nut free nerd

Last Friday (April 10th) I attended the Welcome to Wheaton Day for accepted students at Wheaton College in Norton, MA. I had visited the campus many times before this, but this time was a particularly special visit because I’ll be attending Wheaton College in the fall! 

The great experience I had at the Welcome to Wheaton Day really reassured me that I made the right decision in choosing this wonderful college. We started off the day with some lovely presentations in the chapel, including a beautiful performance by a choir of current Wheaton students and several powerful speeches about why Wheaton is such a special place. Not only was this an informative, impressive display of just some of the unique things Wheaton has to offer, but it also made me squirm in my seat with excitement. In that very chapel were undoubtedly many of my future classmates of 2019- perhaps even some people who would become my closest friends. While listening to those speeches, it all of a sudden hit me that I wasn’t just touring anymore: this is where I will be spending the next four years, the place to which all of my hard work throughout my high school career has led me.

After the introduction to the day was finished, we headed off in different directions to attend the events of our choosing. I decided to attend a session about the English Department, since I currently plan to major in English. The professors who spoke to us were really nice, as were the students who answered our questions and told us a little about what their Wheaton experiences have been like. In fact, I couldn’t help but noticing that everyone I met that day was incredibly friendly and positive. The students were happy to share helpful advice and the faculty members always had smiles on their faces. Everyone seemed to be bursting with appreciation and enthusiasm for this school, and it was clear that their positivity was contagious. It’s important to me that the school I attend is a bright, cheery place to be- and Wheaton surely fits that description!

Next, I attended a mock-literature class taught by one of the professors and filled with prospective students. The professor taught us a modified lesson that she had previously taught one of her actual classes, and I was surprised at how much I learned in that short amount of time. We discussed what makes a piece of writing a poem versus flash fiction, the latter of which I had no idea was even a category of writing that existed. Whenever I attend a college class I’m struck with the major differences between university and high school classroom environments. The latter tends to rely heavily on worksheets and projects, whereas the former is much more discussion-based. This has been my experience from attending a college class or two here and there, and I am very excited for this change in the atmosphere of my classroom to take place. I’d much rather learn a concept by talking about it with my peers than by completing a worksheet!

Academics are certainly an important aspect of college to consider, but living spaces can be just as influential in your overall experience on campus. Luckily, I was able to tour a few of the residential halls and peak into a dorm room or two . Once again, I was pleasantly surprised by all of the friendly and welcoming students I met in the dorms, and their help in answering my questions about living at Wheaton was very much appreciated. There are so many options when it comes to living spaces that I know I’ll be able to find a place that will feel like a home away from home.

Wheaton College itself is a great educational institution with excellent academic programs and an abundance of valuable opportunities for students to learn, explore, and grow outside of the classroom. However, my day at Wheaton made me realize that it’s the great people that truly make this school what it is. I am ecstatic to be able to say that I’m officially a Wheatie, and I cannot wait to attend Wheaton College in the fall!

Thanks to everyone at Wheaton who made this day a fantastic one!

Yours,

HOLLY