Twas only four short years ago that I decided to come to RIT. Now after years of new friends, exciting classes, and mountains of pizza, I’d like to take some time and reflect on exactly why I chose to make RIT my home.
The first reason really stems from the education opportunities that RIT has. I’m a Film and Animation major, and I’ve definitely got an “eclectic” sense of humor. I really wanted to go to a school that let me work on my own stories and projects from the start rather than work solely on upperclassmen projects until I became a senior myself. By allowing its students to work on projects that they care about, students in RIT’s Film and Animation program produce truly incredible pieces, and they learn about their own strengths and weaknesses in the industry.
Another reason RIT appealed to me so much was that I would have the opportunity to take classes in business on top of my classes in the arts. When I was looking at schools for animation, it was incredibly difficult to find a university that offered courses in business too. RIT has nine different academic colleges, allowing students to interact between majors. This was an extremely important factor for me. Not only did I get to diversify my education and expand my knowledge, but it also put me in contact with so many different groups of people I wouldn’t have met otherwise.
Speaking of people, I think the most influential reason I decided to come to RIT was the feeling of community and welcome I received every time I interacted with the RIT community. I visited the campus twice during the college decision process. The first visit was during RIT’s College and Careers summer event the August before my senior year of high school started. It was an overnight open house led by current students, and it gave us a chance to experience what life at RIT was like. In addition to meeting students and touring the campus, we got a taste of what the classes at RIT were like in mock courses put on by RIT faculty.
In between College and Careers and my second visit I met with an admissions counselor for RIT at my high school. To my surprise, no one else had come to the session. The event turned into an open, honest conversation about what RIT could offer me in terms of education and student life, and the connection I made with the counselor paid off huge when she became my future boss in the admissions office. Thanks for everything, Mariah!
My second visit was the deciding moment. I came to RIT in April of my senior year for Accepted Students Day. You ever hear about students who visit a school and just know it’s the right fit? That’s what happened to me.. The people were kind, the facilities were incredible, and it quickly sunk in that this was the school I needed to attend.
So there you have it! I’ve loved every second I spent here at RIT, and while I’m excited to graduate and start the next chapter of life, I will sincerely miss this place. If you’ve made the choice to come to RIT, congratulations! You will not regret it. If you’re still on the fence, consider what I wrote. I fell in love with this quirky little brick city, and I hope you guys do too.