Name: Laura K.
From: Antonio, Texas
The decision to participate in UConn’s Pre-College Summer program was easy for me. I had been looking into the program on and off throughout my sophomore and junior years of high school. Finally, my junior year I decided to take the plunge and apply for it. I wanted to be able to get a taste of college before my senior year of high school and also explore one of my passions, public health, to see if I really did want to turn it into a career.
At UConn, my roommate and I would typically wake up, meet up with our suitemates and other friends on the floor, and head out to eat breakfast together in the dining hall. After that, we would split up and go to our respective courses for 3 hours. After lunch together, we would either head back to class for another 2 hours or attend workshops to either explore our interests or just try out something new. Following that, we were given free time for the rest of the night to partake in a variety of different activities that allowed us all to bond or just relax and live like typical college students.
The most memorable moment of my summer at UConn was my final night there. All of the girls and RAs on my floor were sitting together in our common space and talking. Even though it was the last night, I was still meeting girls that I hadn’t met before and made even more new friends. As the night came to a close, everyone was sharing their Snapchat usernames with each other, so we could stay in contact. Although we had only known each other for 6 days, we had all become so incredibly close. The bonds I made at UConn were stronger than I ever could have imagined for a weeklong camp and I am glad to have so many new friends because of this program.
I would tell anyone who is even remotely considering this program to just go for it. I was extremely apprehensive to go since I am from Texas and knew I would not know a single person there. Yes, it can be a little awkward for the first couple of hours, but everyone is in the same boat and bonds form so quickly. Also, the experience you gain in whatever course you choose is invaluable. If you are like me and unsure of what you want to do in life, it cannot hurt to go and have a week dedicated to exploring that particular subject. Your experience in whatever program you choose could be the factor that helps you decide what career to pursue.