I’d like to use my post this week to reflect upon reasons why I am glad to have selected Wellesley. . .
As a California girl who hadn’t travelled to many parts of the U.S., or outside of it, EVER, I was looking for an adventure. I guess I believed that the farther from home I was, the more likely it would be that I’d encounter something different, something that would shake me, and make me uncomfortable in the best way that teaches me how to adapt to and then appreciate difference.
I still haven’t adapted to some things:
1. The cold New England weather
2. The inability to find a cafe/diner that is open 24 hours and close enough to campus for me to get to (this being for late night munchies and all-nighter study sessions alike…).
But there are some other, quite lovely, things that I really appreciate:
1. Living outside of the city. This is great because Wellesley provides the transportation necessary for me to immerse myself in urban life whenever I please…and to leave it when it becomes too overwhelming… (now if only I could fix that late night cafe part…;-) )
2. A beautiful campus. Even when the trees are barren and not enough snow has fallen to cover up the winter’s killing of everything lively, Wellesley’s campus has a sort of frozen grandeur to it that never fails to impress. And the spring is breathtaking- I have no idea how much money goes into maintaining the grounds at this time, but it’s got to be a lot…
3. Study abroad opportunities. Wellesley really took care of me when I studied abroad in Mexico and Spain. The Wellesley Spanish department programs in those countries are TOP NOTCH. Directors and staff care so much about their students and in Spain, when I faced a medical emergency, my program staff really supported me and helped me to feel safe. Later on, I received a Global Engagement Fellowship from the Center for Work and Service at Wellesley, which allowed me to stay longer in Spain and work there over the summer.
4. Wellesley tuition grants. Enough said, this is a great, great thing that transferred over to fund my studies abroad. I thank my donors every semester at a card writing event with the CWS.
I think the best thing that you can do when deciding on your school is to ask questions of the students who already went there and to get multiple opinions. I recommend reading a past post I wrote, about issues of diversity on college campuses, because that is one thing I did not think about when making my decision. I do not regret having chosen Wellesley though, because I have learned so much from the representatives and general members of our college’s multicultural orgs.
One thing I think a lot of you have a question about already, is the quality of our professors teaching here. I have had some very understanding, kind, and dedicated professors who extend office hours around student schedules to ensure that everyone understands class material, as well as some professors that literally goof around in class to the point of asking us about our romantic lives. I think it’s been a mixed bag, but I wouldn’t change my experience here and I’m glad I left my California element to experience it.
:-p