So, I’ve spent a year here at Kenyon. I should know a few things by now, right? I do know a few things, I guess, but I have learned that there are always new things to discover.
- Sophomores Should Be Able To Give Directions
It was the first week of classes. I was leaving Peirce, confident in the location of my class as it was in the same building as a class I had last year, when I was approached by a fellow student asking: “Are you an upperclassman? I’m trying to find Lentz house.” It was with (perhaps too much) shock that I realized I am no longer the new kid on campus and that, yes in fact, I do know where the English cottages are (though I take solace in the fact that I have not been here so long as a true upperclassman yet). It was then with horror that I realized that I did not, in fact, know which of the English cottages is Lentz house. A horror compounded with yet another realization that the class to which I was headed, and had previously had classes in, was in fact, in Lentz house.
- South Campus Exists
I have recently discovered that there is, in fact, a South side of campus that extends beyond even Old Kenyon. My introduction to campus was as a North-side Norton girl, a short walk from Gund Commons, Weaver Cottage, and Peirce Express. The closest I went to South campus housing was class in Ascension, or perhaps gazing over at Old K and marveling at what a realistic-looking photo backdrop it was. Now, as a South campus resident, it is only the motivation of good food that has dragged me as far as Peirce Express. Honestly, I’m not even sure if campus extends beyond that this year. I haven’t checked…
- Lowry’s Still Far Away
So, I’m on South campus now. My walk back to my dorm very often passes the path down to Lowry — a much easier walk than from Norton. I really have no excuse not to go to the gym anymore, right? Save for the fact that Kenyon is still on a hill and Lowry is still at the bottom of it. You know, I don’t think I even need Lowry anymore. I’ll just stumble down the hill, turn around, and count my arrival while gasping for breath at the top of this mountain as my workout.
As a South campus resident, however, Peirce does in fact feel much closer. Particularly that dessert station.
- The Showers Are Still A Battle
So, last year I took issue with the Norton shower curtains’ handkerchief-when-you-need-a-beach-towel size. This year, as a Bushnell resident, I am happy to report that the shower curtains seem more than up to completing the basics of their assigned function. Nonetheless, that is not to say there isn’t frustration/excitement/whichever you choose to call it during the daily shower. In my hall of Bushnell, there are two shower options: a shower stall that must have been a telephone booth in its previous life for all its spaciousness, or the practically cavernous option of a two-shower-heads-for-the-price-of-one cubicle deal. For the first option: you’ll be showering in the dark. There is no light. At all. The second however, comes with a light switch that, if you so choose to turn it on, illuminates the shower stall with such a glorious brightness that you can see all of your dorm-mates’ hair clogging the drain. Either that, or mid-shower, the lightbulb starts dramatically flashing on and off. If you’ve always wanted to feel like you’re in a movie, of the horror genre specifically, then this is the option for you.
- You Don’t Need To Do Everything
Remember those five clubs, submissions to every possible publication, and weekly (at least) talks of your first year? Those were fun times, exploratory times, that are now no more. Truth is, while first year is a time to find what interests you, Sophomore year has been a time for me to define what interests me, narrowing it down only to those things most enjoyable and relevant to my interests. This means that some nights, however interesting that talk going on sounds, you’ll find me in my room, with a book. As a Sophomore, it becomes clear that while you should still push yourself to be involved, you should also be intentional with your involvement and leave time to recharge.
- Kenyon Is Still A Place Of Connections
One of the main reasons I came to Kenyon was for the community — kind, supportive, and ready to help you become your best self. Going into my second year, I think the admissions promotional material pushes this narrative so hard for a reason: it’s true. As a Sophomore, I am meeting with people at places such as the CDO and CGE and a whole bunch of other acronyms, as well as class and major and work advisors and even fellow and former students. Everyone is willing and often wants to connect.
So I have several more years to go, and several more years of discovery, but for now, I’m off to Lowry — just kidding! I hear there are brownies in Peirce.
