Student Squared: Ayushi Panchal ’28

In this recurring series, I (or one of my lovely colleagues) interview one randomly generated student. I love writing profiles because they get right to what I love most about journalism: connecting with other people and hearing their stories. So much of my college learning has come from talking to my fellow students. Each time I talk to a classmate about where they’re from, what’s important to them, or what makes them laugh, it makes campus feel a little more familiar. I hope that through this column we all can feel more connected to the people we might pass by every day. This week, I limited my selection to first-year students, so the class of 2028 can begin to introduce themselves to the community.

Q: Where are you from?

A: I’m from Miami, Florida.

Q: What’s something about Amherst that reminds you of home? Or does it just feel really different?

A: I’d say it’s much more different than Miami. Not only the weather, but also, and I don’t want to be mean to Miami, but the people here are so kind. Literally everyone that I met has been so nice to me. So that’s definitely the first thing I noticed when I came here.

Q: What are you interested in?

A: I’m planning to major in neuroscience. A lot of that aspect of myself is based on my interest in philosophy and Greek classics, stuff like that.

Q: Wait, how does that connect?

A: Well, [those things] and music, which is something else that I do. I’ve been a piano player since I was four. With the humanities and piano, I wanted to integrate that into something else that I’m a huge fan of, which is biological sciences … So I decided to stick to cognitive science.

Q: What’s one thing about Amherst that’s surprised you so far?

A: Other than the weather every day, I’d say the amount of resources that we’ve been introduced to has been more than anything I’ve ever imagined or had at my previous high school … One thing I like about Amherst is that there’s always something going on. Where I’m from it’s a bit more dangerous, so I don’t go outside as much, but here I feel so safe, and it makes me excited to go out and about and do things more.

Q: Do you have a habit or routine that you’ve picked up at Amherst?

A: This entire past week of orientation has been completely crazy. One thing that I’ve noticed myself doing is going places to regulate myself. I went to the Japanese garden the other day … I like to go alone sometimes and just sit there and stare at the trees.

Q: I was actually going to ask you what your favorite spot on campus is!

A: I like going to the Science Center at night when it’s really quiet.

Q: Oh, you have to read this article in the paper from last year. My friend Humphrey did an article where he stayed for 24 hours in the Science Center.

A: Where can I read this?

Q: At amherststudent.com. I wasn’t even trying to plug. Do you have a bucket list item for your freshman year, or for your time at Amherst in general?

A: I think I want to learn how to play the saxophone … or do a duet with me on the piano and my friend, or someone, on the flute.

Q: What are you most nervous about for college?

A: I’d say work-study balance. Also balancing social life, because at my old high school, we had 78 kids in my grade, so we were all friends with each other. It wasn’t like I would have to actively go out of my way to interact socially with people in order to maintain those friendships. Over here, that’s very different, because if I step out of that social circle, then it feels like I have to make an effort to be a part of it. That’s something that I’ll have to get used to.

Q: And what’s something you’re excited about?

A: I’m really excited to not just do research, but also meet other people in the field who are interested in similar things as me. It’s really hard to find someone interested in neuroscience, especially in Florida, or I mean, where I’m from, because usually over there we have people doing business or economics, stuff like that. So I’m really interested in meeting people who share that love or the same love of philosophy or Greek, stuff like that.

Q: Do you have a favorite moment from orientation so far?

A: I do love being in the Science Center with my friends really late at night. And just walking around and looking at the research posters and the plants. I liked looking at the drawings in the windows. That was very soothing. It was like a liminal space.

Q: What’s your favorite thing you brought with you to college?

A: I brought some stuffed animals. I have the Squishmallow … what is it called … a mammoth! I brought that with me, and a little banana duck.

Q: Is there something from home that you hope to find here? Like a group or a vibe or … anything.

A: When I was in high school, we had a Science Olympiad mentor who was also my AP Chemistry teacher. So every lunch, I would go to her classroom and eat lunch with my friends. So I’m kind of hoping to find a community similar to that. And in high school we were all friends for the most part, and so we were all very comfortable with each other. If we fought or something, we knew that it would be resolved, because in the end, we all loved each other, and also we basically had no choice. We were together basically since kindergarten. So I’m hoping to find that same small school community. And I guess for most people, this is a small school, but for me, this is relatively large.

Q: OK, my big final question is: if you could say anything to your year, the class of 2028, what would it be?

A: I hope that we never lose that sense of excitement that we felt on the first day of campus. Today was the first day here that I slept through my alarm, and I remember on the first day I didn’t even hear my phone alarm, but I heard it vibrate, and I immediately got up and was like “Today is the day!” So I hope I never lose that.