Why Vanderbilt?
I’m going to be honest with you guys, I don’t know why I applied to Vanderbilt. It was simply a gut feeling. A good number of people from my high school had gone there, and it was a school of the caliber I was looking for. It was also not too far from home, and Nashville sounded like a fun, big-but-not-too-big city to be in for college. All in all, from what I had heard about Vanderbilt here and there, it sounded right up my alley. Turns out, that gut feeling was right. I’ve ended up loving Vanderbilt, and here are a few reasons why:
- Oh, the people you’ll meet!
Behind those admissions statistics are real people, people just like you. It’s easy to get caught up in the numbers –I’ve been there too. Sure, the numbers relate that Vandy students are brilliant, but what they don’t communicate is that the students behind those numbers have bad days and worry about the future too. The people you’ll meet at Vandy come from all walks of life and share an unrivaled passion for what they do. I love the friends I’ve made here, and they’ve impacted me in ways that have made me a better version of myself. Vandy students are one of a kind.
- Opportunities
Just the other day, I went to a seminar by Paul Farmer. You probably don’t know who that is, but in short, he’s an American anthropologist, physician, and humanitarian who has greatly contributed to public health/medicine. I would not have gotten the opportunity to hear him speak if I weren’t at Vanderbilt.
- There’s something for everyone
At the beginning of every year, there’s a student org fair where hundreds of student-led organizations showcase what they do. There’s an organization for literally everything. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for, you can found your own organization! The busy Rand wall, a wall right outside the high-traffic Rand dining center where orgs promote events and causes, attests that Vandy students are always involved.
- Campus dining & Nashville dining
I take our dining for granted nowadays, but after hearing about the dining at some of my friends’ schools, I’m reminded of how great Vandy dining really is. The options are truly endless and accommodating of all types of diets. I’ve recently become a vegetarian, and it has really opened my eyes to how extensive my choices are. If you start getting sick of campus food, Nashville is the perfect place to unleash your inner glutton. Our meal plan even includes a bunch of Nashville restaurants in the Taste of Nashville program!
- Research
If you’re interested in getting involved in research in college, Vanderbilt is the way to go. Student researcher positions are pretty easy to find, as research is a huge part of Vanderbilt’s identity. The majority of my science course professors run a research lab and teach at the same time, and a ton of my peers are involved in research. I am currently a part of two research labs, which I know sounds crazy, but it’s a ton of fun and definitely manageable.
I could honestly talk about many more reasons why I love Vanderbilt, but that would make for a very long post. I think it’s important to also mention that although Vanderbilt has its many perks and the students here are proud to represent the school, it is not perfect by any means. What’s important is that the student body cares enough about the future of the university to inspire change. And with that, that’s all from me folks. As always, feel free to email me any college-related questions you have at lanxi.liu@vanderbilt.edu. Anchor down!