During the past two weeks the College has apparently taken it upon itself to remind graduating seniors that in about a month we will no longer be students at Bowdoin College. From the letters in our mailboxes asking us how to pronounce our names at graduation to the emails asking us to request our cap and gowns and the bittersweet reminders that in a few months we won't have access to the soon-to-be-defunct Bearings, Bowdoin seems intent on waking us up from the dream that we'll always be college students. On behalf of the Class of 2012, we get it.
Perhaps the best reminder of our impending departure came this Monday when newly admitted students and their parents visited for Admitted Student Open Houses. These kids are the members of the class that will take our places here. They are the ones who will be moving into our first year year rooms and embarking on the journey we've all been a part of the past four years. Although this kind of makes me jealous, it also reminds me of how important my visit to Bowdoin on admitted students day was four years ago, and why it's important that we represent the Bowdoin experience in a positive light when we meet and talk with prospective students.
Seeing the bright-eyed, eager faces of the potential Class of 2016 and their families wandering around campus brought me back to the day I first visited. Hailing from the tropical climates of the Bahamas and Barbados, I had no idea what to expect when I arrived in Maine. I knew it was pretty far north and the drive up from Boston confirmed my suspicion that Maine's primary inhabitants were pine trees. Still, I was excited to see for myself what this school was all about.
Fortunately it happened to be a beautiful day in early April and students clearly were excited to be outside and wearing shorts. I remember seeing kids playing Frisbee on the Quad, while others attempted to keep their balance walking across a slack-line. Some students lay out on picnic blankets, soaking up the afternoon sun. Others tossed a football around. I remember turning to my dad and saying, "this college thing looks like it's going to be pretty fun."
Four years later, I know scenes like that are rare (because the Quad is covered in snow and ice most of the school year), but that first impression mattered.
Aside from the visible happiness of the students I encountered during my visit to Bowdoin, I remember feeling an immediate connection to the campus. Although it's hard to see how I could have been lost within Bowdoin's now intimately familiar confines, I remember feeling so disoriented as I tried to navigate my way to Thorne Dining Hall. My confusion must have been painfully obvious to a friendly passerby who asked me if I needed help finding something. I told her I was looking for Thorne. She laughed and told me if I looked for the big tower right in front of me and walked inside I would find it pretty easily. Slightly embarrassed by my ignorance but elated to finally try Bowdoin's famous food, I made my way to Thorne. I have no idea what I ate that day, but I do remember the kindness of that student who helped me find my first Bowdoin meal.
The most rewarding part of my experience at Bowdoin has been the friendships I've made with hosts of brilliant and enthusiastic students in my four years here. When I think about what I'll miss most when I become a graduate of the College, it will be the opportunity to live with and share common experiences with my closest friends. I encourage all of you to share your experiences with prospective students wandering around campus today and tell them what you love about Bowdoin—because those are the things that they'll remember from their visit.
To those students who have more semesters here at Bowdoin, relish the experience and seize every opportunity. To members of the Class of 2012, let's finish out our college careers with the same excitement we had when we arrived. Bowdoin is a special place, and we need to share it with potential future students.
Craig Hardt is a member of the Class of 2012.