7 Things I wish I had known before getting into Minerva

1. Minervans really like to travel. 

Spontaneous or planned, we are all thrilled to travel to new places each semester! Some of my friends go on long-day trips to Chicago, New York, Manhattan, or Boston. Others planned trips around San Francisco for sightseeing, such as going to Twin Peaks for the view of the whole city or wandering on the 14R bus to travel along the Mission District. Some even take the literal “extra mile” and go to another country like Canada.

‍

2. Minervans are passionate about personal projects. 

Before coming to Minerva, I had learned from an upperclassman that they have businesses in our shared hometown. As a Minerva student, I now know that they were not an outlier: so many of my peers own businesses or work on their personal projects. What’s more, our community overflows with ideas and interests. One of my friends wants to utilize AI to help a business create a Q&A section to answer questions from employees. Another friend hopes to create an app reminding people of the food expiration date to reduce food waste because, something they came up with having to cook for themselves as a Minerva student!

‍

3. San Francisco really is like in the movies!

The landscape of a US city or countryside is drastically different than that of my home country of Vietnam. In one instance, on my way to Palo Alto for a networking event, I noticed how uniformly blocks of houses in Silicon Valley were lined up. As one of my friends pointed out, we really understand why people use the expression “one more block to the left”.Believe it or not, I was impressed with a scene in Inside Out with the image of a curly, steep street, filled with cars from the top of the street to the bottom. That turned out to be Lombard Street right in San Francisco. Seeing the street coming to life in front of my eyes, not only in the daytime but also at nighttime, I have come to cherish the beautiful, cinematic sights that this city offers us, and learned to capture every moment. 

‍

4. I can make friends everywhere, even outside of Minerva.

I cannot recount the number of new experiences I have had interacting with people outside of our class. One time, we made friends with the 01 bus driver because he was the only bus driver who allowed 15 plus Minervans on board. On Christmas Eve, I chatted with a bus driver in Daly City and got a free ticket. I make frequent trips to a store in Chinatown, where I became friends with the Vietnamese shopkeeper. She told me all about the events happening around San Francisco: participating in Halloween festivities near Ocean Beach, watching the fireworks and the firecrackers at the busiest road in Chinatown, and traveling to San Jose to celebrate Vietnam's festivals and traditions. She gave me a free tote bag and also introduced me to the best sellers of the store, making me feel hospitable in a new place. That is what I love about San Franciscans: they are friendly, hospitable, and cheerful.

‍

5. Minerva has a very close-knit community.

Believe it or not, I remember the faces of many of my classmates, and I am really grateful for having them with me. They are the ones who hold me accountable: upcoming assignments and make-up work, city experiences, and networking events. I carpool with them all the time to community events, knowing that I will learn something new on the ride.I usually gather with my friends around the kitchen table or in my room for bigger feasts. In the abundance of food and drinks, we tell each other stories about each other’s life. We get to know each other’s values, goals, and even crushes. Exploring other people's views and opinions helps us to reflect on our own journey and see how unique our stories and backgrounds are. I would not trade these experiences for anything else. 

‍

6. Students apply Minerva HCs in real life all the time! 

As I think about our Complex Systems course, my mind immediately goes to the #negotiation and #mediation HCs (Habits of Mind and Foundational Concepts). We have a lot of fun trying to negotiate inside the classroom but we are constantly exposed to scenarios that are applicable in real life too. For example, I negotiate with my friends when we choose the type of food for our communal dinners. And while sometimes it takes a while to get to final decision, the goal of the negotiation is not to fight about what food we should eat, but to enjoy the food together after a long, hard week! From job hunting to stakeholder negotiation, I have come to understand the importance of negotiation and the range of possibilities in negotiation and mediation, and that applies to much of the other knowledge Minerva is teaching us, too! 

‍

7. Minerva constantly iterates upon student feedback.

Minerva staff and faculty receive input from Minervans on a daily basis - improving processes, clarifying information, handling conflict. The university is proactive in solving problems, and the processes we have now have definitely come a long way from the first-ever generations of Minervans. As a result, I feel safe because I know I can reach out to staff or my friends for support, from completing out financial aid forms to filing taxes.

‍

‍If you, too, are eager to start your own Minerva journey, consider applying to Minerva University. Applications for the Class of 2029 will open soon!