My journey at Tufts these past four years has had an outstanding impact on my life: I met people in Miller Hall on day one who I know will be my lifelong friends; I took unique and insightful courses with amazing professors whom I can confidently call mentors; and I was able to study two vastly different academic subjects — economics and Latin. Now that four years have passed, it is time to say goodbye. I’d like to offer some final thoughts to close this chapter of my life.
Joining the Daily was one of the highlights of my senior year. After submitting several op-eds during my junior year, I formally joined the Opinion section in fall 2023. I came in with little knowledge of the Daily’s inner workings and was excited to learn more about journalism and meet new people.
In joining the Daily, my previously dormant political side awakened. I found myself debating most of my Opinion section peers on various topics. Over time, I became more confident and learned to stand my ground when challenged. I occasionally received feedback on my articles from members of the Tufts community, including from students, alumni and parents. I will always be grateful knowing that people read my work, were convinced by my views and valued my contributions to the Tufts community. Regardless of what I was writing, the experienced members of the Daily provided me with valuable insights and feedback at every stage of the writing process. Most importantly, they pushed back against many of my points, which ultimately made the final products that much stronger. To the Daily — thank you.
Holding conservative views at Tufts means being in the minority. Earlier this semester, I wrote an article for the Daily Week special edition titled “On the importance of conservative perspectives at Tufts.” In this deeply personal piece, I ruminated on the lack of conservative representation within the Daily (and at Tufts altogether), its implications and possible remedies. Voicing conservative views in a largely liberal environment, especially in a public forum like the Daily, risks provoking upset. Being conservative at Tufts has given me the courage to be myself in the face of potential opposition. Conservative voices at Tufts do not deserve to be muffled by opposing viewpoints. More conservative students should publicly convey their perspectives to show the Tufts community that differing points of view are the norm and a healthy part of any academic environment.
Conservatives can hold their ground and stand up for their beliefs in many ways. The Opinion section in particular offers the opportunity to write about anything with a distinct viewpoint, including local, national or Tufts-related news. I know there are conservatives on campus who refrain from speaking out, likely because of some of the reasons I outlined above. I completely understand their hesitancy; however, Tufts is obligated to provide an academic environment where diversity of perspectives is prioritized. To anyone afraid of divulging their opinions — seek out like-minded peers at Tufts. With time, you will become more comfortable discussing your views out in the open. When September rolls around, I would be thrilled to visit The Tufts Daily website and see a right-leaning opinion piece!
Besides my conservative viewpoints, many of the articles I’ve written have focused on the heinous Hamas attacks of Oct. 7, the ensuing conflict abroad and growing antisemitism at home. In doing so, I grew closer with my Jewish peers. This bond was augmented by my increased engagement with Hillel and Chabad, especially after the March 3 TCU Senate hearing.
The antisemitism displayed at Tufts in this past month alone is astounding. Students alleging that Tufts is complicit in genocide have camped out on the Academic Quad, with “from the river to the sea” proudly displayed on cardboard posters. Additionally, the National Students for Justice in Palestine announced that Tufts SJP stands in solidarity with pro-Palestine protesters at Columbia University, who displayed insensitive behavior, including one protester calling a Jewish person a “pig,” a well-known antisemitic trope. Despite the Tufts administration’s attempt to negotiate with the protesters, no deal could be reached, and the protesters subsequently vacated the Academic Quad on the evening of May 3. The following morning, workers began erecting fencing around the quad, presumably for Commencement, in line with the university’s prior reasoning for removing the encampment. While this result is a win for the short term, the Tufts administration needs to more strongly address and condemn hateful behavior toward Jewish students, starting with increased education on antisemitism. That said, I am glad protesters dispersed.
Besides the Daily, my time at Tufts has been characterized by many things, including COVID-19, new friends and personal growth. As an underclassman, my peers and I were preoccupied with navigating the pandemic, attending Zoom classes and carving out some semblance of a social life. Four years later, in spite of all the trials we faced, I look back on 2020 and smile. I cannot envision a world without the close friends I’ve made at Tufts. They’ve motivated me in times of challenge, showed me kindness at every turn and supported my academic and extracurricular pursuits.
Beyond those whom I met in the hallowed halls of Miller’s basement, I’ve grown close with so many amazing people in Tufts Hillel, Tufts Finance Group, the Daily and Tufts University Social Collective. I am grateful to all of them and to Tufts University where I’ve grown so much as a person.
Pax et Lux.
