Maya de Jonge

"Coming from a pretty small K-12 school, I had never been exposed to such a wide range of perspectives and life experiences. I originally chose to apply to UChicago because I had been inspired by the students I had met and wanted to be surrounded by people who would really push me to grow, and looking back on my four years now, that is exactly the way in which this school has most meaningfully impacted my life.” 

Maya de Jonge is pursuing a BA in history with a minor in biological sciences. During her four years at UChicago, she has participated in the Neighborhood Schools Program, did one-on-one tutoring with Maroon Tutor Match, volunteered at Comer Children's Hospital, and worked as a research assistant at the Thirty Million Words Initiative. She also played on the club lacrosse team and helped with its recent transition to varsity in her role as captain.

Reflecting on her time at UChicago, she says: “If I were to meet my first-year self, I would tell her to take a breath and slow down a little bit. It took me until about third year to pause, really appreciate my time here, and be OK with sometimes prioritizing time with my friends over my school work, and I wish I had found that balance a bit earlier. These four years really do fly by, and I think a big part of making the most of them is to take note of the little moments and just be aware of how unique this time of life is.”