Josephine Welch - Boston College

I think that many can agree that the adjustment to college is far from easy. Growing up on a small island with a tight-knit community and shifting to college is difficult. This semester, what I found is that beyond its challenges, lives personal growth and so much excitement. Walking to class and not recognizing faces was new for me. Although I was now experiencing a whirlwind of new, I was able to find a sense of community that I was always so used to. My home within Boston College was found in the nursing program, a select group of around 100 students out of my 2,335-person class. I shared the majority of my classes with these people. We worked hard together, struggled together, and laughed together. I have fallen in love with the environment the programs brings, one that wants everyone to succeed towards a shared goal. My first semester has been filled to the max with new friends, exploring, football games, fun, and of course, memorizing every bone and muscle of the human body. While focusing on mostly rigorous, nursing-heavy classes (chemistry, anatomy and physiology, and labs), Boston College also requires every student to fulfill their liberal arts core curriculum. This allowed me to take classes outside of my normal comfort, like art history and theology, and expand my knowledge beyond the sciences. Being right outside of Boston has been a great experience. I’ve enjoyed having a sense of a campus in Newton while also being able to explore a city that, although so close to home, feels like a whole different world! Exploring a city known to be the best in healthcare has made me eager for my future. I feel extremely grateful for the newness that every day brings and for MVYouth giving me the opportunity to take it all in. Roll Eags!