Freshman Experience, The University of Tennessee

Kassidy Puglisi

Architecture Major

From the moment that I stepped onto UT’s campus, I

knew it was going to be a place where I wanted to spend my next years. It had everything to offer that I could ever want or imagine in a school, and more. Being from New Jersey and wanting to go to college in the south, I was a bit hesitant that I was going to miss home, or have a hard time adjusting, but soon after move in, I came to find out that the University of Tennessee, Knoxville was going to easily be my new home.

For as long as I can remember, I have loved everything art and design, and ever since I was young, I’ve had a vivid love for architecture. This being said, that was one of the main reasons that I chose UT. I just finished my first year as a student in the University of Tennessee’s College of Architecture and Design, a place where I go each day to design, create, and learn from some of the best professors, mentors, and students the country has to offer. Although each day brings new challenges being a student in design school, I can confidently say I felt prepared and supported by the environment and community around me in the College to take on each day to full potential, and grow my skills and knowledge.

Outside of the College of Architecture, I was challenged throughout all the other courses I took, learning English,

Math, Spanish, and Physics at a higher level than I have before, but doing great in these courses with ease, by

the teaching skills and assistance from my professors and peers.

Growing up an athlete, playing various sports throughout my life and always being a part of a team, I knew joining Greek life was for sure something I wanted to do when I got to college. The Greek community at UT made the “recruitment” experience so seamless, and easily helped me find a second home inside of the campus. Joining my sorority was one of the best decisions that I have made thus far - socially as well as, making it so simple to surround myself with tons of other women similar to myself, who are there for me each day in and out, and allowed me to be apart of something that’ll last a lifetime.