Meet the Students of CGS: Jennifer Gonzales
College of General Studies 2017
College of Arts and Sciences 2019
Major: English
Were you undecided on your major when you entered CGS?
I was most certainly undecided when I entered CGS as a freshman. I knew I had an academic interest in literature as well as history. I’ve always known that I’ve had an interest in creative writing, reading. I knew that the College of General Studies would afford me the opportunity to explore other interests of mine. I’m very grateful for that opportunity because I did get to pursue other interests. I really enjoyed my classes in International Relations; however, English I thought was the best fit for me, so I recently declared myself an English major.
Why did you choose the College of General Studies?
I decided to enroll in College of General Studies because I thought that it would be helpful in the transition from a private, smaller high school into a larger University. I’ve taken classes in CAS, and I think it would’ve been more difficult to enter as a freshman where a lot of the classes are a lot larger than the classes in CGS and where you don’t interact with your professors as much. So I’m grateful that I made that decision.
How has spending time in London helped you develop a global perspective?
We were in London at the time that Brexit happened and I thought that was fascinating. I was interested in, and continue to be interested in, learning about the history of other cultures. I think it’s essential to college students to learn that we are members of a nation, yes, but we’re living in an increasingly globalized world and everyone should take the opportunity to travel to other places to learn about other cultures.
What value has studying abroad added to your education?
I think it was a way to not only learn about the history of another culture, but also immerse myself in that culture. The experiential learning process was so influential to all of us. All of the assignments were truly grounded in having us immerse ourselves in the culture and visiting various monuments.
What is your dream job?
I’m thinking that I might be interested in applying for law school. I actually am the child of two immigrants and obviously, we’re living in a time where immigration law is very relevant. I think reflecting on my own experiences that it might be something I would be willing to dedicate my life to after college.
What is one piece of advice you would give to an incoming freshman?
There are so many opportunities at BU if you just take initiative. It’s important to really seize every opportunity, seize the day. Over the past year, I’ve learned that it’s really best to put one foot forward and just send your resume, send your cover letter to any opportunity that you’re interested in.
Tell us something fun about yourself!
This semester, I’ve been taking an aerial silks skills class in FitRec. It’s something that I’ve seen acrobats do in the circus and it’s been a great way to relieve stress during the more stressful periods I’ve had in school.
This interview has been edited and condensed.