From Columbia and Back to Brown

The Hungry Lion 

The amazing tour from Beulah today really opened my eyes to the different types of environments that a university can take place in.   The tour with Beulah was very productive; we were able to have one on one with her and get to ask all the questions we wanted, in a large tour we don’t get to have that same experience. We were showed all over the campus and given specific information about all the different resources. Beulah talked about campus life/dorms to public safety. The resources that are available to a first year student are very comforting, Columbia likes to house first years close to the main green and the libraries. On the main green different activities take part to get first years more comfortable, aware with New York or college life.  Then there are the two main libraries located near there, the multi-cultural center, health center, dining halls, etc. 

Talking to one on one with Beulah acknowledged me on how I could adjust to campus life and being so far away from home. She let me feel me comfortable with the idea of being home sick and she went over if the school was really for me. Since I wish to become an Orthopedic in Sports Medicine, she let me know that Columbia is a good school but there can be better options for me, the fact that she was honest and not trying to sell the school to me but was truly trying to help me was very appreciated. She didn’t want to sell the school to me but inform me of my different options. 

Columbia ranged from Arts to Engineering, a very diverse school that has a lot to offer with so many different clubs as well. A Multicultural Club to African American Student Unions going to ballet dancing groups. The resources and options are unlimited; I will definitely be looking into Columbia more.

 After the Columbia tour we headed back to the hotel, grabbed our things and left for the train station. Our train was around 20-25 minutes late but we boarded and headed back to Providence. The ride back was around three and half hours but this was an opportunity to catch up on some sleep. Getting off the train we headed straight for the hotel to check in and leave for dinner. We all had 15 minutes to get ready; tonight’s dinner would be with Dean Almandrez and Professor Kisa with some Brown students.  They had a lot of knowledge to offer about the programs, I mostly spent time talking to Elizabeth, Joshua, Kevin and Guadalupe. Talking to them gave me even more insight about Brown, even though we was spent two weeks there, getting to know the about the school during school season was very helpful.

I learned about different programs ranging from business to health to arts, listening to the different experiences that people had adjusting to their new environments at first and how it will go away. It reassured me that the homesickness I feel is normal and that it will go away, everyone goes through it but it is my time to grow. Having this dinner just reassured me about my feelings and the diversity and change that exists in Brown.