Coming to UVM from Far Away

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My name is Kira, and I am a current junior at the University of Vermont. I am in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, majoring in molecular genetics with minors and pharmacology and music. Currently, I am in South Carolina in this beautiful area of the woods, and it is 100 F. It's a toasty one today, but today I want to talk a little bit about what it's like to go to UVM when you live very far away from Vermont. I grew up in Colorado for the 1st 19 years of my life, and then last year my family actually moved to South Carolina. So both of those places are quite far away, and there are some very valid reasons why you might be concerned to go so far from home for college. I am here to hopefully address some of your fears and questions and tell you some things that really helped me make the most of my first year away from home. So first of all, moving day moving day is one of the most high energy times I think I have ever felt there are so many people there literal teams to help you unload your car and move all your stuff up to your room. I don't even recall carrying a single thing up to my room. They put all of into the basket, and it was in my room before I even knew which way was up. I'm at my roommate instantly that first weekend. My roommate and I happened upon enough year Bramante to power through the entire semester for free. My roommate and some friends and I had a back to back feature of the kissing booth and all the boys that love before, so that was a definite bonding experience. The energy that first weekend is just so high and even pre start classes there's just so much energy and excitement all over campus that you can really, really feel. Second thing I have to offer as a piece of advice is make friends with the people you live near. It kind of sounds obvious, but truly I was so close to the people on my floor on my very first year that the people who I currently live with signed a lease with having apartment with are the people who lived right around me my very first year at UVM. It really pays off Teoh think those close relationships so that no matter what happens, even if it's been a stressful day, you can always come home and know that you have friends to talk, to, hang out with and study with at any time. My third piece of advice is to take advantage of all that UVM has to offer. There are people whose literal job is to make sure that you feel welcome on campus, that you have a successful experience moving away from home for the first time and that your first year truly rocks. They will put on so many different events throughout, move in weekend throughout the first week of classes and honestly, throughout your entire year. That will really remind you why you chose UVM and how great it is to be a Catamount. Another great piece of advice that I wish that I could go back until myself, is that nobody really knows what they're doing. You know, people might be just moving from Massachusetts or Vermont or somewhere close by might be coming from a lot for the way that most of the people that you meet but you are all in this together. You're all going to college for the first time, else likely. You are all embarking on this learning experience in how to live away from home and how to really become more independent and have a great time in college. So don't feel too nervous or pressured by other people because no, nobody knows what they're doing. My third year is a constant learning process, and many, many people are there to support you. UVM has so many great things to offer academically, socially and just as a holistic experience. It has been one of the best choices that I have ever made to have so far away from home, you know. Yes, it has been a little bit stressful with travel, but at the same time I have learned how to navigate airports so much better. I have learned that you should not always by McDonald because he will not feel great on your flight. I've also met a lot of people on the one who I've found are going on similar flights isn't your how the same connections is me, and I'm actually kind of made some friends that way, And that helps me later on, too, because then I have more friends on campus. It's going to be OK. Another note about transportation and travel is that even though Burlington might be much smaller or much larger than the city that you're used to, it is very accessible. There are greyhounds and mega buses that stop at the bus station Downtown. Burlington International Airport is only about a 10 to 15 minute drive away, and from there you can fly to New York or Chicago and pretty much get on a plane to anywhere else in the world. Yes, it might have been a little bit of a circus act for me to move from Colorado to Vermont, but my mom, my sister and I very strategically packed our suitcases. I rented a car, picked up some extra stuff for my room that back beyond and headed right up to Burlington, where the moving crew was very eager to help me move in. Another thing that super duper helpful is that if you are a person who is not necessarily communicate with their family every single day, my family has reported that UVM is actually very good about keeping parents in the loop about what having on campus and even providing resource is for your parents about how to help you if you're home sick or struggling academically, or even just better ways to communicate with you while you're off in college for the very first time. With all that being said, I hope you found this video helpful, and I hope that you are excited to be a future counted out and call you ve I'm your home.