‘MVOV17’
Nach Vandy
May. 15, 2017—Mitesh Bhalani, ’19 School of Engineering For as long as I can remember, dance has been an important part of expressing my cultural identity. Through Bollywood dance classes, I learned about the music, traditions, and celebrations of Indian and South Asian culture, as well as meeting some of my best friends. When I came to...
Intersecting Identities
May. 15, 2017—Anuska Dhar, ’19 Peabody College Walking into the org fair my freshman year, I felt this weight lifted off my shoulders as I realized I could totally reinvent myself in college and explore interests I had never been able to prioritize before in high school. Granted, the possibilities seemed a little overwhelmingly endless, but...
Living in McTyeire
May. 15, 2017—Arrush Choudhary, ’17 McTyeire Head Resident Being the Head Resident (HR) and a member of McTyeire International House has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had during my time at Vanderbilt. McTyeire is a living and learning community that attracts students with a passion for and interest in language acquisition, cultural awareness,...
Living in McGill
May. 15, 2017—Musbah Shaheen McGill House Head Resident College is a lonely time. We are away from our friends, or homes, our families, and suddenly responsible for our own fates, education, and laundry. It can be overwhelming and fast-paced. The trick is to turn it from overwhelming to empowering, and from fast-paced to exciting. I like to...
Creating a Vanderbilt for Everyone
May. 15, 2017—Anoynomous The New York Times recently published a report on the economic diversity of US colleges, including Vanderbilt. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a snapshot: 70% of students are in the top 20% 23% of students are in the top 1%. 3.8% of students are in the top 0.1% 1.9% of students...
On Being an International Student
May. 15, 2017—Arjun Desai, ’19 College of Arts and Science Growing up in Mumbai, India, I have been provided with a background unlike what the majority of people have experienced growing up in the US. I grew up speaking 3 native languages as well as English and French, and playing cricket, which is the country’s most popular...
Living With a Disability
May. 15, 2017—Carla Pax, ’19 School of Engineering The summer before my sophomore year of college, I found myself in a lot of pain. I had trouble lifting my arms above my head, dressing myself in the morning, or even being able to bend my fingers. It seemed that every joint in my body was inflamed...
Thank You, ASB
May. 15, 2017—Agatha Fenech, ’19 College of Arts and Science *Alternative Spring Break (ASB) gives Vanderbilt University students an opportunity to spend their Spring Break working in service to communities and individuals across the country and the globe. Standing at the Student Org Fair. Hearing your VUceptor say, “Hey, you should really check out Alternative Spring...
Harmonic Notions
May. 15, 2017—Jeremy Mani, ’18 College of Arts and Science College can be an overwhelming experience. In the swirl of planning your classes, being pre-med for at least one semester, figuring out to do with your life, making friends with everyone on your floor and changing your mind just as fast, and just trying to adjust to...
I Live for the Stage
May. 15, 2017—Akash Majumdar, ’19 Vanderbilt Performing Arts Community I live for the stage. Every time the curtains rise, I experience a surge of adrenaline combined with the desire to resonate with my audience. While preparing to make the journey from Kolkata, India to Vanderbilt, I rummaged through Vanderbilt’s 500+ student organizations, trying to gauge my potential...