2021-22: A Year in Reflection and A Message For Incoming Students

Written by Ria Saraswat (W’25); Edited by Shivani Desai (W’25)

This time last year, I trampled down Locust, posed in front of Steiny-D, almost touched the Ben statue by the Compass, and pulled at the locked doors of Huntsman Hall. I lost my way in Chinatown, explored City Hall, and basked in the sunlight in the center of Rittenhouse Square. I snuck into a deserted Houston Hall, circled around Hill, and lost my way down Walnut. 

This time last year, I visited an empty school – there were no students lying on College Green pretending to be productive, there were no tables lining every inch of Locust with students bombarding me with information about clubs, societies, and everything else Penn has to offer. And so it baffles me, in the best way, that one year later I can say that I’ve found my home at Penn after initially knowing nothing about where I was spending the next four years. The prospective students taking in every ounce of Penn with eager eyes and open ears during Quaker Days are a reminder of where I was just one year ago, and how much I’ve grown since then.

As the school year comes to a close, it seems like the perfect opportunity to reflect and acknowledge how much has changed in a mere eight months. My first week at Penn felt like a dream, and I was in awe – of the people I was meeting from every corner of the world, of the city I got to explore with friends I’d just made hours before, of the deep conversations I could have with other students with different interests and backgrounds. It was refreshing, exciting, frightening, and exhilarating all at the same time. But once the newness of college faded away, I was struck by the sense of imposter syndrome most first-years face when they get to Penn. I had the urge to prove my worth, whether that meant taking the most challenging classes or joining the most coveted clubs on campus. And thankfully, I was quickly humbled. It took me time to learn that my place at Penn isn’t defined by the courses I take, the number of clubs I’m involved in, or the jobs I’m recruiting for. By the time second semester began, I had a much clearer idea of who I wanted to be during my time at Penn, how I wanted to spend my time, what I wanted to learn, and who I wanted to interact with. This semester I’ve found my people, explored new interests, furthered my passions, and found joy in every chaotic second of being a college student (even the all-nighters).

All of us are here to learn. But we’re also here to become who we’re meant to be. I am a completely different person than I was a year ago, and I think that’s a testament to the beauty of Penn and the college experience you will have here.

To all the incoming students: Everyone has a place at Penn the moment you decide that this is where you want to be. There’s no need to prove it, because you already have.