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Personal Narrative: My First Williams Experience

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1. My first three days at Williams were miserable. After unpacking my belongings, attempting to push my parents out the door, and sitting in the ’62 Center as Dean Bolton promised the beginning would not last forever, I returned to my room without a friend in the world. I desperately wanted to meet new people, jump into new actives, and define my own Williams experience; however, I needed someone to show me the starting line. Fortunately, I soon found myself on the trailhead with Marit Björnlund and Henry Lane as leaders and seven strangers as friends. Through the experience of climbing Mt. Greylock before sunrise, saving the Nutella from savage canines, and chatting about our summers and future adventures at Williams around the fire, I found the safe place Dean Bolton had described and the launching pad of an incredible first semester at Williams. Having had such an impactful experience, I hope to continue the legacy of WOOLF …show more content…

I failed the college application process. I applied to Williams as an Early Decision applicant last fall and was deferred for later evaluation. However, the actual deferral from Williams was not my failure. My reaction was the failure. For although I knew the distinct possibility of this outcome given the competitiveness of the applicant pool, I reacted to this disappointing news with a crushing questioning of my accomplishments and identity. I had worked so hard, both in academic work and within my school and camp communities, thus I wanted validation from an outside source such as Williams College. However as I look back on the experience, I learned that we must never depend on external sources for validation. We must depend on ourselves. When I opened my virtual letter from Dick Nesbitt and read the first line, I found myself in a state of humiliation and defeat that I spent the next three months battling within myself. Even as I attempt to answer this question, I find myself struggling to find the perfect words for my emotional

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