Here at Conn, we students are dedicated, committed and a bit whiny. Nearly all of us have used the line “I pay fifty grand a year for (insert complaint here)?!?!”. I’ve done it myself a fair few times but now, as a senior who just come back from a semester abroad in Scotland, I (like many abroad-ers) have realized many things about our college.
While in Scotland, I attended the University of Edinburgh, which is 28,000 students strong by official counts. Luckily, most of my classes were higher level, so the number of students wasn’t too large, and one of my professors even knew my name.
However, he was the exception to the rule, and even for him I had to put my university number – not my name – on papers. So I found myself missing personalized interaction and collaboration with faculty, which Connecticut College is extraordinarily good at.
Highly accessible professors and administrators are the norm here, and take my word for it – it’s a wonderful thing.
Another characteristic of Conn that is admittedly a blessing and a curse is the size of our campus. I lived in dormitory housing in Edinburgh that was a twenty-minute walk from any Uni building (and I’m 6’2”, so short people took longer).
And if that seems long, try talking to someone who studied in a bigger city, like New York or Rome (where every crosswalk is a gamble). Conn is a very convenient size, making everything here almost literally at your fingertips. Which reminds me – ladies, don’t be impressed by a guy if he walks all the way across campus to see you – it’s hardly an arduous task.
And then there’s Harris. Think it’s bad? Try a dining hall where you can take only one selection from the main line, and only have salad after that. Or try feeding yourself every night, always preparing (or ordering and paying) food no matter how broken and tired you are. The former experience I had in Scotland, but most of the world does the latter every day. Having an oasis of food and choices that serves three meals a day (or more if you wish) and cleans up after you is incredible. Sure, the main line isn’t always appealing, but if you can’t find or create something good from all that’s there, you worry me.
So next time, before you write that nasty napkin note or start using the “I pay 50K a year for ____” line, think about all you have here. Every time I look out at the sea over an expansive green surrounded by beautiful trees, buildings and people, I realize (and remember) how truly lucky we are.
