What’s So Great About Being A MoHo?

I get this question a lot. Mostly in various forms of “Uh, so how’s women’s college? I could NEVER go to a single-sex school,” or “Wow, that’s in the middle of nowhere, right?” 
 
Sometimes I wish I had a succinct way to accurately articulate my deep and undying love for the institution that has molded me into the self-possessed woman I am today. Most of the time, however, I am more than all right with ranting.
 
Here are a few of my favorite things (in no particular order):

• The library! Big comfy chairs, an abundance of quiet and collaborative
   learning spaces and classrooms, all in one big building that feels like the Beauty & the Beast castle.
• Milk and Cookies (or some variation of that…) every school night.
• On that note – Chef Jeff cookies from Uncommon Grounds! We are an institution steeped in tradition.. .and cookies.
• Cultural houses and cultural events like African American Day by MHACASA and Variasians by ASA.
• Las Vegas Night! Guaranteed to be the best times you won’t remember.
• Bragging rights! Even though college rankings are methodologically wishy-washy, it’s still pretty exciting that over the years, MHC gets high praise under impressive categories like, “Best Classroom Experience,” “Most Beautiful Campus,” “Most Academically Rigorous,” “Most LGBT friendly,” and “Dorms Like Palaces,” just to name a few.
• Also worth mentioning: our notable alumna and faculty members! The list is long, but I love that I go to the same school once attended by my favorite playwright, Wendy Wasserstein.
• This is cheesy, but bear with me: sisterhood.
• Adirondack chairs appear on lawns all over campus in early autumn and spring.
• Small class sizes!
• Culinary showcases at Prospect (let’s not talk about the line).
• A capella jams!
  
• Delles Hill and everything that happens there.
• Summer research or internship funding via UAF.
• The dock on Upper Lake, and the days perfect for skinny-dipping swimming.
• Stargazing in the amphitheater at night.
• Class colors! SHOUT TO 2012, BLUE LYONS!
• Mountain Day! We get to bond and commiserate and speculate endlessly about when this mysterious day will be each autumn and then, when it happens, we get to take a day off and actually enjoy fall weather in the beautiful valley. 
• The Five College Consortium! Taking classes at Hampshire, Smith, Amherst, and UMass = excellent investment of your time. Oh, and partying at the aforementioned campuses is too (work hard, play hard, ladies!). But other perks include being able to take out books and DVDs from the other five-college libraries, attending their lectures, museum exhibits, plays and concerts!
• Also, the PVTA is great because it’s 1) free, 2) a fun place to strike up conversations with beautiful strangers, and 3) great for people watching.
  
• SUNDAY. BRUNCH. 
• Rao’s Coffee in the library atrium.
• WMHC radio!
• The fact that there are over 150 campus clubs and organizations.
• and duh, HerCampus Mount Holyoke!