Paavani Ojha ’25
Hometown: New Delhi, India
If you had to create a synonym for the word Smithie, what would it be?
As cliché as this sounds: kind. Everyone I have met on campus has shown me so much kindness and support, it feels surreal.
If you could give a piece of advice to your younger self, what would it be?
Be kinder to yourself! I spent so many years being unnecessarily critical of myself and I now realize that I worked incredibly hard to reach where I am and I deserved far more credit than I used to give myself. Being surrounded by the incredibly reassuring people at Smith helped me reach this realization.
What three things would you like to accomplish this year?
The year is almost over, but at the beginning of 2021, I promised myself that I would come to Smith and challenge myself academically, step out of my comfort zone and forge strong relationships on campus. I am glad to say that I did exactly that and the Smith community made it feel so easy and comfortable for me to be who I wanted to be.
What would you do if you have all the money in the world?
Adopt all the dogs that have no homes.
What's something new and unexpected you've learned about your house (or about campus)?
I always thought that tunnels connecting buildings on campus did not exist but the day I came across the tunnel between Neilson and the Alumni Gym, I was ecstatic! I felt like I was in a spy movie and thought it was all very cool. Little did I know that this was really not that big of a deal. But I am okay with getting joy from small and seemingly insignificant things.
What's your favorite new spot to grab a coffee or tea?
I usually grab a coffee from the CC and walk over to the pond to sit on the benches next to the boathouse. On the days the sun comes out, my friends and I drink and watch the sunset over Paradise Pond. It is definitely one of my favorite things to do on campus.
If a prospective student was curious about the vibe in Northampton, what would you tell them?
Northampton reminds me of the small, quaint towns I would read about in children’s storybooks. I have not experienced the Northampton winter yet but I am certain that when the town is covered in snow it will look like something out of a Christmas movie. I have never seen snow so I can’t wait!
Smithie Snapshots is a new profile series highlighting members of the Smith community, located all over the world.