After four colorless, uneventful, and plain horrendous years of high school, Guilford is a refreshing new experience that I would never want to give up.Guilford was my first and only choice. I applied for early admission and was ecstatic when I got in. I adored everything about Guilford from the first time I saw it: the green trees, the sense of community, the value of equality, the nature friendly vibe, the cafeteria’s vegan option, the teachers I met. It reminded me of the only place I ever felt at home, the arts camp in New Jersey I attended for two years, Appel Farm.
Growing up in Takoma Park, a small town just outside of Washington, D.C., I got the best or the worst of both worlds, depending on how you spin the story. My town was full of old hippies, vegetarian foods, and organic produce while D.C. was getting more and more corrupt each day. Slowly, though, my home was filled with money hungry lawyers who did not yet have the money to pay for a D.C. townhouse in Georgetown, grad students studying to be doctors because their parents told them they needed to make money as a career, and teachers from every unethical school in the D.C. area, including teachers from schools that claim to be Quaker but really do not care about Quakerism or Quaker values.
As I grew older and decided to apply to college, I knew only this: I didn’t want a school like any of the D.C. private schools, even though some have redeeming qualities. I wanted somewhere open minded and where I could be happy without worrying about my future earning potential. When I stumbled upon Guilford, I knew it was just that.
I hate to be clich and say Guilford College was all I wanted and expected, but it is, and better. For the first time since I left Appel Farm, last summer, I feel at home and I feel hope for the future. I feel that I can have a complete education here by being taught not only academically but also becoming more socially aware. It’s delightful to realize that not everyone here is solely here because they want to make money in ten years and that not everyone here will care how well paid you are in ten years. It’s comforting that you’re not alone and there are other people out there that who care about the world. Guilford, so far, has been full of hope and some of the best people I have ever met in my life. I hope every other first-year feels the same way I do.