Welcome back everyone! It has been a LONG time since I last blogged in March, right before our time on campus was cut short and we were all sent home! It is crazy to think I’m back here on campus after nearly 7 months. A lot has changed, but yet at its core Wellesley remains very much the same. I will try my best to capture this very unique Wellesley experience (pandemic edition)!
A lot of firsts happened in my first year, but because this sophomore year came with some unexpected twists, I’ve been able to experience a lot of new things. We’re only three weeks in, but here are some firsts I’ve experienced at Wellesley my sophomore year:
1.Having a single room. I’ve always shared a room either with my sister or with my lovely roommate last year.
2. Eating all my meals in a day in a picnic format. Since indoor seating for the dining halls was closed for the first few weeks on campus, some days involved eating all my meals with friends (socially distanced) in the grass enjoying the sunlight and scenery.
3. Lake Walk! This really should have happened last year, but I never got to take a full walk around the beautiful Lake Waban, so within my first week back my friends and I walked the trail going around the lake. So calming. So serene. So magical. We went several times after that, too, because this semester really is about taking in as much of Wellesley campus’ natural beauty as possible—and trust me there is a lot of it! Each time we take a lake walk or stroll along a path on campus, we discover some new spots. The campus is so fun to explore and has so much natural beauty that sometimes I am truly awestruck by it. We’ve had some VERY great weather and I’ve found myself appreciating the outdoors so much more. Stay tuned for some Wellesley nature highlights/ discoveries that I may feature in an upcoming blog post! Here’s a sneak peak 😉
4. The term system. As a sophomore I feel like I am finally settling into my academics and deciding what I want to study! For this year, Wellesley implemented a 4 term system (instead of 2 semesters) which initially caught me a bit off guard, but after a week I got comfortable with it. It’s been very rewarding to be able to focus on a less classes at once and really devote my time to learning the material! This term I am taking Arabic 201, WGST 214-Women and Health, and POL1 200- American Politics. I am really enjoying all of my classes so far!
5. Virtual PE class (Pilates) on Zoom!
6. The iconic Wellesley Bingo… but virtual!
7. Being a big! Flower Sunday just took place, and it was such a beautiful moment to see the entire Wellesley community come together to continue this beloved tradition. Safety restrictions regrading the pandemic definitely meant there were some changes and some improvising, but the spirit of the tradition and joy that always comes with it remained! It filled me so much hope and a sense of community that I am certain will remain despite everything. My littles are absolutely wonderful and I am very excited to be their big!
Here’s a socially distanced picture my friends, littles, and I took with President Johnson during Flower Sunday right outside our res hall (Pomeroy)!
Signing Off,
Ilma