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.
