naval ROTC scholarship that required me to list my top few choices. Since Vanderbilt was a reach school for me, I listed it as my second choice and an Indiana school as my first. I was blessed to receive the scholarship, and the very first person who contacted me was the NROTC recruiter from Vanderbilt. I was pleasantly surprised that he would take the time to reach out to me and schedule a phone call. This was before I had even finished my application to Vanderbilt. What resonated with me the most from our conversation was how much he expressed to me that my specific skills, experiences, and personality were desired at the unit. He wanted me there.

In January of 2020, I came back to Nashville for a visit to the NROTC unit as well as a stroll around campus. I was overwhelmed by how many students reached out to us. We heard lots of “Welcome to Vanderbilt!” and “Can I help you find where you’re headed?” and “You should come here.” A couple students walked with us, and I received welcoming smiles from nearly everyone I passed. I hadn’t even been accepted yet, and I already felt a strong sense of belonging. The intimidation factor that I had prior to my second visit disappeared. All I knew then was that I couldn’t imagine a better place to spend the next four years studying, training for the Marine Corps, making friends, and developing mentally, physically, and spiritually as I chase my dreams.

And after my first semester as a Vanderbilt student, I couldn’t be more confident that I made the right choice. I have made tremendous friends, taken engaging and rigorous classes, and developed as a person and leader in NROTC. Vanderbilt is a place where everyone wants everyone to succeed. Yes, the students here are certainly exceptional. But there is more collaboration than competition, and this place is such fertile ground for the growth and success of students pursuing their passions. Vanderbilt is so much more than its rank. And you should come here.

Whether it is the nostalgia for pumpkin carving or the cravings for apple cider donuts, here are a few ways my friend and I cozied into all that Vanderbilt or the Nashville area has to offer in the fall: 

1. Picnic on Alumni Lawn: fall weather is the perfect time to grab blankets and spread out before the sun sets and the evening cools. Bring along a few snacks, and the mood is set for good conversation and laughter.
2. Gardens of Babylon Landscapes: located near Nashville Farmers’ Market, there are a plethora of plants you can admire and purchase here to care for in your dorm or apartment. Anything from Bonsai trees to Venus flytraps, the greenery is a breath of fresh air.

   

3. Decorate cupcakes: even though shared kitchen spaces are closed for now, you can spread out in the tents (on Peabody or Library lawn) or across open tables and frost cupcakes! It’s a great way to be creative or silly and you get a delicious treat out of it.
4. Go on a hike: there are several parks close to campus, including Percy Priest Lake or Radnor Lake State Park, which are perfect for getting outside with a group of friends. It is so revitalizing to take the time to enjoy nature, especially now as we spend most of our time inside to attend classes.

   

5. Stick with your hobbies: once coming to college, it may be more difficult to find time for sports or creative arts if you are not a student athlete or majoring in something related. But especially with online classes this semester, I noticed how people were itching to get outside or release their energy. A friend of mine continues to horseback ride here in Nashville, others find new running trails each weekend, some developed a newfound interest in cooking, another took up pottery, and I also went to the driving range a few times to hit a bucket of balls. So stay active and do what you love.
6. Eat your way through Nashville: there are dozens of restaurants within walking distance, and hundreds in close proximity, so this is an obvious one. Find a new place to go every week and you still won’t run out of new places to try!

Even if time is breezing past us this semester, each day is reason enough to find something to celebrate. This city needs no warrant to find fun on the trails or along the streets, so in this unprecedented and socially distant climate, if you want to break out your boots and go on a walk, so be it.