Name: Erin Hancock
Class Year: 2020
Pronouns: She/Her or They/Them
Major: Anthropology
Hometown: Tyler, Texas
What inspired you to choose anthropology as your major? Where do you hope it takes you in the future?
I chose anthropology because of the idea of studying a culture as a whole, including its language and music and oral histories, rather than just through written histories. I hope to work with language revitalization efforts for endangered languages in the future.
What drew you to Mount Holyoke when making your final decision for college? Were there any other colleges you were considering?
Mount Holyoke’s focus on creating a welcoming community, as well as the access to classes at the other Five Colleges, drew me to the college. The access to the Five College Language Resource Center and the possibility of learning a lesser-taught language was also a major factor in my final college decision.
The other college I seriously considered was Reed College in Portland, Oregon. I also looked at Macalester College, Kenyon College, and the University of the South.
You’ve mentioned before that you’re currently taking a class at Hampshire College! Have you enjoyed the course? What are some of the main differences between Mount Holyoke classes and Hampshire ones?
I love my Irish Music class at Hampshire! It’s definitely nice to get off Mount Holyoke’s campus occasionally. The main difference I’ve found between Hampshire and Mount Holyoke classes is that Hampshire classes are much more informal. Hampshire students are generally much more willing to share opinions and have a spontaneous conversation with a professor during class. I also get about a paragraph of written feedback rather than an immediate grade on my papers for my Hampshire class, which definitely cuts down on some stress.
Would you recommend to other Mount Holyoke students taking classes at one of the other schools in the Five College Consortium?
I would absolutely recommend other Mount Holyoke students take a class at one of the other schools in the Five College Consortium! It’s refreshing to get a change of scenery and to get off of campus every once in awhile. It’s also nice to get a taste of a different learning environment. My experiences at Hampshire have definitely made me appreciate the learning environment at Mount Holyoke more and vice versa. Those experiences have also given me more of an idea of what works for my learning style and what doesn’t.
What do you miss the most about Texas? Are you fond of your hometown?
I’m not too fond of my hometown. East Texas is a very conservative area and my politics are not conservative at all. Some of the people there I love, but I don’t love the place itself. I do miss hearing Southern accents and my area’s specific dialect. I feel like I stick out up here when my accent gets stronger, as it does sometimes. I’ve had people make fun of my accent up here, so I miss being in a place where speaking that way is just normal. I also miss Tex-Mex food. The dining halls definitely try their best to make Tex-Mex but it’s never quite Tex-Mex Tex-Mex.
How are you feeling about Super Blanch? Are you looking forward to eating at the large dining hall, or do you prefer having multiple ones on campus?
I’m pretty ambivalent about Super Blanch. I live in North Rockefeller Hall, so it’s really nice to be able to just go downstairs for breakfast. Super Blanch also sounds like it could get pretty overwhelming at different times of the day. However, it will be nice to have more food options and meal times.
What organizations are you a part of on campus? Do you have a favorite?
I’m a part of the SGA, Knitting Club, Renegades, and the Dungeons and Dragons club. We play Dungeons and Dragons and right now there are about 5 to 6 games going with 6-8 people in each game! We play semester-long campaigns. I’m the senator for the DnD club so I contribute to the weekly email and attend board meetings. My favorite organization is probably Renegades.
What are your plans for the summer?
I’m going to be working at the International Folk Art Market in Santa Fe, New Mexico for most of the summer. I’m also going to visit a friend from Mount Holyoke at their home in France for a week or so. Somewhere in there I’ll spend some time at home and actually eat some Tex-Mex and Southern food.
What is the most valuable lesson (or lessons) that you have learned so far at MHC?
Trust your gut. If you get weird vibes from a person but they seem nice enough, trust those vibes. If a class makes you feel a bit dead inside, check out some other options before committing to taking that class.
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