We’re Shipping Up to Boston!

Something that I think we all tend to forget when worrying about an application to school or a job is what to do once you are accepted. Especially when this new opportunity involves a big move. It can be daunting to move to a new city or country without any family or friends to join you. We get caught up in the questions of how many classes should I take each semester? What kind of research opportunities are there? Are there clubs to join in your free time? With our last application deadline coming up at the end of this month, I want to take the time to highlight the transition that 50% of the Fletcher school population go through when starting their programs. Speaking on this topic today is Stuti Kulkarni, who moved from New Delhi, India this past fall to pursue the 2 year MALD program:

While I was born in the United States, I have lived in New Delhi, India for most of my life. I know Delhi like the back of my hand, and, over the past two decades, have developed an intuition for navigating life in the city. As a result, when the time came to start my life at Fletcher, I was nervous to start over in the Greater Boston area.

To my surprise, adjusting to this new environment was not as trying as I had feared – indeed, it was challenging as I was pushed out of my comfort zone, but the challenge came with a welcoming community who I could connect with through this exciting opportunity. My seniors at Fletcher have always been kind, making a conscious effort to give me tips to balance a social life and academic life. My batchmates have been stellar friends and companions both within the Fletcher building and off-campus. The sense of camaraderie at events such as ice-skating, ski trips, hikes, performances by The Fletcheros (our in-house band!) and dinner parties have helped me feel connected with people across different ages, cultural backgrounds, and areas of interest. The warmth of the Fletcher community is also prominent in interactions with the faculty and staff – the professors regard students with compassion and respect (always ensuring to pronounce our names correctly) and the various offices provide us with support without fail.

Paired with the vibrant, dynamic area that Greater Boston is, Fletcher has helped me explore fun places with wonderful people. I did not think I could feel as confident in a city as I did in Delhi, where I can understand almost all the languages spoken, but I was proven wrong by the friendliness of people in Medford, Somerville, Cambridge, and Boston. I am lucky to have a community of intelligent, gracious, and talented people surrounding me and I am glad I chose Fletcher!