What’s your major and why did you choose it?
My major is Environmental Science! I came in as an Animal Science major with a pre-vet track. However, I changed after my sophomore year when I realized I had more of a passion for the environment. I originally planned to do animal conservation work or maybe be a traveling animal veterinarian. However, as I explored more classes and interests, I became very passionate about sustainability and my personal impact on the planet. I started changing daily behaviors in my life to be more eco-conscious and realized that I wanted to change my major. Ever since then, I have enjoyed my classes more and really found groups of people who had the same interests and beliefs as me.

Why did you choose UConn?
I chose UConn at first because of the proximity to my home back in Danbury, and the academic programs. It has an amazing college of agriculture, and since I was coming in as an animal science major, it was the perfect fit for me. As a scared freshman, I also was not prepared for a major transition and needed the closeness to home as I was very much a homebody at the time.

Who was your favorite professor and why?
One of my favorite professors was Dr. Ashley Helton in the NRE Department. Not only was she my advisor, but I got the opportunity to take Stream Ecology with her. As an advisor, she was always so helpful and thorough. She answered my questions in great detail and always went out of her way to make sure I got the feedback and advice I was seeking. When I got the chance to have her as a professor, I realized she takes that same passion about teaching and enthusiasm into the classroom. She was very cheerful every day and really made the class excited to learn about streams! Not only did her bright outlook make her my favorite professor, but she always presented the material in a way that was easy to follow and very organized. She had a variety of teaching methods from slideshows, to videos, to drawing on the board, which helped to break up the material and present it to many students with a range of learning preferences.

What was your favorite class and why?
One of my favorite classes was a Sociology class I took for a W (writing) component. It was called Society and Climate Change and was the first sociology class I took at UConn. It was probably one of my favorite classes because I felt like I got to use a different part of my brain than I typically do in science-themed courses. I had the opportunity to be more creative, and it challenged me to write more about my opinions and how to articulate them well. It was also a very calming and supportive space, and I felt like I really got to know many of my classmates and my professor compared to a lecture hall of 100 students.

What are your plans after graduation?
Since I switched my majors after my sophomore year, I only got to explore environmental science for two years. Therefore, after graduation I am really hoping to explore some different internships and fields to find out what area I specifically want to focus on. Long term goal is I would like to go to graduate school and get my master’s.

What’s your favorite thing about UConn?
One of my favorite things about UConn is by far the “cow-town feel,” as some like to call it. I was very hesitant at first to come to a college that is very rural; people warned me that there was nothing around. I came from a town where everything was within a 5-minute drive, with not too many farms. So the first time I got off of 84 and drove 15 minutes on back roads to campus, I was slightly questioning if I made the right choice. However, after spending some time here I learned how amazing this small-town college is, and how I didn’t feel isolated from society as I thought I would. UConn in itself is a community and there is so much to do on the campus. I grew to love driving by the fields of cows and after four years here, I am saddened to leave my second home.

What activities were you involved with on campus?
For the first few years I was involved with Outing Club and participated in a beautiful trip to Acadia where we spent a few days camping and hiking. I also got very involved with the UConn Wildlife Society my sophomore year and am currently the vice-president. The club has grown with me, and many of my friends and memories come from the Wildlife Society. I had the opportunity to learn and be up close to local animals and learn about how individuals such as myself can help to protect them.

What’s one thing all UConn students should do during their time at UConn?
I am very biased in this answer, but I think all UConn students should explore Horsebarn Hill and visit the barns. We all drive past the fields and hill to get to campus and so many of my friends even senior year had never stepped foot on the top of Horsebarn Hill nor knew we had a UConn Forest. As an environmental science major, I have spent a lot of class time out in the field and in the UConn Forest. It is a beautiful place, and I think everyone should take advantage of the amazing scenery we have here at UConn.

How has UConn prepared you for the next chapter in your life?
UConn has prepared me in many ways for the next chapter of my life. I have met some amazing people who I think will be friends with for a long time. Not only that but it has taught me many skills I will take into my future jobs and work.

What were some of the things you had never done before you came to UConn?
Coming to UConn, I have had the opportunity to try a wide variety of new foods I never experienced before. I have definitely opened my mind to new foods and now cook many different foods I never would have tried before coming here. Another major thing I had never done before coming to UConn is live on my own. Junior year, I moved off campus into an apartment and I learned a lot about independence and how to cook and do things for myself.

What is one thing that will always make you think of UConn?
Besides the UConn women’s basketball team and the UConn Dairy Bar, I think sunsets will always make me think of UConn. UConn sunsets are always so colorful and can be seen all over campus. The best ones are after it rains all day, which it does a lot here in Connecticut. But I remember walking home from a long day in class my freshman year up to Towers and remember seeing the beautiful sunset over Horsebarn Hill. And now senior year, one of my roommates always points out an exceptionally colorful night and I can always hear her in the apartment remarking, “look at the sunset!” As I peer out the window, I always think of that time freshman year and all the time I spent here and how much I have learned and grown as a person, and I definitely will miss these sunsets.

Any advice for incoming first-year students?
I would advise incoming first-year students on many things:
• Get involved! Go to the involvement fair; I know it sounds very intimidating but I can assure you that you will find a club or group with similar interests to you.
• Go to the library and find a floor that fits your studying. As a first-year student I was very intimidated by Homer Babbidge and it took me a long time to get the courage to go in. But once I did, I realized that everyone was doing their own thing and it was very easy to navigate once I got the hang of it. You will spend many nights here studying for exams, so definitely take the time to explore all the floors; there’s many great, hidden studying spots!
• Go outside! Spend some time to just sit outside; it can get very overwhelming with schoolwork and clubs but sitting outside by one of the ponds or on a bench will go a long way. I also would encourage you to check out some trails in the UConn Forest or go walk Horsebarn Hill.
• Lastly, it’s okay to be homesick and to not be super involved in hundreds of clubs and organizations. As long as you find one or two clubs you’re interested in, make some friends on your floor or in class, and enjoy your major, you will be okay! I can assure you the next few years will get easier! UConn is a very big community, so it may seem overwhelming at first as it was for me, but once you start looking and getting involved, this big college town will soon feel like a second home.