Good morning! This is my last week on campus before heading home for the summer. All of my finals are online this year so I will be heading home this Saturday. As a write this blog among the piles of belongings and half-full boxes, I am feeling especially reflective. Rather than giving you the typical rundown of my week, I thought it might be fun to do a quick reflection on my favorite parts of Wellesley. I thought about doing 100, but that seemed excessive, so we are going to go with 10 things that should be on the Wellesley 100.
- The Child Study Center- When I tell you the Child Study Center saved my first semester, that is not at all an exaggeration. The Child Study Center is a laboratory preschool run by the psychology department for research. Along with student and faculty research, the CSC allows students to volunteer in classrooms. I started volunteering halfway through the first semester when I emailed the director saying “please let me volunteer. I need to be around kids again for my own sanity.” She responded surprisingly well to this and set me up to start working there the next week. Every week when I have been stressed about assignments or need a break from all my adult responsibilities, the CSC has been there for me. It’s like therapy, I swear to God. The staff is incredibly kind and supportive, always encouraging me to grow as a teacher and constantly trying to feed me snacks. The kids are utterly enchanting and remind me why I love early childhood education. I cannot imagine my first year without the CSC.
- Special Collections- I got the chance to go to our library’s special collections twice last semester as part of my introduction to romantic poetry class. We went in the first time to see a couple of original manuscripts from Blake’s Songs of Innocence and ended the semester with a chance to see some original manuscripts from all the other Romantic poets we studied including Byron, Shelley, and a book with Wordsworth’s own handwriting. Not only is the room itself beautiful and so much fun to explore, but the librarians also love showing students around their collections. It was one of those moments when I realized just how special it is to be at a school like Wellesley where there are these kinds of opportunities.
- The Mock Trial team- If you have read my blog before, you know that I am obsessed with the mock trial team. They have been such an amazing community for me and I don’t know how I would have made it through my first semester without them. It’s definitely a lot of work, but high commitment clubs like mock trial can be such a lifesaver for first years.
- That one swing behind Stone D that looks out over the lake- There are also lawn games and a couple of picnic tables, but the swing is really the highlight. It’s a little porch swing perfect for reading and staring blankly at the lake.
- Wednesdays- I used to hate Wednesdays at Wellesley because I had nothing to do. Wednesdays are flex days so only labs run during those days. Back at the beginning of the first semester, I would dread these days because it felt like a giant pit of open time. Mostly, I ended up just sitting around my room and not doing much of anything but homework. I only just discovered the magic of these free days. Its perfect for picnics, day trips, study groups, and anything you want to do with friends but can’t normally fit into your schedule. The bus into Boston is still free on Wednesdays so most people go into the city, but it’s nice to spend it on campus every once in a while too. Just this past Wednesday, I spent my morning at the Child Study Center and grabbed lunch at El Table. My friend and I had a little picnic in a Founders classroom and spent the rest of the afternoon chatting and studying. If you use your Wednesdays wisely, they become the highlight of the week.
- The cherry blossom tree behind the McAfee Dining Hall- When most people think of green spaces outside dorms, they think of the Tower Court Lawn or the Quint Hazard Quad first. Now, I don’t blame them. They are both beautiful spots and ones I frequent as well, but I think it’s about time we give some love to the East Side green spaces too. In particular, I think we need to recognize the quiet charm of the spaces behind the Bates and McAffee dining halls. Just the other day, I decided to haul my ratty picnic blanket out under the cherry blossom tree to appreciate the sunshine. Naturally, I fell asleep and woke up a half-hour later covered in a blanket of baby pink flower petals. It’s quiet enough back there that nobody will disturb you, but still connected to civilization. If anybody needs to find me some sunny day next year, that is where I will be.
- The groundhog behind McAffee- On a similar note, there is a groundhog that lives behind McAffee too. He only comes out to visit sorry souls working in the Bates dining hall at 6 am (really just me), but he is adorable. He is named Chester, in case you were wondering.
- Earrings- Nobody told me how many people at Wellesley make earrings. Also, nobody told me how cute earrings look. I won a pair of handmade pearl hoop earrings during a mock trial yankee swap and have been addicted ever since.
- Duck Day- I vaguely knew this tradition existed before I came to Wellesley, but didn’t really think of it until the day in question arrived. Some random day in the early weeks of spring, the office of student involvement declares a Duck Day. Now you might be wondering, what is Duck Day? You and every other first-year who checked their email that morning. But its purpose becomes clear once you step outside your dorm and see hundreds of little plastic ducks scattered across dorms and dining halls. There doesn’t seem to be any logical reason for Duck Day to exist which makes it all the more exciting.
- Lulu Late Night- I think Lulu Late Night has a special place in everybody’s heart. Of the 4 dining halls on campus, three close at 7pm or sometimes earlier. Lulu is the lone outpost students flock to after-study marathons or, for me, mock trial meetings that don’t end until 9 or 10. Ice cream just tastes better when you eat it at 8pm instead of 6:30.
While I am desperate to go home and snuggle my dog again, I really am incredibly grateful for my first year at Wellesley. It is not exactly what I thought it would be, but I can’t wait to come back next year and be surprised all over again.