My name is Anjali and I am a first-year student at UVA planning to major in Commerce with a concentration in Finance. I am currently involved in multiple finance related clubs to further my academic interests; however, outside of these extracurriculars, I spend my free time dancing and have joined an Indian dance team, HooRaas, here at UVA.

Hometown

Centreville, Virginia

Major(s)

Pre-Commerce, Statistics, Economics

Minor(s)

Dance

Clubs, organizations & involvement

HooRaas, Smart Women Securities, East Coast Showdown Sponsorship Committee, Women's Business Forum

Describe your college experience

When I first moved into college, I didn't fall in love with it immediately like many people I know. It took me a while to get acclimated to this unfamiliar environment and I chose to stick to my high school friends who I am comfortable around. However, when I started putting myself out there and began to join new clubs and go to interest meetings with the intention of meeting new people, I was able to start enjoying my time here and even formed a friend group. It took me a while to make this place my home, but now, I love spending my time here whether it be cramming in the library for a unit test or just going on a wall and strolling through the lawn.

Tip for future students

Do not get stressed if you do not make a friend group on day one! I was incredibly nervous that everyone around me already seemed to be best friends and had formed large groups, but honestly, the longer you take to find your friends and form a friend group, the more likely they are to truly know you and stick with you.

Favorite class

So far, my favorite class has been my engagement class about conspiracy theories. In this class, we have full class discussions about different conspiracy theories and secret societies and for our final project we got the opportunity to make up our own conspiracy theory. I loved this final assignment because it was a really fun and creative way for me to show my progress in this class and just really allowed me to research topics I am interested in.

Career goals

After college, I hope to move to New York and get a job in finance​/​consulting. New York City is a central place with many commerce-related opportunities so moving there could broaden my academic pursuits; additionally, NYC is known for a lively atmosphere which will allow me achieve a work-life balance that I want to achieve.

Ideal way to spend a free night

My ideal way to spend a free night begins with me getting Thai food(drunken noodles extra spicy) delivered to my house and cozying up on my couch with a comfort movie. After my meal in my pajamas and in utmost comfort, I would bake some hot, chocolatey brownies and just relax before sleeping early.

High school or secondary school

Chantilly High School, Chantilly, Virginia