At the start of the MPA Program, I was uncertain as to what kinds of people I would encounter. After meeting fellow students through meet and greets in the program, study groups and recruiting; I decided to room with three girls who were also in the MPA Program. Together, we became four roommates with three 4th-year MPAs and one 5th-year MPA. If you had asked me my freshman year, I would have never guessed that I would be rooming with three other girls in the same program. But this living situation has led to so many advantages.

First off, while we may not be taking the same courses or have the same schedule, living with people in the same program has kept me motivated to do well. Although I have struggled through preparing for exams and staying on track since the beginning of the semester, I have always had my roommates right by my side helping me through any situation that may arise.

Secondly, these girls have a similar level of work ethic. We work hard but we play hard. I feel like we are always studying throughout the week, with almost no end in sight. Studying day in and day out. However, we have found a way to balance learning with experiencing everything Austin has to offer. We try to stay on task during the weekdays, making it possible to take breaks on the weekends and have fun.
We all understand what each person is going through. I think there is some difficulty understanding what each major struggles with and it can be hard for some people to understand why certain majors are difficult. Because we are in the same program, each one of us understands the high level of difficulty we are all facing whether or not we are taking the same course. Being in one of the top programs is not an easy task, but it always help to have a group of people, like your roommates, who are your support system.