Guest Blog: Michael Arwood
My friend Michael was one of the most important factors in my consideration of Vanderbilt. The school wasn’t really on my radar until he graduated high school (two years ahead of me) and came to Vandy, from where he will graduate next week. While talking to Michael at lunch one day, he gave me an impassioned speech on why he would choose Vanderbilt again, so I asked him to put it on paper (figuratively) and send it to me:
“Why I Would Choose Vanderbilt (Again!)”
I’m a senior at Vandy, and in two weeks, I’ll walk across the stage on Alumni Lawn as an alumnus, no longer a student. I’ll be completely honest. There are tons of things that I’ll miss about this place, and there are plenty that I don’t like and won’t miss. That being said, I’m still completely in love with Vanderbilt, and I would definitely choose Vandy again if I could warp back in time four years (or somehow make myself four years younger today). Vandy is a special place. There aren’t many schools in the Top 20 that you see everyone smiling when you walk around campus. At Vandy, I always see kids smiling.
The professors are incredible. They all have awesome research (that you can be a part of), and they have so many incredible life stories and advice that they’re willing to share with you. At Vanderbilt, you have so many opportunities to get to know your professors, starting on day one in the Commons.
Did I mention the Commons? The Commons is awesome. All the freshmen (wait, “first years”) live on Peabody’s campus together in living learning communities. You get to know one another incredibly well, bonding over the “common” first-year experience, and you have plenty of opportunities to bond as students and fellow mischief-makers. Also, the Commons has a pretty banging cafeteria.
Speaking of food, you won’t find many places with better college food than Vandy. I’ve been here for four years, and I can still honestly say that our food is awesome. The Commons has a great cafeteria with awesome selections, and the Jewish student center has an awesome Kosher and vegetarian café (I eat there almost daily). You won’t go hungry at Vandy. That’s for sure.
Student life is awesome at Vanderbilt. You will find a way to express yourself on campus. Some students go Greek, and some don’t (I didn’t). Either way, you’ll find an organization to invest your time into. Some students enjoy honors associations, some enjoy service-oriented groups, and others enjoy activities based groups, such as outdoors or music based. You will find a group (or groups, however many that may be) that suit your needs and help you find your niche.
Vanderbilt is an incredible place, and I could literally go on and on about why I love it so much and why I think it really is the best school in the nation. I remember the first time I walked on campus for a tour as a junior in high school, and I fell in love. It’s safe to say that I’m still just as much in love as I was four years ago.
