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FAVORITE
COURSE: One
of my favorite courses was Intro to Women’s
Studies (WOST 120), which I took in my first year. Taught by
an extremely demanding and ridiculously intelligent professor,
this class
challenged the basic ways I thought about the world and my
life. I began to look at my surroundings with a new lens, and I
credit
this course with changing me the most.
YOUR PERSPECTIVES ON ACADEMICS: Studying
French at Wellesley has been a fun ride, and I think that the
fact that
I had no plans to
major in French before
coming is a tribute to the strength of the program. I had
a challenging
but charming professor in my first semester (now my advisor
and a friend, as well as the director of the study abroad
program I’ll attend in France next year), and I’m
now in my third semester with another professor, who I adore
for her
quirky and utterly French ways. The
program is so much more interactive and pleasant than my boring,
rules- and grammar-based
language
study in high school, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed
every class.
My
English major has also led me on an interesting journey,
and I feel like
I’ve been able to experience many facets of
literature just in my two years here. My Queer Lit (ENG
286) class in my first year enabled me to read books that I never
would’ve
been exposed to in a high school English course, and
the discussion was lively and enlightening. I also enjoyed intellectual
discussion
on classic novels in my Victorian Novel (ENG 272) class,
and now I’m
able to explore British comedy in my Restoration Literature
class (ENG 234). The English Department’s offerings
are vast, and English professors’ personalities
are just as varied as the courses they teach.
I’ve shamelessly relied on my wonderful professors for
help in internship and career guidance, and they’ve consistently
come through for me with letters of recommendation and offers
to meet. The Center
for Work and Service is also very open, accommodating,
and patient, and I’ve appreciated the advice I’ve
received there on my resume and cover letters.
I definitely value Wellesley’s facilities as well; I feel
that there is always the perfect space for the area I’m
pursuing. I’ve done night observing at the Whitin
Observatory in my astronomy class, taken a theatre class
in Alumnae Hall,
taken far too many photographs on walks around the lake,
examined minerals in a lab in the Science Center, and
hidden in a corner
of the quiet library during finals period.
BEST THING ABOUT A WOMEN’S
COLLEGE: In
retrospect, I can’t
believe that I considered attending any coed college.
After attending a girls’ high school, the transition
to Wellesley was very natural, and I’ve never regretted
my choice. I feel that the environment at a women’s
college is open and nurturing; students are free to express
themselves
and
explore different interests. At a place like Wellesley,
this kind of
self-discovery is coupled with demanding expectations
and
high motivation, which makes for a killer combination
of talented
and balanced women.
Attending a women’s college has also reshaped the
world for me in many ways. I often forget that women
are devalued
in wider society, and I feel that Wellesley prepares
us to fend
off this ignorance instead of passively absorbing it.
DREAM
JOB: My
idea of a dream job is in constant flux. Some days, I absolutely
want to pursue the legal track and make
it all
the way from
Harvard Law to Supreme Court clerk to lawyer to judge
to Supreme Court
justice. Some days, I’d like to either channel
(or discover) some amount of artistic talent and become
a screenwriter or film
critic. Other days, I’d like to become a Navy
linguist, preferably fluent in some sort of Eastern
European language like
Russian or Serbian. Clearly, my career path is muddled,
but I’m
hoping to sort it out with an internship this summer
and further guidance through my courses and professors.
I do not have concrete
plans after graduation, as I don’t feel that
a 25-year plan is the way to experience life. However,
I’m currently
considering law school a few years after graduation.
FUN FACT: As a child, I
was obsessed with “The
Sound of Music,” and I still think
it’s
one of the most uplifting and gorgeous films ever made.
I rely on it as a confidence-booster, reminding me
that sometimes
good can triumph and, well, sometimes people can break
out into song
in the streets of Salzburg. Imagine the amount of stuttering
and blushing I did when I got to meet Julie Andrews
at the Wellesley Booksmith last year!
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