When It Comes to College, Keep an Open Mind

 

Walk through the halls of College of Saint Mary (CSM), and pictures of Georgia O'Keefe and Frieda will welcome students as they make their way toward class. Empowering women to "bloom into the person they were destined to become," CSM celebrates the women who have pioneered throughout history.

 

Although, as someone who grew up in a public school district, and never attended a private school until my college years, the idea of CSM was different. Before ever taking a class, my view on a private all-women's college seemed too boring, too reserved. If these were to be the best years of my life, then I wanted to mimic Animal House! 

 

Yet my mother and sister both graduated from CSM, and I thought maybe I'll give it a tour. Afterward I thought, "I'll just send in my application like I have for all the other co-ed colleges I was applying for, and see." Upon my acceptance letter, I decided to try my first semester of college at CSM, mainly because I was afraid to move to all those out-of-state schools I applied for.

 

The thing with College of Saint Mary is, I didn't need to have boys in class to look at, and I didn't need to have boys there at all. That was just a distraction. Instead of all the flirting, I was learning.   

 

I started to become the student I never thought I'd be. It was easy in a large public school to go unnoticed, to slack a little. Yet the small classroom sizes and teacher-to-student relationship got the better of me, and I enjoyed participating and sharing my views.

 

I decided to stay at College of Saint Mary because I liked the person I was changing into. I even participated in their Leadership Launch program, a program that teaches women leadership skills.   

 

My feelings about CSM may have to do with how beneficial an all-women's school can be. Women that attend same-sex schools are more likely to graduate and become successful with high position jobs. They also tend to become more active in school, find more support to succeed, and are all-around satisfied academically and personally.

 

I guess my point is - don't assume anything about the colleges you're considering. Try to get as much first-hand knowledge as possible, and when it comes down to it, don't be afraid to try something different. It could be the difference in your life.

 

 

Communications and English major, Class of 2007