Hi everyone!
I know that many of you are probably wondering how going to a college class feels like at Wellesley, what your relationship with your classmates is in college, and how to talk to your professors. So, I thought I would share my experience with those things at Wellesley.
I don’t know if it’s just me and my experience with universities in Bulgaria, or if everyone thinks this way, but I always imagined American college classrooms as these gigantic older-looking rooms that can fit hundreds of students. And that’s definitely not the case at Wellesley. Most classrooms look like high school classrooms—a few rows of desks and chairs, white or black boards on all the walls, and a desk in the front for the professor. The most people I have ever had in a class is around 30 people, so you can imagine that the rooms are not made to fit much more people than that. As for the old vibes of the classrooms, that depends on the building and the academic department. Most of the classrooms I have experienced are in the Science Center, which was renovated a few years ago, so the classrooms there have a more modern look. But there are definitely classrooms in the Academic Quad (where humanities and social science classes are held) that have that old fashioned look to them.
Classrooms in Wellesley!
I feel like going into a college classroom is a very chill experience at Wellesley. Because (almost) everyone lives on campus, people tend to arrive at class a maximum of 5 minutes early to class. I definitely sometimes underestimate how much time it’s going to take me to go somewhere because everything feels like it’s ‘right there.’ Once you’re in the classroom, you can be as social as you wish to be. There are people who socialize a lot, and there are people who tend to be a bit quieter. I feel like, especially in science classes, it’s more likely for you to socialize with your classmates because 1) you probably know most people in your classes, and 2) you would be looking for people to work on your homework with. Also, keep in mind that Wellesley is a rather small school, which means that, for better or for worse, it’s very unlikely that you won’t know at least one person in each of your classes.
As far as professors go, I think the professors at Wellesley are one of the best things about the college. I have found every professor I have had here really accommodating and approachable. That doesn’t mean that every professor’s teaching style will be your preferred one, but it does mean that if you’re struggling, professors are always approachable to ask for help. Most of them are also doing research on campus and are looking for students to get involved. Of course, they are limited in how many students they can take in their research groups, so it’s not always guaranteed that you would get involved with research right away. I think it’s important to demonstrate your interest and develop relationships with professors you’re interested in working with.
A photo from my physics professor’s research lab!
That’s it from me for this week. Stay safe!