After my much discussed pilgrimage back to Hampshire last May, which was a very fun visit that involved doing all the Hampshire things I never got to do when I was actually a student there, I had a complete breakdown on my front porch at three in the morning. I was very upset and was weepy for a good week following the visit. Clearly, I still had some emotional issues regarding that place (had?), but this is about my academic issues.
After looking at Mike’s TOTALLY AWESOME Div II binder last spring, I got all inspired to put together my work from the past years of government and history classes, and have some sort of order and coherence to my education. But I quickly realized that despite the fact that I rarely took classes outside the Government Department, my concentrations were rather scattered; a little international relations here, lots of India (don’t ask) there, and lots of theory thrown in at the end as I discovered my real love. Further, my senior Honors Research in no way equals a Div III. So, I gave up on my plan to ring the Div Free bell.
However, “Three-Point-Five-Years” is a collection of personal essays/good theory papers and while much of it may be viewed as mildly overwrought, (can something be mildly overwrought? Is that an oxymoron?) it is far more representative of my education then my silly Honors Research. Isn’t college supposed to be (besides, like, ohmygod, the BEST FOUR YEARS OF YOUR LIFE) a time for “learning about yourself?” (ew, what a guidance counselor phrase) Don’t all the view books and websites have nonsense about “education outside the classroom?” Not to discount any amazing professors, awesome classes, or hours of OCD note taking, what’s contained in “Three-Point-Five Years” is what I really learned in college. And I think some of it is pretty good, and worthy of being proud of, and I couldn’t have written the essay which lends the book it’s title if I hadn’t transferred; yay for deciding to transfer!
So “Three-Point-Five-Years” is my Div III, I can make a nice, maudlin dedication page, and I get to ring the Div Free bell. (Confidential to Mike: I’m a Hampshire girl at heart)
