I Graduated From Vanderbilt!

On May 10, 2024, I graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Biological Sciences & Music!

I graduated with Latin Honors, and upon majority vote from the Biological Sciences faculty, I earned Highest Honors in Biological Sciences for my honors thesis and was also given the “Outstanding Research in Biological Sciences” award. I’m so grateful for the research opportunities I had at Vanderbilt, my research advisor, Dr. Nicole Creanza, and the Creanza lab as a whole, which was the best undergraduate lab I could have asked for.

My graduation always seemed far off, but now the big day has come and gone. I have so many fond memories from my time at Vanderbilt. It was truly a transformative four years. With this chapter of my life coming to a close, I wanted to take time to reflect on my time at Vanderbilt and share a few of the many meaningful moments I have had during my undergraduate years.

Starting with my first year of college: It was interesting to say the least because the pandemic was in full swing when I began in Fall 2020. There was no orientation, none of the traditional in-person welcome events, and none of the usual beginning-of-the-year socialization. For safety, I lived on my own in a single room. Classes were hybrid or fully online. Dining hall seating areas were closed, so we ate from to-go containers in our rooms or in huge dining tents set up on the lawns. We wore masks all the time—yes, even when I was playing clarinet! I walked to the rec center twice a week to get tested for COVID-19. Throughout this unusual first-year experience, I was also adjusting to college—making friends, learning how to live away from home, and taking difficult coursework. Despite this unordinary start, I still managed to form strong friendships, got plugged into campus communities, started to refine my study strategies, and learned a lot about myself.

The other three years of college were mostly “normal,” so I’ll spare the details of those years. However, I want to do some broader reflection and comment on some takeaways from my Vanderbilt experience.

A takeaway

One of the big things I faced and somewhat conquered (still working on it) is how to gracefully deal with failure. Prior to college, if I worked hard by putting in time and effort, I would achieve my desired result. I quickly learned this isn’t always the case at Vanderbilt and life beyond. Buckling down and working hard doesn’t always lead to successful outcomes. This was a tough lesson to learn, but a crucial one. During my 1st and 2nd years of college, whenever I didn’t do as well as I wanted to on an exam or in a class, I was very hard on myself. At times, I would let negative and self-limiting thoughts creep in. Over time though, I started to care less about grades and more about learning. After hitting my lowest point during my 2nd year, I shifted my study strategies, re-evaluated my priorities, cut commitments that I wasn’t loving, and set more boundaries. By doing these things, my academics almost immediately started to improve. I am grateful I went through some academic challenges, because I was able to understand myself better, realize what is important, and learn how to keep going after disappointment.

On a related note, being more okay with failure and framing them as learning opportunities opened the door for me to challenge myself more, take risks, and go after new opportunities. One of the mantras I often repeated to myself is, “You won’t know unless you try.” Why self-eliminate yourself from amazing opportunities? As cliché as it sounds, it is OKAY to fail! With each failure—whether it be a scholarship, fellowship, or research goal—I still gained experience from going through the process, and I also learned what I could improve on in the future.

As a researcher, it is necessary to be able to embrace failure and rejection. As difficult as they can be, I am glad that I have been able to work through these things during my time at Vanderbilt. As a result, I have become more resilient, which prepares me well for a career in research.

College adventures!

On a completely different note…since graduation, I have been reminiscing on all of the different places Vanderbilt has brought me. Not just Nashville (which was an excellent place to be for college btw), but to England for my Harry Potter and Children’s Literature course:

South Korea for my Maymester study abroad experience as a Vanderbilt Global Summer Fellow:

Germany and Austria for my German Fairytales course:

Atlanta, GA and Irvine, CA for the Beckman Foundation symposia:

and Albuquerque, NM for the 2023 Evolution Conference.

I am so grateful for these opportunities to explore the world. I definitely made memories in all of these places that I’ll cherish forever.

Reflection on being a first-generation college student

Before I wrap up this post, I want to add a quick note about being a first-generation college student. I am extremely proud to be a first-generation college graduate. Even though this identity has come with its challenges, such as confusion around the application process, initial lack of knowledge about certain resources, and acclimatization to college, it has made me more independent and more appreciative of this opportunity. I don’t take the privilege of being able to attend college, especially an “elite” university like Vanderbilt, lightly. I am very grateful to have gone to Vanderbilt, and I acknowledge all of the opportunities it has provided. I am very blessed to have the support of my family, specifically my parents. Even though they did not go to college, they always emphasized the importance of education and supported my aspiration to go to college. They nurtured my love for learning from a young age and have always supported my hopes and dreams. I couldn’t ask for more.

Pictured above: At the Vanderbilt First-Generation Graduates’ Recognition Ceremony.

My attempt at a not-too-sappy conclusion

In conclusion, I’m very grateful for my college experience at Vanderbilt. I learned A LOT academically, made some lifelong friends, learned from excellent professors, discovered and honed my love for research, and grew in countless personal ways.

As I’m finishing one chapter and beginning the next, I am filled with gratitude for my experiences at Vanderbilt and excitement as I embark on my graduate school journey!