Wayland Academy - Review #1

I liked Wayland Academy because there are many students from different backgrounds. At school I was able to create friendships with my classmates from South Korea, Japan, China, and 28 more countries. They introduced me to different types of foods and music. My favorite event was the World Festival where we would celebrate each other’s cultures.

The best thing that happened to be a boarding school was becoming friends with people from all over the world. This sparked an interest in me to travel and apply for a Youth For Understanding scholarship. I received a scholarship and was able to travel to Japan and live with a host family for eight weeks. This was one of the best times in my life and I believe that going to go to boarding school helped me break out of my shell and try new things. To this day I am still friends with people I met four years ago on my first day in freshman year.

My advice for students going to boarding school would be to try new things and participate in all activities. Try to break out of your shell and introduce yourself to new people. Don’t be afraid to be yourself. Additionally it’s OK to admit that you’re homesick and talk to others because they might be feeling the same way too.

My favorite thing about my school was my classmates. Because all my classmates like to learn and participate in class. We were all on the same page and wanted to be there. This made my experience at Wayland academy enjoyable.

Don’t be afraid to talk to upperclassman. Everybody is friends with everyone there. Try to get involved and apply for leadership positions even if you’re a transfer student! Also go to the student union because they have good snacks on weekends.

I liked that the classes were rigorous and engaging. Students came to Wayland to learn and be challenged by each other. I always felt like my classmates were bringing me up and teaching me new things. It was never a dull moment at my school. Additionally, I liked having a rotating schedule everyday. Days were numbered 1-7 so each day started with a different class.

I liked my teammates the most of about my boarding schools experience. I was able to excel and learn new skills because of the small team sizes. On my soccer team many girls never played before so I was able to be a leader and teach them new skills. Because there are no gym classes here Wayland offers many different sports at the same time so there are other options available.

At Wayland Academy I took private guitar lessons and had one on one time with the teacher. The art room is beautiful and there are many different classes to take including photography and same class. There were two different choirs to choose from an advanced one and regular. We participated in big performances and a Pops Concert where we do musicals. In the fall there is a musical and in the spring there is a play. You have the option to go to solo ensemble if you wish.

There are many extracurricular activities to choose from. My favorite one was model UN because we met once a week and learned how to debate and discuss a topic. Also, we had a trip to Chicago to participate in a three day model UN conference with students from all over the United States and other countries. I was able to better my conversational skills and meet students from all over the world.

The dorm I lived in was underclassmen females. Each floor had one grade on it so all the freshmen were together. There were two prefects on each floor that were upperclassman that helped out the younger students. The rooms were doubles and there was community bathrooms. We had little lounges on each floor and a main lounge with a TV on the first floor.

The dining hall offered breakfast lunch and dinner. There are many options to choose from and sometimes they offered an omelette bar or create your own pizza or pasta. The food was buffet style. They had a salad bar, bread section, coffee, and different juices to choose from. Students could sit where they pleased. Once a week we would meet with our adviser and sit with them at lunch.

The town is pretty small. However they have pizza, sushi, and frozen yogurt. There is a ShopKo in walking distance. They also have a movie theater. You can take the bus or eight Uber to the Walmart. Madison Wisconsin is 45 minutes away and they normally have trips the school will take there.

I like that many students would be involved on the campus. On many occasions there were dances and events going on. There is also a student union that has a pool table, foosball table, and a hockey table. There are some gaming systems. The gym is open on the weekend with open gym.