Middlebury College has given me ample opportunities to discover and sharpen my abilities and build on my strengths, helping me to accomplish things I never thought I could. Constantly, as I walk to class, eat in a dining hall, or visit a friend, I'm overwhelmed by a sense of belonging. At Middlebury, I can feel that special confidence that comes from knowing I was meant to be here.

I think this is one of the greatest characteristics of Middlebury: There is a place for everyone. And by place I don't mean a dorm room or a classroom, but rather your own niche in the community, one that only you can occupy. I've found my own place, and I can confidently say that I'm having an exceptional college experience, well beyond my expectations.

When I was a freshman, my first-year seminar professor, Sunhee Choi of the chemistry department, kept saying we were going to have fun in the class. I thought, "Wait, this is a seminar on chemistry; how much fun can we possibly have?" But as it turns out, thanks to our professor, we had a great time. Coming back from a hike up Snake Mountain with my classmates from that seminar, we started Mchakamchaka, which brought an African tradition of running and singing, one I'd grown up with, to Middlebury.