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Alumni
Review #1, Class of 1999 |
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| College
Enrolled |
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Smith College |
| Home
Town, State (Country) |
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Hartford,CT |
| Years
Attended Boarding School |
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4 |
| Activities
During Boarding School |
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technical theater (head), feminist issues (junior head, senior head), daemon literary magazine (junior head, senior head), wings lesbian/bisexual support group (co-head) |
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| 1.) What was the best thing that happened to you in boarding school? |
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| I was able to grow into a strong, independent person. I took advantage of leadership opportunities and of the diverse student population to try new things and meet new people. I also learned a lot academically. The school was there to support me through it all, too, which was excellent. |
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| 2.) What would you have done differently during your boarding school experience? |
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| I would have spent less time stressing about college and more time hanging out with my friends. That being said, I should note that I was a real over-achiever. |
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| 3.) What would you never want to change about your school? |
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| I would never want to change its commitment (whether actual or asserted) to celebrating/accepting diversity. I would also never want to change that it's a single sex school. It was a really close environment in some ways because of that. |
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| 4.) What things could be improved about your school? |
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| The dorm strictness could be eased up on considerably. More diversity would be excellent as well. |
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| 5.) Do you have any final words of wisdom for visiting or incoming students
to your school? |
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| I would explore the trails in the woods to the ponds around campus. They're wonderful places and provide a really good get-away when the school starts feeling a bit much. Also, joining clubs is a good idea. You can meet friends and feel like you do something meaningful/interesting besides academics. Also, having an open mind is always a good idea, especially at a place that's as diverse in the type of people you'll meet as Walkers. You should also get to know the teachers (espeically mr groff and mr zallinger. mrs silverhurz is wonderful as well). Also get to know the staff members, particularly Frenchie. They are great people and it's important to not ignore them because they're in positions of service. It's good to find some adult member of the community whom you feel comfortable with and can talk to. The faculty are very interested in getting to know students personally and can be really useful in making decisions or just figuring things out. Another word of "wisdom" is to not dispair if you don't find your people right away. There are different types at the school, and while you should make an effort to try hanging out with different folks to see whom you enjoy, if you don't find them right away, it doesn't mean you never will. It just takes some patience. |
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| 1.)
What did you like best about your school’s academics? |
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| There were options in the choices - not a fixed curriculum. The academics were also challenging and offered AP and honors classes. The small class sizes helped you get to know your teachers and get individual attention. |
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| 2.)
What did you like least about the academics in your school? |
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| They were really intense and required a lot of time outside of class to complete the homework. |
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| 1.)
What did you like best about your school’s athletics? |
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| I didn't like traditional team sports, but I had the opportunity to do other things instead, such as outdoor adventure (hiking, rock climbing), dance and musical theater. |
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| 2.)
What did you like least about the athletics in your school? |
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| I liked least that they were manditory and took so much time. |
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| 1.)
What did you like best about your school’s art program? |
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| There were many different opportunities to get involved in the arts program. I liked both technical theater (backstage work) and performing, and I was able to do both (though obviously not at the same time). |
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| 2.)
What did you like least about your school’s art program? |
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| There were few less-trational art courses offered (aside from the traditional drawing, painting, sculpture, photography). I would have liked to see metal working and other things like that, which I've heard were offered at other high schools. |
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| 1.)
What did you like most about the extracurricular activities offered
at your school? |
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| I liked that students could form most any clubs that they wanted; if a club on a particular issue didn't exist, a student could take the initiative and create it. |
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| 2.)
What did you like least about the extracurricular activities offered
at your school? |
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| I disliked that a faculty member supposedly had to be present at all club meetings. This caused stress for members of some groups, particularly support groups on personal or sensitive topics. |
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| 1.)
What was the best thing about dorm life in your school? |
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| I liked living with other people. It could be difficult for some students who didn't board at the school, since they could sometimes feel outside of the social loop. |
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| 2.)
What did you like least about dorm life? |
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| The dorm life was EXTREMELY regulated, with multiple check-ins/sign-ins per night, room cleanliness checks, manditory study hall, etc. [] |
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| 1.)
What was the best thing about your dining arrangements? |
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| The food was really very good for school food and accomodations were available for vegetarians (though very few for vegans). There was always a salad bar available and several hot food choices. |
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| 2.)
What did you like least about your dining arrangements? |
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| Not much, actually. More vegetarian food would have been nice, but they did pretty well compared to most places, I think. |
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| 1.) How welcome did you feel by the other students when you first
arrived at the school? |
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| Hah, I had a terrible freshman year. But who doesn't? High school is a hard place. The school was very supportive and worked with my family to find me councelling and improve life at the school. By the end of my time there I was much better off, socially. |
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| 2.)
Describe the level of diversity and integration of students in your
school: |
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| As with most other elite institutions in the U.S. there were a whole lot of rich/middle class white girls. But Walkers did make a good effort to attract students from minority racial groups within the US states and also attract international students. Diversity in sexual orientation and gender expression was accepted and people didn't feel threatened, particularly not physically, like they may have in other schools. [] It works hard on being an accepting place. |
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| 3.)
Describe typical fun activities you did on a weekend: |
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| Hm, I didn't do too many fun things on the weekend. Renting movies, taking the area van around the neighboring area (though there wasn't much around). I mostly hung out with people in the dorm or did homework. |
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| 4.)
What was the town like? |
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| There was no town. |
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| 7:00 AM | wake and eat | | 7:45 AM | all school morning meeting | | 8:00 AM | english | | 8:45 AM | pre-calculus | | 9:30 AM | history | | 10:15 AM | latin | | 10:00 AM | free period | | 12:00 PM | lunch | | 1:00 AM | chemistry | | 1:45 AM | some other class | | 2:30 AM | free period or athletics starting | | 5:00 AM | athletics ending | | 5:45 AM | sit down dinner with advisor and other advisees in group. dress nice. | | 7:00 AM | study hall until 9:00 | | 10:00 AM | sign in | | 10:30 AM | room check | | 10:45 AM | sign in | | 11:00 AM | lights out | |
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| 11:00 AM | wake, eat, hang out | | 12:00 PM | bed | |
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