The Knightly News

The following is North alumna Rithika Ganesh’s response to our questions about her college decision process, the student life and culture at The University of Michigan, and more.

Ganesh graduated from North in 2018. She is a part of Umich’s class of 2022.

I decided to attend Umich because the academics here are amazing. I was personally interested in pursuing a degree in computer science and they had one of the best engineering programs. I also wanted to be on a large campus with a lot of people, and Umich was the perfect place for that. 

I am super glad I chose Umich! I’ve met some of my best friends here during my first year of college. I love the campus, and being able to have a variety of study spots or places to hang out with friends is great. The social life is also amazing, especially during game days, and there are tons of activities/clubs to keep you busy. 

The academics are hard, but I’m definitely learning a lot. I have even gotten to take some interesting classes that are not a part of my major, such as “German fairytales” and “The myths in Anthropology in Archaeology.”

I definitely get homesick⁠—I was especially homesick my first semester of college. It’s definitely a huge adjustment being away from friends and family, but the friends that I have made during college are like a second family to me now. I miss having a car and not having to walk everywhere, I miss my high school friends, I miss my teachers from North, I miss being able to see my dog every morning, and I miss being able to eat my mom’s food.

Photo Credit: law.umich.edu

The hardest part about attending Umich would be the academics and the weather. The academics are very competitive, and there are definitely some days where I’ve woken up and started working and gone to bed still thinking about my work. The weather during winter is also tough to handle, especially when it starts snowing and a 10-minute walk makes you think your fingers are going to fall off.

One of my favorite things about Umich is the school spirit. Everyone here loves the university and you can definitely tell on game days. I also love walking past the Diag in between my classes because there is always something fun going on down there. 

The culture at Umich is very open and inviting. There’s a space for everyone to feel included, whether that’s in clubs or even in the classes you take. Everyone is also very social and there are many great opportunities to make friends. Students are also often expressing their love for the University. Everyone is really proud to say that they go to Umich; you won’t go a day without hearing or reading the words “go blue.”