Keren Gonzaga

One of the first things that led me to choose Early Decision when applying to William and Mary was actually its Japanese Studies Program. I was unsure until my sophomore year if I could actually major in it however, but I'm glad that circumstances worked out in my favor. Being in the Japanese Department has been a blessing—I've met so many amazing friends and faculty all the while doing coursework that I always found to be engaging. Several of my classes I took for this major (shoutout to Classical Japanese Literature, Japanese Video Games, East Asian History to 1600, and East Asian Religions) are easily within my top favorite courses all throughout these four years. I've been able to accomplish so many things I've always wanted to do, such as becoming proficient in Japanese, learning more about Japanese (and Asian) culture and history, and even taking a study abroad trip to Japan itself, all because of this department. I know that I'm going to miss both my classes and the people I've met here, but I fully intend on keeping up with all the knowledge and skills I've been taught as I move past graduation.