"You would really like Bates, Zoe," said a friend of mine. Although, I knew he, himself, was not applying to Bates, his tone of voice persuaded me to further inform myself on what makes Bates so enjoyable. After logging onto Bates' website, I was mesmerized-hooked, so much so that I began to think I was slightly obsessed. I always found myself clicking through the month's photo gallery to experience and understand the unique qualities that creates the Bates community. I found myself entranced by pictures of students jumping into the campus' pond during mid January, students cheering on sports teams, and classroom photos that captured the academic curiosity the reverberates among the student body. This viral experience wasn't enough. I needed to hear about Bates from a student's perspective...
On November 5th, 2010, a Bates representative who coincidently was a Parker alumni, answered "Why Bates?" At the end of the meeting, I had covered an entire 8.5x11" piece of paper with thoughts that I believe make Bates the perfect place to spend the next four years of my academic journey. I wrote down blurbs such as, "close community," "students aren't afraid to branch out," "COLLABORATIVE," "emphasis on writing...senior thesis," "small school→10:1 ratio," "outing-club...very fun!" "Athletic environment: support your friends/peers," "puddle jump during winter carnival," "harvest dinner," and "40 different kinds of cereal," when I heard this, I swear my eyeballs popped right out my head. Cereal is my guilty pleasure, my weakness. At some point in the day, whether it is 12:26am or 12:26pm, I take ten minutes to sit down and enjoy a bowl of cereal. So, why do I want to attend Bates? I want to attend Bates because it fosters a close, cohesive community where students learn from the academic curiosity of their peers and long lasting traditions, while simultaneously providing students with the means to nourish a cereal addiction.
Will look at yours, I PROMISE!
On November 5th, 2010, a Bates representative who coincidently was a Parker alumni, answered "Why Bates?" At the end of the meeting, I had covered an entire 8.5x11" piece of paper with thoughts that I believe make Bates the perfect place to spend the next four years of my academic journey. I wrote down blurbs such as, "close community," "students aren't afraid to branch out," "COLLABORATIVE," "emphasis on writing...senior thesis," "small school→10:1 ratio," "outing-club...very fun!" "Athletic environment: support your friends/peers," "puddle jump during winter carnival," "harvest dinner," and "40 different kinds of cereal," when I heard this, I swear my eyeballs popped right out my head. Cereal is my guilty pleasure, my weakness. At some point in the day, whether it is 12:26am or 12:26pm, I take ten minutes to sit down and enjoy a bowl of cereal. So, why do I want to attend Bates? I want to attend Bates because it fosters a close, cohesive community where students learn from the academic curiosity of their peers and long lasting traditions, while simultaneously providing students with the means to nourish a cereal addiction.
Will look at yours, I PROMISE!
