Student organization involvement: Xclusive Step Team

Hobbies: Watching and playing sports, skateboarding, playing Just Dance, and doing karaoke with friends

Favorite study spot (on or off-campus): Second flood of Rettner Hall

Favorite place to relax on campus outside of your dorm room: Rocky's Sub Shop & Lounge and Havens Lounge in Wilson Commons

Favorite food on campus: Sol Bowl (located in The Pit in Wilson Commons)

Favorite thing to do off-campus:

• Nature spots: Highland Park and Cobb's Hill Park
• Restaurants: Java's Cafe and dogTown Hots
• Museums: The Strong National Museum of Play and Rochester Museum & Science Center
• Attractions: High Falls, Lower Falls, and the Liberty Pole

Biggest worry before you arrived at Rochester and advice would you give your younger self: My biggest worry was that I wouldn't find anyone to connect or become friends with. My advice to my younger self would be to just go with the flow and participate in some organizations and events that interest you because that is where you'll find like-minded people and have a high chance of connecting with someone.

Favorite way to meet new people on campus and in the Rochester community: Stepping out of my comfort zone a bit and going to events and activities around campus. Also, going to different student organization's GIMs (general interest meetings) to see if they are something I would enjoy and be willing to commit to, so I can meet others with similar interests.

What you wish you knew about Rochester academics when you were an incoming student: I wish I knew what a cluster was and how to choose one and incorporate it into your schedule. Also, I wish I had known more about the University's open curriculum and what that truly means in terms of your schedule flexibility.

Your best piece of advice for fall course registration day in August: Visit the Course Schedule Course Description (CDCS) website to find what classes are available for the fall semester and their meeting times. Also, make sure to create two or three saved schedules in UR Student, just in case you don't get your first pick of classes on registration day in August.

Personal fact that surprises most people: Even though I'm originally from Jamaica and lived there for 10 years, I still don't know how to swim!

Student organization involvement: Celebration chair for Gamma Phi Beta; co-president of Club Field Hockey; Medallion Program; Order of Omega Honor Society

Hobbies: Working out, going on walks with friends, playing ping pong, watching any kind of Disney movie, plant care, and trying new foods

Additional jobs: Bloch Fitness Center team leader at the Goergen Athletic Center; sports analyst for the athletic communications team; Wilson Commons Student Activities spirit staff; Meridian (campus tour guide)

Favorite study spot (on or off-campus): Starbucks in Wilson Commons and the stacks in Rush Rhees Library

Favorite place to relax on campus outside of your dorm room: Welles-Brown Room in Rush Rhees Library and the lounge outside of Starbucks

Favorite food on campus: California Rollin' in Goergen Hall and The Pit in Wilson Commons

Favorite thing to do off-campus: I love going to Park Avenue and attending the Lilac Festival in the springtime. I highly recommend Jines or Highland Park Diner for breakfast or lunch. If you want an ideal day, to The Strong National Museum of Play, and then across the street to Stem for good vibes, relaxation, and plant shopping time!

Biggest worry before you arrived at Rochester and advice would you give your younger self: My biggest worry was being a new environment where I didn't have any established roots or a routine that I could rely on if things didn't go to plan. My best advice would be to just go for it, even if you think it's not going to work out—the only way to make things better in a new environment is to give it a chance.

Favorite way to meet new people on campus and in the Rochester community: Your first-year hallway, as well as recitations, office hours, and events planned by Wilson Commons Student Activities

What you wish you knew about Rochester academics when you were an incoming student: You will have a lot more free time than a typical high school day and it's a big adjustment! It will be different kinds of work that is often more detailed, but you also have a lot more resources such as professors, teaching assistants, recitation leaders, free tutoring, and more.

Your best piece of advice for fall course registration day in August: Make a couple of saved schedules just in case something doesn't work out. Talk with your advisor beforehand and don't be afraid to reach out to them with questions!

Personal fact that surprises most people: I went to Germany in the fall over Thanksgiving break to visit a friend who was studying abroad.

Student organization involvement: Meliora Finance & Investment Group

Hobbies: I used to love running (either outside or in the gym) and I love spending most of my free time hanging out with friends.

Favorite study spot (on or off-campus): The Barbara J. Burger iZone in Rush Rhees Library – it always has a great vibe and people are focused, but it is not too loud.

Favorite place to relax on campus outside of your dorm room: Probably Starbucks on the third floor of Wilson Commons. I love coffee!

Favorite food on campus: Probably the overnight oats from Grab & Go, but the soup in Danforth Dining Center is a close second.

Favorite thing to do off-campus: I love going ice skating at the Genesee Valley Park Sports Complex or walking to College Town when the weather is good.

Biggest worry before you arrived at Rochester and advice would you give your younger self: Honestly, one of my biggest fears was how I would help myself stay accountable to study. I was always the type of person that would do things at the very last minute (which I don't think is a good habit), but the atmosphere at Rochester really helped. There are a lot of libraries on campus and going there with friends and seeing everybody study made me want to study by proxy. Also, I thought that it would be harder to make friends and connect with people, but people are very friendly and outgoing.

Favorite way to meet new people on campus and in the Rochester community: I think the most effective way is going to on-campus events and student organization meetings. However, I always meet new people during classes because of group assignments or projects.

What you wish you knew about Rochester academics when you were an incoming student: How supportive people are and how many resources you have to help you succeed.

Your best piece of advice for fall course registration day in August: Don't worry if you don't get into all the classes you wanted, you will have the chance to take them all! When I first looked at all the courses I needed to take, it felt overwhelming, so roughly planning my schedule helped me see that I had plenty of time.

Personal fact that surprises most people: I organized 27 conferences in two years!

Student organization involvement: American Sign Language Club, Computer Science Undergraduate Council, RocLab, User Experience Design

Hobbies: Reading dystopian books, running, cleaning up my room, cooking, and watching cooking content.

Additional jobs: I will be a campus center building manager starting in the fall!

Favorite study spot (on or off-campus): I love studying in Gleason Library's quiet zones and in my dorm.

Favorite place to relax on campus outside of your dorm room: My favorite place to relax on campus is Hirst Lounge in Wilson Commons.

Favorite food on campus: I love the sandwiches from Rocky's Sub Shop & Lounge, the rice bowls from California Rollin', and the desserts from Danforth Dining Center.

Favorite thing to do off-campus: My favorite thing to do off-campus is to go to College Town and grab some drinks. I also love going to all the cafes, bakeries, and restaurants around Rochester. Some of my favorites are Boulder Coffee Cafe and Lounge, Equal Grounds Coffee House, Java's Cafe, Cheesy Eddie's, and Sunny's Family Diner.

Biggest worry before you arrived at Rochester and advice would you give your younger self: Before arriving at Rochester, my biggest worry was whether I would be smart enough to succeed academically. If I could advise my younger self, I would emphasize that intelligence is not fixed, and that growth comes through effort and perseverance. I also would encourage myself to focus on my strengths, acknowledge my accomplishments, and remind myself that I was accepted for a reason.

Favorite way to meet new people on campus and in the Rochester community: My favorite way to meet new people on campus and in the Rochester community is by attending student organization meetings where I can connect with others who share similar interests and by volunteering for local events or organizations to engage with the broader community and make meaningful connections.

What you wish you knew about Rochester academics when you were an incoming student: I wish I knew there would be much more free time in my day than in high school and how to use it; this can be a big adjustment. Using this time wisely can be very important. But don't worry! This means that there is more time to go to professors’ and/or teaching assistants’ office hours, study, and hang out with friends.

Your best piece of advice for fall course registration day in August: Keep an open mind when applying for classes. Create a couple of tentative saved schedules in UR Student and work your way down to two or three schedules you like. Always have backups! If you have questions, remember to reach out to your College advisor.

Personal fact that surprises most people: I lived in Beijing, China for six years and am fluent in Mandarin Chinese. (I'm also half Chinese!)

Student organization involvement: No Jackets Required, The Pact

Hobbies: I enjoy spending my free time with friends. When I need time to myself, I enjoy powerlifting, shopping, trying new arts and crafts, and connecting with my family.

Additional jobs: I work as a team leader in the Bloch Fitness Center at the Goergen Athletic Center during the academic year. Off-campus, I work as a sales associate with the Rochester Red Wings minor league baseball team.

Favorite study spot (on or off-campus): This answer changes every year, but I have been enjoying the new section of third floor stacks in Rush Rhees Library (often called 3 New).

Favorite place to relax on campus outside of your dorm room: When it's nice outside, I like to sit on Eastman Quad, or the third floor of Douglass Commons.

Favorite food on campus: Bagels from Connections

Favorite thing to do off-campus: The restaurants around campus are great! My personal favorites are Aladdin's, Taste of Japan, and The Distillery. Also, the Lucky Flea and Public markets are great places to shop and find new things.

Biggest worry before you arrived at Rochester and advice would you give your younger self: Before arriving to Rochester, I thought I was going to have a hard time making friends. The advice I would give to myself would be to be myself and introduce myself to people. Don't be afraid to show others who you are!

Favorite way to meet new people on campus and in the Rochester community: My favorite way to meet new people is going to popular areas where students are and joining different student organizations for their events. Off-campus, the Rochester community is always interested in a good story. Sharing where you're from and where you're going is always a delight to strangers.

What you wish you knew about Rochester academics when you were an incoming student: I wish I knew more about the cluster requirements and how exactly they worked. I think that planning the first-semester schedule can be challenging without guidance, especially when you don't know what classes to take.

Your best piece of advice for fall course registration day in August: My best piece of advice would be to make a saved schedule in UR Student!

Personal fact that surprises most people: I have twin sisters!

Student organization involvement: GlobeMed, Rochester Bhangra

Hobbies: I love to hang out with my friends, read, dance, and watch movies.

Additional jobs: Teaching assistant for BIOL 111L and research assistant at the Schifitto Lab over at the Medical Center

Favorite study spot (on or off-campus): Either the Art & Music Library, the stacks in Rush Rhees Library, or the Periodical Reading Room. It depends on my mood and how long my to-do list is.

Favorite place to relax on campus outside of your dorm room: Under the trees on Eastman Quad when it's warm outside.

Favorite food on campus: Definitely Danforth Dining Center. They have the best vegetarian options, and you can always count on the vegan station for an incredible meal!

Favorite thing to do off-campus: I love going to College Town to grab dinner with my friends every once in a while; they have a great array of restaurants. I also love Indian food, so two other restaurants I frequent (though they're a little further away from campus) are Tandoor of India and Namaste, which has incredible street food. Lastly, Park Avenue is a cute little spot with a bunch of coffee shops and restaurants to relax at!

Biggest worry before you arrived at Rochester and advice would you give your younger self: My biggest worry before I arrived at Rochester was that I wouldn't fit in, both from an academic and a social lens. The one piece of advice I would give to my past self is that everything happens for a reason and works out. Every other incoming student is in the same position as you, and everyone is super eager to make friends and start little study groups!

Favorite way to meet new people on campus and in the Rochester community: My favorite way to meet new people is by joining student organizations on campus. You're able to bond with people over shared interests, and each organization creates a great platform to forge lifelong friendships.

What you wish you knew about Rochester academics when you were an incoming student: I wish I had known how many resources are available to help you succeed. So many people are rooting for your success, and all you need to do is take the first step! Reaching out to the professor and teaching assistants for the course, or even booking tutoring appointments through the Learning Center are incredibly valuable resources to help you thrive academically.

Your best piece of advice for fall course registration day in August: Make multiple saved schedules on UR Student! If you end up not getting your first pick (don't worry if this happens), it'll be a lot easier to register for your second schedule rather than each class individually.

Personal fact that surprises most people: I've been skydiving in Spain!

Student organization involvement: Hindu Students' Association, Rochester Bhangra, UR Equestrian Team

Hobbies: I like to hang out with my friends and go to coffee shops or parks around the Rochester area. When I'm by myself, I love to read fantasy novels and binge reality TV.

Additional jobs: Teaching assistant for CHEM 131/132

Favorite study spot (on or off-campus): Art & Music Library

Favorite place to relax on campus outside of your dorm room: I love to relax and take naps in the couches in the Welles-Brown Room in Rush Rhees Library. When the weather is nice, I like to sit outside in Eastman Quad.

Favorite food on campus: Rice bowls from California Rollin' in Goergen Hall

Favorite thing to do off-campus: Tandoor of India and Namaste are my go-to restaurants! Both have authentic Indian cuisine that remind me of my childhood. I also recommend going to High Falls and The Strong National Museum of Play, which are both super fun to go to and are very close to each other.

Biggest worry before you arrived at Rochester and advice would you give your younger self: My biggest worry was definitely if I was going to find people I really connected with and wanted to spend the rest of my college experience with. I would tell younger myself that it's completely normal to feel like this and you just have to be patient and put yourself out there. This is a new experience for everyone, so don't stress and have fun.

Favorite way to meet new people on campus and in the Rochester community: I love meeting new people through student organizations! I've had so much learning about other people's backgrounds and interests.

What you wish you knew about Rochester academics when you were an incoming student: I wish I knew just how many resources there were for my academic success. We have the Learning Center for help with classes, the Greene Center for career counseling, and so many resources on the University's website. Whatever you're looking for can be found somewhere.

Your best piece of advice for fall course registration day in August: Be sure to make several saved schedules in UR Student with backup options in case you don't get the classes you want. Talk with your academic advisor about what kind of classes you want to take before registering. Most of all, don't stress out!

Personal fact that surprises most people: I'm the only one in my family who hasn't had their name changed.