Bryn Mawr College: The Beginning of a New Chapter in My Life

I had some moments of introspection during my walk which I will touch upon more in this post. Firstly, I questioned my willingness to do "work" at nine in the morning; I am not and have never been a morning person, so it was curious to me that I had the get-up-and-go attitude that early in the morning. As I mentioned in my paper, I attribute that to being in college, where I can take whichever classes I want (most of the time) and do assignments because I want to, not just because I have to. In high school I was pressured by my college counselor to take classes that are "worthwhile," that "colleges would appreciate seeing on a transcript." Instead, I look classes like Environmental Science, Drama, and Geography because I liked them, thus severely perturbing my counselor. Still, I was always scrutinized for taking "the easy classes" and "not trying hard enough" to get into a "good college." But oh how the times have changed - my (former) college counselor now seeks help from me for college application. Yes, that same person that told me I probably won't get accepted anywhere and that "Bryn Mawr is a weird college" is now trying to sweet-talk me into doing his job for him. We'll see how that goes.

Another thing I thought about during my walk was which place felt "natural" to me, or where I felt at home. For a very long time, I did not feel comfortable or accepted in my own country; I was either too liberal, too curious, or too questioning. I refused to accept something as "reality" just because someone said so. I am an answer-seeker, and that is why I rarely shy away from asking questions, regardless of how "small" or "big" they are. I realized, during my walk, that Bryn Mawr already feels like home to me - I can ask all the questions I want and no one devalues me just because I am this or that. In other words, not only do I feel accepted, but welcomed and appreciated too.

These were just some of the things that I pondered upon during my Thoreauvian walk (or my attempt at one). I did not solve one of the world's greatest mysteries, but I answered some questions to myself and for myself. And with that I begin my new life here at Bryn Mawr College. Veritatem dilexi