An Eye Opening Experience

Yesterday, if someone asked me if I would be interested in attending an all women’s college I would have immediately said no. Today if someone asked me the very same question, my answer would be completely different. Visiting Wellesley changed my perspective on all-women schools. Wellesley is doesn’t seclude women from the rest of the world, instead it enables women to go out into the world prepared to make a difference.

Before our tour of Wellesley this morning, we met up in the hotel lobby and then made our way to a small café a few blocks away. The outside temperature was perfect and it felt great to finally be away from the frigid Bay Area. On the walk, I was able to gain a better understanding of the character of Providence. The little one-way brick streets and the flowers hanging from nearly every lamppost give it a friendly feel. The café was very confortable and most of us ate breakfast sitting on couches. Although the service was slow, I think everyone left feeling satisfied and ready to take on the day ahead.

Inside the science building.

Our tour of Wellesley started at 11:00 AM, so we left at 9:00 to ensure we would make it on time. We arrived early and while we we’re waiting for the tour to begin, Mrs. Kaplan handed me a book with 100 facts about Wellesley. Each fact described something fun and unique about the school. I learned about the student run café that delivers food during finals week and the various study abroad programs that 75 percent of the student body participates in. I couldn’t wait to start the tour and see more of what Wellesley has to offer.

At 11:00 AM our tour guide, Amy, introduced herself and lead us outside of the admissions building and onto the campus. On our tour, we walked past various beautiful buildings. The most notable, perhaps, was the science building.  The steps leading up to the door were made specifically for a women’s stride. Once inside the building, I was awed by the vast, open feeling. Once the original structure had grown too small for the needs of the school, instead of tearing it down, they built onto it. The two architecture styles complement one another beautifully and make it one of the most unique structures I have ever seen.

Throughout the tour, Amy described life at Wellesley and answered all of our questions. Some of the most impressive things I learned: Wellesley is the third most diverse school in the nation, with students from all 50 states and 84 different countries. Wellesley wants students to find the right path for themselves, so it is easy to switch majors. All students are only required to take one class. After that, they are only required to take classes that fit into a certain category such as math, science or English.

Just a small portion of the beautiful Wellesley Campus

After the tour, we ate lunch in the Lulu Chow Wang Campus Center. It is rumored that this modern building only has one right angle! We sat on the third floor, so we had an amazing view of the greenery below. Soon, it was time to leave and we hurriedly made our way to the admissions building in order to attend an information session. The session was incredibly informative and I learned more about the details of the admission process and what is expected from a student at Wellesley. I left feeling excited to learn even more about this amazing school.

Branda and Anna at dinner 

Once we arrived back at the hotel, Maddie and I went up to our room to relax and prepare for the dinner later in the evening. After about an hour, we met up with some of the other girls and went to CVS to buy necessary supplies. It was fun getting to see more of providence; I finally feel like I’m getting to know the city better. 

We arrived back at the hotel around 6:00 PM and spent the next hour cleaning our hotel room and preparing for dinner. At 7:00 we meet up with the rest of the group and headed out to Camille’s for a delicious Italian dinner with students and graduates of Brown University. We arrived early and went outside to listen to music.  Kat, Jackie, and Mrs. Kaplan even started dancing. After about 15 minutes we went inside and were seated in a private room for the meal.

My delicious steak 

The alums and students arrived shortly after us and we quickly engaged in conversation. Maddie, Abby, and I sat across from three really inspiring Brown students, Brad, Brenda, and Anna. All three of them we’re incredibly insightful and provided us with a ton of useful information. They each experienced different parts of Brown and shared their unique stories. Brad and Brenda gave their emails to us, so I’m looking forward to asking them many more questions. Time flew by and after three delicious courses it was time to leave. This dinner provided me with the fantastic opportunity to meet actual Brown students. Their honest answers to our questions really enabled me to understand what Brown is really like. I’m so excited for next week when I actually get to see the school for myself.