I always pictured myself attending a co-ed college. I have had guy friends and attended co-ed public schools all my life. Despite that, I am a first-year student at Mount Holyoke College, a historically women's college in Western Massachusetts. Out of the eleven colleges I applied to last year, Mount Holyoke is the only women's college I applied to and considered, and it just so happened to be my favorite college I looked at from the moment I set foot on campus for a tour the summer before my senior year.
Women's colleges have always been on my radar. My mom, grandmother and many of my aunts went to women's colleges, and all have really valued their experiences at their respective schools. Mount Holyoke was the first women's college in the United States and it was also the first Seven Sister college. Mount Holyoke's population is mainly made up of women, but we also have trans men and non-binary students.
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As I geared up to leave for college last summer, I received a lot of questions from people about my choice. Many people were surprised to hear that women's colleges still existed. Others wanted to know if I was having doubts about my sexuality. I chose Mount Holyoke for its culture and academics and values. Mount Holyoke encourages students to be the best they can be and work toward being responsible and global citizens. It offered me the best scholarship for the level of education I have the opportunity to receive. I love the traditions and alumni connections that women's colleges afford their students. We have Mountain Day on a secret day every autumn, when the president of the college cancels classes and shuttles take students to a nearby mountain to climb. We also have M&C's (milk and cookies) as a study break in our dorms on school nights. It's also nice to live on a campus that is often recognized for being a beautiful place to live and study.
Even though I have explained all of this to people, I still get questions about what it's like to live on a mostly single-sex campus. No, my school is not religious. No, there isn't an all men's college nearby. Only four of those exist in the country today, and this isn't some Catholic, private high school. However, my school is part of the Five College Consortium, so I can take courses, attend parties, and join clubs at any of the other campuses, which include the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Smith College (a fellow Seven Sister and women's college!), Amherst College, and Hampshire College. And no, attending a women's college (not a "girl's school") isn't weird. I was worried it would be when I committed to going, but it's really not that big of a deal; it's just another way to learn.
Yes, I still see men. They are on campus fairly often and sometimes will be taking my classes (thanks to the Five College Consortium), studying in the library or hanging out with their friends and girlfriends in the dorms or in the dining halls. I am still able to relate to and have a good relationship with my dad and little brother and male friends from outside of college. Yes, condoms are dispersed all over the place, just like at co-ed colleges. We have parties and dances and sports teams. Yes, people still wear makeup and dress nicely if they want. Everyone on campus is very diverse in their styles, and there's very little pressure to look a certain way. I personally don't usually wear much, if any, makeup to class, instead opting to showcase my outfit. In high school, it was the opposite.
I love that I can eat breakfast in the dining hall in my pajamas without thinking much about it. I can walk across campus to my dorm late at night without having to worry about my safety. My friends and I run across the quad singing Taylor Swift songs at the top of our lungs. It all feels pretty normal. I love attending a women's college, and look forward to the next three and a half years at Mount Holyoke.
