This week was filled with activities for the Japan Club for me. We had our Executive Board retreat where we cooked Japanese food (omuraisu, or omelet with ketchup rice), a Big-Little-Sister event where we made more Japanese food (onigiri, or rice balls) and planning for our upcoming events. Halloween is in little over a week, and JC will be hosting a Horror Movie Night in partnership with other Asian/Asian American organizations on campus. We’ll also be attending intercollegiate events like the Sports Day where students that are part of Japanese Organizations in many schools in Boston get together to compete in traditional Japanese “sports day” activities.
washing the rice to make onigiri (Japanese rice balls) with!
I’ve learned already that being in cultural groups is a great way to keep in touch with where I’m from, but also to meet people who have similar backgrounds and interests as I do. It’s a great networking source so if you strongly identify with or have strong interest in a particular culture, I’d suggest finding out if Wellesley offers an organization that can help you find like-minded people.
This past weekend was also Discover Wellesley Weekend. Prospective students from all over the country come to spend a night on campus and find out more about Wellesley. Some of the students I met are dead-set on applying to Wells — others (like I was at this point in my senior year) weren’t quite as sure. I unfortunately was not able to host any prospies but a few of my friends did, and I was able to talk to them during dinner. They were nervous and a bit anxious about the application process but also were extremely curious: they asked many questions about classes at Wellesley, the social scene here, student organizations… I realized I was answering all these questions pretty excitedly and thoroughly, even though I’ve only been here for (barely) two months!
The whole take away from our conversation though, I hope, was that Wellesley is a very unique place. The “all-women” thing isn’t quite as intimidating or strange as it might seem to be at first, the classes are difficult but manageable if you plan your days right, meeting people from other schools is a bit of a challenge (especially for first years) but not impossible, there are a TON of orgs and clubs to join so don’t worry if the current student you talk to doesn’t share your interests. There isn’t a singular “Wellesley Experience” that we all go through – we create our own experiences by challenging ourselves and going out there to find what we want. And the comfort and safety this school offers for you to make those slightly unnerving choices is what makes Wellesley unique, and the perfect place for me.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. You might not get the answers you’re looking for, but at least you’ll have answers!