Personal Narrative: My Experience At Rutgers University

I always thought I was an outgoing person. In high school I held various leadership positions and was heavily involved in sports and academics. I also had good relationship with my teachers. They held regular office hours before and after school and actively sought out students who were underperforming. I was fully aware of all the resources available to me and had no problems utilizing them. My high school class was only 450 people, had a 10:1 student: faculty ratio, and had a maximum class size of 25 students. This was a complete contrast to Rutgers University.
Upon arriving on campus, I was instantly overwhelmed by the masses of students. At Rutgers, a school of 50,000 students, I was small fish in a big pond. Not only was it difficult to
When a friend told me about Phi Delta Epsilon, the undergraduate chapter of the international medical fraternity, everything changed. Suddenly, I was a part of a community of like-minded students who were all in the same situation I was in. The upper classmen were always willing to impart knowledge and advice on classes they had already taken. They told us which teaching assistants were the most helpful and which professors responded to emails. Most importantly, I was pointed in the direction of academic assistance centers and learning centers. I found peers who were in the same situation I was in. We had all felt alone but together, working as a team, the journey didn’t seem so daunting anymore. We attended classes together, studied together, and tested each other before exams. I learned how to be honest with myself and ask for help when I needed it. Slowly, my confidence rose again, and I obtained leadership positions in other organizations across campus. I spent less time being anxious and more time being productive towards my studies. The campus wasn’t as daunting anymore as I knew where to go when I needed help. I began to enjoy my college experience and make long lasting connections with fellow students, faculty, and administration. I finally found my voice again and used it to help others and become the mature adult I am