Akash Kurupassery, former CC President

When I first came to Emory, I remember feeling overwhelmed. I had just left my friends, family and the place that I had called home for so many years, only to be thrown into the awkwardness of icebreakers and orientation groups. I remember asking my Orientation Leader how long it took for Emory to feel like a home to her. She answered that it took her time to be comfortable in a new place, but despite my anxiety, I too would eventually find a rich community here that I would be reluctant to leave. Those first few days were terrifying, but I am happy to say that she was right. Emory has become a home for me, and I am delighted that I was able to spend my college experience in an environment that protected me but also challenged me to become the best version of myself. 

As a senior who is about to graduate, it is easy for me to view my college experience through a rose-colored lens. As I walk around this campus, I am filled with memories of the past few years, and I am sad that I will have to leave soon. From going on walks in Lullwater Park to having late-night conversations and adventures with friends, I will always treasure these moments that have contributed to making me the person I am today.

That being said, my time at Emory hasn’t been easy. I have struggled to achieve academically, engage myself in my campus involvements and take care of my personal well-being all at the same time. I have spent many nights, desperate for sleep, finishing up a paper or studying for an exam that I was sure that I would fail. I have spent many days running on auto-pilot just trying to put one foot in front of the other in order to not be overwhelmed by everything that I have to do. The worst moments are when a crisis is actively happening. It is in those moments that I am overwhelmed by panic and anxiety, and I feel like collapsing. But being able to face crises in the protective bubble of Emory has helped make me a more resilient person, and I feel prepared to face and overcome the obstacles that may lie in my path ahead.

I love my Emory experience, not because it was perfect, but because it has prepared me for the ups and downs of the real world. I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to attend such a wonderful institution, and for the lessons that it has taught me. No matter where my path takes me, my time at Emory will always carry a special place in my heart.

Akash Kurupassery is from Franklin, Tennessee. He served as the president of the Residence Hall Association and as the president of the 66th College Council. After graduating, he plans to study law at UVA in Charlottesville, Virginia.