Hampshire College Top Questions

Everything you think about college life is all wrong, yet right at the same time. Yes, people love to party. No, you will not able to drown it out with a fan and sleep through it. Yes, there is a lot of work in college. No, you are not going to be up until 3am every night. Only some nights. Yes, the Freshman 15 is real! No, unfortunately, you will not escape it. I know all that I've said sounds kinda scary, but it's really not. You'll get used to the noise. If not, be the brave person in your hall that tells people to be quiet. People will love and hate you for this. For work, just make sure you do all the readings and finals are a piece of cake. And the weight gain... please, just eat less pizza. It's not as good of an idea as you think. But what makes all these annoying and scary things worth it, are your friends. Be more social than you normally would be. Remember to keep putting your neck out, and talk to people. Because those sleepless nights are worthless without your friends doing the same.

Miranda, Three words (you may have heard them before) : It Gets Better. Trust me, honey, it does. You are trapped in a downward spiral, funneling you towards chaos. But that is not your way! That whirlwind tunneling down, down, is for the ignorant, stubborn, weak-minded idiots that surround you - do not let them take you along! Theirs is a future filled with disillusionment and disappointment; they will constantly be living between weekends, working boring, laborious jobs with a family chosen in high school that they will come to realize they do not love. Yours is a future filled with wonder, awe, love, and inpirational people; you will change the world, one student at a time. Your dream is to teach and inspire - you will do it! Just hang in there a little bit longer! As soon as you exit the premises of that rat-hole you've called home, the world will expand before you. Never forget who you are, and never let others attempt to tell you who that is. I love you, you'll do great things. Love, Miranda

I would advise myself to stick with my commitments and not procrastinate. At the beggining of the year I attented many different clubs, but by the end of the year, I failed to go to the clubs anymore. In the first semester, I socialized too much and thus, reglected my studies. I handed in one of my papers two months late. This was a very bad decision and reflected poorly on my evaluation of the course. I did not go to the clubs I would have liked to because I hung out with my friends to often and could not finish my work, thus I did not have time to go to the clubs. That would be my advice to myself.

Gateway Community College offered an easy transition for me as a single parent returning to school. Returning to school was a difficult task; however, at Gateway the teachers and organizations provided many forms of support. Gateway gave me the confidence that a degree was an attainable goal for me. Being able to receive free tutoring and easy class scheduling has put me into a fast track for a new career and brighter future.

While at Hampshire, I fell in love with learning. I had the freedom to engage with subject matter (psychology, more specifically psychoanalysis) that I was passionate about. I learned how to think and write analytically. I learned how to integrate theory and practice in my writing. Within the field of cognitive psychology, I learned how to conduct psychological research and even designed my own study. I developed skills in writing reflective introspective peices. During my fourth year, I conducted a year-long project called my Division III. The paper was over 100-pages and it provided a complex view of childhood, with reflections on my own childhood, interviews with others about important childhood artifacts, a discussion of the image of the "Romantic child" and psychoanalytic feminist theories. Through this project, I learned a great deal about the revising and editing process. More importantly, through this ambitious project, I really learned how to value my own personal voice. I couldn't have imagined a more fulfilling college experience than I had at Hampshire.

The one thing I would caution myself against is the overzealous spending of money. I had a job for two years during highschool so I got used to the idea of a steady income. I just assumed that I would easily be able to find a job on or off campus and continue to have money for, oh, the little things like text books, ink cartridges for my printer, and food. The economy and the fact that the area I live in has 5 major colleges, so the job market is flooded with college students and minimum wage part time jobs are a rarity, have proved me wrong and I am struggling on a daily basis to be here. While transitioning first year socially and academically and mentally was difficult, I learned so many valuable lessons that I wouldn't want to deprive myself of during my first year of college. So beyond financial advice, I would probably leave my high school senior self with a pat on the back and a hearty "Good luck! Stay safe!" before travelling somewhere else in time.

The best way to find out if a college is right for a student is to find out how the students feels while visiting the college for a short period of time and combine that with how much the college can offer the student in terms of what they want to study. It is a very difficult decision, but descovering whether or not a college feels right can make all of the difference and just because a college is fun does not mean it will help if it does not offer the student what they want to student.

First look for schools which are strong in the area of study in which you are interested (obviously). If you're not sure what you want to study, look for schools that allow you more academic freedom to take many different classes and experience different subjects. I feel that the best of these even allow you to integrate several subjects and create an individual course of study. Small class sizes means it is easier to participate in class and ask questions. Smaller schools allow for greater contact with faculty. Talk to as many students as possible; the students who got there will give you the best picture of the school. Schools which require a lot of independant work and project-based assignments may be weird at first if you're more used to a traditional system of listening to a lecture, studying and taking a test; but there are major advantages to such schools. Independant work forces you to think critically about subjects, be creative and ultimately get a great deal more knowledge and experience out of your education. Bottom line: If you're not happy there you won't be able to learn as much.

You know, I and a lot of students I know really didn't know where we wanted to go. I can say that, if you hated highschool, don't choose a college that seems like an extension of highschool. If you need some structure, choose a place that will give you that. Look at what students at the school have said, the resources available through the school and in the area. When you get there, take classes that will challenge you. In my opinion, college is not the time to work the system. Find professors that share your interests. Take classes from them and show that your invested. The more interest and determination you show, the more seriously you'll be taken. Take care of yourself. Pay attention to what you need to do for yourself to do your best. This might mean working late at night. It might mean taking a lot of breaks or exercising on a schedule. Nobody else can really tell you how to do well.

Visit the school! Spend a night! Talk to the students! Don't make snap judgments! Sit in on classes!