Reflecting On My First Year as a Senior

Hi everyone! My name is Eric and I am a senior majoring in Business Administration and minoring in Game Design! I am originally from Arlington, Virginia but have enjoyed calling Pittsburgh my home for the past four years. When I think about my time here at Carnegie Mellon, I am filled with immense pride and joy to have been able to learn and grow in such an amazing place! While these past four years have flown by, I still fondly remember my first year here like it was yesterday…

Before coming to Carnegie Mellon, I remember being incredibly nervous about what my time here would look like. I was excited to study and learn in a new place but felt anxious about how I was going to fit in this new environment, especially since I didn’t have any friends from my high school who were attending CMU with me. I was starting completely new, and I was scared I wouldn’t be able to find friends who had similar interests to me. However, I knew I had to put myself out there if I wanted to meet new people, which was nerve wracking for me as an introvert, but a necessary step in my endeavors to find new friends. Luckily, my Resident Advisor, Peter, was super friendly and made me feel welcomed from the start. My residence hall also hosted several community events where I was able to meet the people I would be living with! We had movie nights, group outings to restaurants, and even some game nights every now and then! I got to know my fellow hall-mates better and became very close friends with a few of them, who are still my best friends to this day! I also got involved in a few clubs on campus, although focused heavily on one called MoneyThink! As someone who is very passionate about financial literacy, MoneyThink’s mission to educate college and high school students about financial literacy aligned with my values and provided me a way to build on my existing knowledge and share it with others. I also met a bunch of like-minded people there with similar interests as me, which was another great way I was able to make friends!

I was able to explore a lot more of Pittsburgh than I imagined during my first year and was able to attend a lot of different exciting events! Within my first month of being here, I attended my first Pirates game with my sister! It was against the Washington Nationals, my home team, and the Nationals won! I got to experience the beauty of PNC Park and enjoy the beautiful city skyline as well! I also explored a lot of museums using the CMU Arts Pass, taking in the intricate art pieces and sculptures within. My personal favorite is the Andy Warhol Museum, which tells the story of his life through his artwork and continuously features collaborations and seasonal exhibits. I also explored some of Pittsburgh’s 80 different neighborhoods, with local favorites being Squirrel Hill, Oakland, The Strip District, and Lawrenceville. Each neighborhood is unique and offers so many great restaurants! It’s hard to pick a favorite when each neighborhood provides their own charm and style! While I had several fond memories and experiences during my first year, my favorite memory is definitely getting to attend March Madness when they came to Pittsburgh! As part of residential life here at CMU, our House Fellows host community-wide events or giveaways to foster a closer community spirit. One of which was a raffle that awarded March Madness tickets to the lucky students who won! I was fortunate enough to win and got to see a few first round games with some of my closest friends in my residence hall, all paid for by the university! It was my first ever time going to the March Madness games and I eventually went again two years later when they returned to Pittsburgh! 

Overall, my first year here at Carnegie Mellon was filled with tons of memorable moments and unique experiences. When I look back on who I was during my first year, I can only feel pride at all the growth and progress I have made since beginning my time at CMU. I was able to find my closest friends, experience the different cuisines several Pittsburgh neighborhoods had to offer, and attend several sporting events and experience what it’s like to be a part of the local fanbase. As the end of my time here at CMU draws nearer, all I can think about is how fortunate I am to have been able to find a supportive community where I have been able to pursue my passions and interests in ways I never imagined possible. While I feel sad about graduating and leaving Carnegie Mellon, I know that I will always be able to call CMU, and the city of Pittsburgh, my home away from home.