Kiran K.
Cornell Running Club, Empathy Assistance & Referral Service, Psi Chi, Cornell Adolescent Psychology Research Laboratory, A&S Ambassadors
I chose Cornell because I knew I wanted to go into therapy (which meant some sort of postgrad education) and knew Cornell had great research opportunities, faculty, and a renowned capacity to facilitate understanding both generally and within psychology.
I'm a big fan of the steak burritos from Terrace.
Not a shocking answer to those who know me, but running! There are so many great trails and routes in the greater Ithaca area, and especially during the fall, I often feel tremendously privileged to get to experience such beautiful scenery as I exercise.
The Cornell Running Club participates in a relay race called Ragnar: Reach the Beach, which is a race that takes you across the state of New Hampshire (200+ miles) in ~24 hours. That day with my team of Cornellians, while at times exhausting, was super fun and a great reminder of how much we can do when we do it together. I loved the opportunity to get to know people and even close friends more through the experience and sharing the unique moments that came with the race.
As I alluded to earlier, I'd say my peers inspire me most. Seeing my friends be so truly dedicated to advancing themselves and working within their fields, whether it be ornithology, anatomy, or public policy, inspires me to do the same with psychology and be my best self.
My favorite class at Cornell was my Developmental Psychopathology class with Dr. Mendle. When I thought about getting into the discipline of psychopathology, her class was what I pictured. She talks about disorders from a wider perspective and teaches the DSM-V, but crucially she integrates in individual stories to make sure that we never forget the people behind the diagnoses. I was genuinely excited to go to class, and I always felt like my views were getting challenged and expanded.
To me, getting access to such a wide range of perspectives makes the Cornell experience unique. Whether it's taking classes across a myriad of disciplines, meeting people who come from all over the country or world, talking with faculty with a wide range of professional backgrounds, or having the option to participate in such a vast range of clubs means being shaped by many others at Cornell. A Cornell education is a chance to learn from viewpoints that you would likely never otherwise encounter, which is a tremendous gift.
I love how driven everybody is at Cornell in all regards. Whether it's their academics, clubs, or athletics, so many people I know clearly care about their involvements and are willing to put in the work. Seeing people really focus on self-improvement- constantly refining their understanding of their field, advancing research or the mission of their club, or even the simple things like trying to get a faster mile time is inspiring and motivates me to do the same.
I am planning on getting a Master of Social Work (MSW) and eventually becoming a Licensed Certified Social Worker (LCSW) right out of undergrad, with hopes of doing person-facing therapy or clinical social work!
I'm a fan of the new desks on the first floor of Olin, especially when they get natural sunlight.
There's a segment of the Monkey Run trail that overlooks the Varna cliffs that is a great place to spend time and enjoy nature, especially when it's warmer or around sunrise/sunset.
I think Arts & Sciences fits my natural inclination to explore while also offering depth. There are so many incredible classes in Arts & Sciences, so even knowing I always wanted to pursue psychology as a major, I appreciated having a reason to take classes in fields like astronomy, ASL, or English. That being said, A&S still allows for tremendous depth within disciplines, as evidenced by the fact that I have taken years of psychology classes and still have classes I am incredibly interested in taking.
What I enjoy most about psychology is how easy it is to find purpose in its study. To me, there is such immense value in understanding how people work regarding self-understanding, interpersonal relationships, or society at large, so we can learn how to help and contextualize others. Understanding the psychological puzzle pieces that make the picture of a person is an incredibly nuanced and important pursuit, and my time at Cornell has only affirmed that for me.
I have gone to both A&S advising to navigate picking classes and managing credits and A&S career services for career guidance. I found out about both by simple email outreach.
I wish I had applied early decision, as I didn't quite understand that process during my initial application.
I just kept showing up and getting involved in communities that were interesting to me, like the running club and my lab. Naturally, over time, that led to connections with people who were driven to consistently engage with the same interests as me, which meant the blossoming of some tremendously meaningful friendships.
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