Sweet Briar College
Sweet Briar College was my very first college, as all freshman years it was filled with magical moments and a lot of rough personal growth. My freshman year was anything but easy. In fact, my very first day was filled with tears. My first day in VA had me flying into the wrong airport, a 4 hour taxi drive, missing lunch, arriving an hour late, and sweaty beyond belief. I didn't have enough money for my taxi and no one was there to great me but high school boys and one photographer (read about it here).
Eventually everything got settled and food was found for me at a professors house near campus. Eventually I made it to my dorm where I lived on the second floor of an old civil war hospital. We had hardwood floors and spacious rooms, it was definitely a high end dorm in my limited experience. My hall-mates were mostly from out of state, and mostly northerners and despite our differences we all seemed to get along. Those who lived on my hall turned out to be my best friends I made my freshman year. They are, to this day, some of the most amazing women I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
At SBC I had a lot of difficulties adjusting to the major cultural differences between the North and South, West Coast and East Coast. I've said often enough that living in Germany was an easier adjustment than rural Virginia! The bugs, the "pleasantness", the food, the weather, and overall southern culture were ultimately too much for me. My freshman year they also decided to cut my department, Germanics, due to budget issues. I could have stayed since my class would be the last class allowed to graduate but it felt like a slap in the face to cut something I was passionate in. Despite all the issues, I chose to study abroad instead and then see how I felt afterwards. Due to the feelings above, plus family finances, SBC wasn't an option anymore and I mourned the loss of my friends.
Not everything was that bad though. My time at Sweet Briar could only be described as the purest form of a college "freshman year". Just as all the stereotypes tell us, your hall-mates will be your best friends. I lived in my other friends dorm rooms and felt like the whole hall was my home. We had hour long conversations in the halls and even studied out there. I took part in so many campus organizations and took classes that broadened my horizons more than ever. If you asked me if I was ever bored at SBC, I can tell you, yes, I absolutely was. I was in a rural area with only things on campus to do. That being said it made us way more creative in finding things to do. This resulted in crafting events, movie marathons, making comic books, meeting with classmates, choosing group projects, and getting involved with campus events and organizations. In such a small community, there was cattiness but also a deep bond. When we call ourselves sisters, it's because we were.
The benefits of such an old school are the amazing traditions. One of those being the Big/Little tradition. We all get a junior big sister are senior year. There are class songs, colors, sayings, etc. that all connect us in the larger spirit and tradition of the college. The experiences of 2012 are directly related to the experiences of the women of the 1950's. We had the same buildings, same robes, same traditions and in a time period where we often have incredible disconnect amongst generations it's amazing one school can keep those going. I've yet to experience anything like. The school even has secret societies, hauntings, and hidden spots.
As a junior at a large state college where I live off campus and have limited social contact with other students outside of class, my time at Sweet Briar is a treasured memory. As the title alludes, Sweet Briar is closing. Despite the years I'm tearing up as I type about the closing of this most precious place. I feel personally hurt when history ends and this is the case of an entire local filled personal history that won't ever be. It's hard to put to words the pain in my heart that I won't get to experience SBC again and even more so the pain my classmates and all the current students are feeling. It's like your home is getting demolished. I understand that the board had to make this difficult decision to close but I don't feel like I truly understand it. If it meant anything I would transfer back, out desperation to keep this memory living. I had often dreamed about my niece going to Sweet Briar because I felt she would succeed in their environment.
The shut down of the school makes me worry about the future of single sex education. I left SBC but that had nothing to do with my professors, advisors, or the single sex education. It was all those things combined that made me so troubled to leave the school. I don't know another place where I could focus so hard on my education purely and have the ability to meet with every professor to talk to them about school or my own goals so openly. Every professor was impassioned to teach their material because they loved it not because it was required to get research money. These same professors and administration changed my rough start to a happy end. I honestly wish to have my own children go to a single sex school because of the camaraderie and atmosphere of success. I don't know a single place where so many qualified young woman meet and develop into future leaders.
I will forever have SBC in my heart and I will never forget those sweetest memories of my freshman year.
Eventually everything got settled and food was found for me at a professors house near campus. Eventually I made it to my dorm where I lived on the second floor of an old civil war hospital. We had hardwood floors and spacious rooms, it was definitely a high end dorm in my limited experience. My hall-mates were mostly from out of state, and mostly northerners and despite our differences we all seemed to get along. Those who lived on my hall turned out to be my best friends I made my freshman year. They are, to this day, some of the most amazing women I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
At SBC I had a lot of difficulties adjusting to the major cultural differences between the North and South, West Coast and East Coast. I've said often enough that living in Germany was an easier adjustment than rural Virginia! The bugs, the "pleasantness", the food, the weather, and overall southern culture were ultimately too much for me. My freshman year they also decided to cut my department, Germanics, due to budget issues. I could have stayed since my class would be the last class allowed to graduate but it felt like a slap in the face to cut something I was passionate in. Despite all the issues, I chose to study abroad instead and then see how I felt afterwards. Due to the feelings above, plus family finances, SBC wasn't an option anymore and I mourned the loss of my friends.
Not everything was that bad though. My time at Sweet Briar could only be described as the purest form of a college "freshman year". Just as all the stereotypes tell us, your hall-mates will be your best friends. I lived in my other friends dorm rooms and felt like the whole hall was my home. We had hour long conversations in the halls and even studied out there. I took part in so many campus organizations and took classes that broadened my horizons more than ever. If you asked me if I was ever bored at SBC, I can tell you, yes, I absolutely was. I was in a rural area with only things on campus to do. That being said it made us way more creative in finding things to do. This resulted in crafting events, movie marathons, making comic books, meeting with classmates, choosing group projects, and getting involved with campus events and organizations. In such a small community, there was cattiness but also a deep bond. When we call ourselves sisters, it's because we were.
The benefits of such an old school are the amazing traditions. One of those being the Big/Little tradition. We all get a junior big sister are senior year. There are class songs, colors, sayings, etc. that all connect us in the larger spirit and tradition of the college. The experiences of 2012 are directly related to the experiences of the women of the 1950's. We had the same buildings, same robes, same traditions and in a time period where we often have incredible disconnect amongst generations it's amazing one school can keep those going. I've yet to experience anything like. The school even has secret societies, hauntings, and hidden spots.
As a junior at a large state college where I live off campus and have limited social contact with other students outside of class, my time at Sweet Briar is a treasured memory. As the title alludes, Sweet Briar is closing. Despite the years I'm tearing up as I type about the closing of this most precious place. I feel personally hurt when history ends and this is the case of an entire local filled personal history that won't ever be. It's hard to put to words the pain in my heart that I won't get to experience SBC again and even more so the pain my classmates and all the current students are feeling. It's like your home is getting demolished. I understand that the board had to make this difficult decision to close but I don't feel like I truly understand it. If it meant anything I would transfer back, out desperation to keep this memory living. I had often dreamed about my niece going to Sweet Briar because I felt she would succeed in their environment.
The shut down of the school makes me worry about the future of single sex education. I left SBC but that had nothing to do with my professors, advisors, or the single sex education. It was all those things combined that made me so troubled to leave the school. I don't know another place where I could focus so hard on my education purely and have the ability to meet with every professor to talk to them about school or my own goals so openly. Every professor was impassioned to teach their material because they loved it not because it was required to get research money. These same professors and administration changed my rough start to a happy end. I honestly wish to have my own children go to a single sex school because of the camaraderie and atmosphere of success. I don't know a single place where so many qualified young woman meet and develop into future leaders.
I will forever have SBC in my heart and I will never forget those sweetest memories of my freshman year.