Thea Parsons ‘25

I remember my first day at Bard like it was yesterday. I walked into writing and thinking, nervous and not quite sure why I hadn’t been given a schedule yet, steeling myself for the big HS. Knees knocking and palms sweaty, I had picked out the perfect first day of school outfit that morning: something that I felt said me, without screaming it. Later that day, walking home after an abundance of get to know yous and focused free writes (FFWs if you will), I wasn’t sure what to think. I was uncertain whether those harrowing 6 hours had been adequate to introduce me to my peers, or even to a realistic image of my next four years at Bard. I was worried about my ability to make friends, especially now that I was going to be stuck in a classroom with only three other freshmen for days on end. Actually, friendship was a concern that had been gnawing at me for weeks, but it was one I had hoped would be easily resolved. Caught up in a frenzy of questions about where I would belong in what felt like a complex social puzzle, I missed what I now feel is the most important part of writing and thinking. Teachers told me time and time again that I was there to get a feel of Bard, yes, but also to get a feel of what Bard strives for – communication, collaboration, and friendship across grades. Maybe it sounds like a meticulously staged motto, or even the work of overenthusiastic admissions officers, but in my experience it has been one of the aspects of Bard that has enhanced my time here the most. We’re sold the early college program, challenging academics, and dedicated teachers, all of which Bard is brimming with, but what I feel is left out is the carefully fostered sense of community. Of course that community isn’t perfect, and after a day, writing and thinking starts to feel like a drag, but for any incoming freshman I suggest you power through and use the time as a chance to bond with people who may feel a lot older than you — however corny or intimidating it may seem. Even though these aren’t the people who you’ll end up sitting next to in class, it’s always a nice feeling to have a friendly face in the hallway. And when you finally do get your schedule, those friendly faces are the ones that will crowd around you to point out the teachers who they had, who they love, and who they’ve heard give mountains of homework. I was too busy worrying about living four years as a doomed outcast (as I thought of my newly imminent future at the time) to even consider expanding my constricted idea of friendship to people who were, perish the thought, up to three years older than me. It will make your transition into high school not only smoother to have these friends, but much more pleasant. As I begin to apply to college it is incredibly important to me to be surrounded by the same sense of community I eventually found at Bard, once I opened myself up to it. A community fostered not just amongst a class or a club, but one that encompasses everything. It’s become invaluable to me, and, if you let it, it can all start in writing and thinking.