Hi again!
The Admission Summer Interns (and Mariam’s friend who was so lovely and funny) took a trip to downtown Boston and had a relaxing picnic at Boston Common, the oldest park in the nation! We had a ton of Trader Joe’s goodies and a ton of fun, too.
This ASI outing was probably one of the best memories I’ve made since coming to Massachusetts. As someone who really values spending quality time with my friends + family and considers bonding activities as pivotal parts of any relationship, this picnic was literally the best thing I think the ASI team could have done.
We got out of work at 4:30pm, walked to the commuter rail station nearby, and took the train to Back Bay together. I was doing my makeup so I was almost late, but luckily I’m a fast walker when necessary! Before heading to the park, we stopped by Trader Joe’s and bought a bunch of snacks and some lemonade—it only cost us about $11 each! Sofía is kind of like the mom friend, and she had brought a few large blankets for us to sit on too. We sat there for a couple of hours eating and chatting, mostly about how our summer has been going, but also our future plans and what we’re looking forward to in the fall. The picnic went smoothly overall, and we’re a really funny group of people (at least I think so), so we laughed the entire time. The only hiccups we encountered were when the squirrels would scurry to us and literally wait for us to feed them. Boston squirrels are so bold, though, so our tactics to scare them off didn’t work very well (yelling, scolding, throwing Mariam’s crocs, etc).
I hadn’t visited Boston Common in a while, so despite the pesky squirrels and occasional bug, it was so nice to spend time with my new friends in such a beautiful setting. The Boston Common is nothing compared to Wellesley’s campus, but it’s nice to have a change of scenery, you know? You can see the Boston skyline right from the park, and there’s the most charming pond right in the center surrounded by immense, wispy trees. Plus, the Common is right by the Public Garden!
So many flowers!!! Even on the dress!!! 🌼 💐
The breathtaking view behind me! 🏙️🌟
Since it’s summer, I obviously have a lot more time on my hands to hang out with friends and relax. Despite Wellesley’s academic rigor, though, I found that I was able to do a lot of fun things with my friends during the academic year. My first year at Wellesley was jam-packed with parties, board games, late night talks in Bates dining hall, ramen dates with my roommates in Cambridge, study sessions at the Boston Public Library, and so much more. I was able to meet people outside of Wellesley too, and I feel like there’s such a kind, inclusive community not only at Wellesley College but in Massachusetts in general. I was a little worried about the culture on the East Coast since Hawai’i has such a unique community and culture, but I was pleasantly surprised once I arrived. All the faculty and staff I’ve interacted with have been thoughtful and hospitable, and all of my peers are always enthusiastic to befriend me.
I’m excited to make more memories just like this ASI picnic outing throughout my next three years as a Wellesley student. I can’t wait to see my friends again in the fall, and maybe I’ll get to meet some of the folks reading my blog posts too! Wellesley has so much to offer besides just an excellent education—this is where you’ll meet some of your lifelong friends, have fun in ways you didn’t know was possible, and make long-lasting, joyful memories.
See you later!
Yewon