Hi Everyone! My name is Betsy Macdonnell (she/her) and I’m a fourth year at UVA majoring in Media Studies from Glen Ridge, NJ. For my last semester I am interning with the Office of Undergraduate Admission on their Communications team. I love getting to connect with prospective students, and I look forward to telling you all a bit about myself, and hopefully getting to know some of you as well!
I mentioned above that I am from New Jersey, however, a fun fact about me is that I went to boarding school in Canada for all 4 years of high school. So coming into UVA, I really didn’t know anyone, and because of that, I was really nervous about starting at UVA. However, one thing that I remember was super helpful with my transition was Summer Orientation. During Summer Orientation, all incoming students come to UVA for two days over the summer. During the day, you are in a group with other students and you go to various different informational sessions to get acclimated, and also spend time doing activities with your orientation group. In the evening, there are a bunch of activities such as yoga in the Aquatic and Fitness Center, or an outdoor walk. This is another way to get to meet new people and explore grounds. Students then stay in a dorm overnight, which is a nice way to get a sense of what your dorm life could be like in the fall. I also think that staying in a dorm is a great way to get a sense of what to add to your packing list. The next day, your orientation leaders help you register for your first handful of classes before you head home. As an out of state student, coming for orientation helped me to feel a lot more comfortable at UVA, and eased my nerves about the upcoming transition to college. Similarly, I made some really awesome friends in my orientation group, which allowed me to have a few familiar faces around grounds in the fall.
During my time at UVA, I have been able to explore my passions and interests in a way that has opened me up to so many different opportunities. Coming into college, I had my heart set on journalism as my future career. For this reason, I was really interested in the Media Studies major. However, at UVA, you don’t declare your major until halfway through your second year. So although I took Intro to Media Studies my very first semester at UVA, I was also encouraged to take classes in a variety of disciplines. So during my first two years at UVA, I took so many interesting classes such as Sociology of the Family, Spiritual but not Religious and Abnormal Psychology. While I ultimately decided to major in Media Studies, by exploring my options I realized that my passion wasn’t journalism, but rather storytelling more broadly.
Throughout my time at UVA, I have been able to explore this passion for storytelling through a variety of different clubs and organizations. My two main involvements on grounds are the University Guide Service and IfYou’reReadingThis.org. Through the University Guide Service, I am able to give admissions tours to prospective students, as well as historical tours of grounds to any tourists who come to UVA. Through the University Guide Service, I’ve been able to engage with UVA’s rich and complex history, while also finding a community of other like minded individuals. IfYou’reReadingThis.org is a mental health organization that was started at UVA in the fall of 2016 to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. Through this organization, we collect and post weekly letters from UVA students, faculty and alumni about their own experiences with their mental health. These letters serve as a reminder that you are never alone in your struggles. I found IfYou’reReadingThis.org during my first year when I was struggling with my mental health, and these letters gave me comfort in knowing that it was okay if I didn’t feel 100% all the time. If you’re reading this, know that there is a place for you at UVA, even if you struggle with your mental health.
To end my blog post, I want to write a little about why I chose to come to UVA. I applied to UVA on a whim, never having visited, simply because a family friend told me she went here and thought I would like it. I didn’t know a lot about colleges in the U.S. since both my parents are from Canada and I was attending high school in Canada as well. So when this family friend suggested I apply to UVA, I figured I might as well. Flash forward to spring of my senior year, I was accepted to UVA Regular Decision after being deferred during Early Action. I had still never visited UVA, but it was on my short list of schools, so my Dad and I came down for Days on the Lawn. I remember instantly being blown away by how beautiful grounds was. I could picture myself sitting out on the Lawn and reading a book during a warm day. I could see myself taking classes in the beautiful red brick buildings. Beyond that, I remember feeling that UVA was a place where students really cared about the things that they were doing. Every student I talked to was so passionate about their organizations and their classes, and I realized that this was a place where I could be passionate and excited and a little bit nerdy. I realized it was a place where I could explore my passions, and I would find people who would want to support me as I did that. Overall, I just remember having this really strong gut feeling that UVA was where I should be.
Looking back on these past four years, it hasn’t been perfect by any means. Like any college experience, there have been high highs and low lows and a bunch of moments all in between. However, I can say with the strongest conviction that 18 year old me was right. This has been a place where I have been able to explore my interests and grow into myself. At UVA I have made friends who feel like family, and have ultimately become a better version of myself. UVA is just where I was supposed to be.