I believe that the people who comprise a person’s immediate environment determine whether a place or situation is fulfilling. For example, because I was with some great friends, I once had an amazing two days stuck in a car in a snowstorm. Additionally, when I think back to my undergraduate and professional experiences, I have no idea what grades I got on which tests but I do recall the classes with dynamic professors, being immature with my buddies, and working late nights on projects with my colleagues. At Vanderbilt, I have already started, and hope to continue, creating the same types of memories.
Additionally, there have been plenty of times in my life when I remember thinking, “Please don’t make me work with ______ (insert name here)”. That thought has crossed my mind at work, at college, and while playing awkward family games during the holidays, but not while at Owen. For the rest of our lives, we will be working in groups, and most of the time, we will have no control over their composition. It is reassuring to know that, at least for the next two years, I will not have to worry about who else is on my team. Everyone I have met at Owen is, in some unique way, smarter than me, and I thoroughly enjoy that feeling. Here at Owen, everyone wants to learn about how smart others are instead of competing or showcasing how smart they are.
It may be a function of humility, or even southern hospitality, but there is a sincere spirit that prevails throughout Owen, the Vanderbilt campus, and the Nashville community. When I first arrived, this genuine zeitgeist made me somewhat suspicious of people’s intentions. Anyone I met, whether on campus or at the local grocery store, was almost too nice and helpful to comprehend. When my cart was overflowing during my initial Target shopping spree in Nashville, I had multiple people offer to help me carry things in their own carts. Of course, there are other reasons why I chose Vanderbilt – the vibrant city of Nashville, the name recognition, the company recruiting, and the increased rankings – but many of those aspects are similar to what you will find at other schools. The one thing that you will not find elsewhere is the people.
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Whoa, whoa, whoa. I’d like a few more details about your experience trapped in a car in a snow storm. Namely, what emotions does one experience during a time like this? Anxiety? Rage? A slow, dulling realization that you might have to eventually eat another human? Did you at least have satellite radio?!