Class of 2017: the new ’16

The Freshman Fifteen: College Houses: to block, or not to block

If you are like me and feel like you are a generally sociable person who prizes a community atmosphere, you have probably decided that you want to live in a “College House,” and you are caught in the midst of yet another application process. Granted, this one may not hold nearly as much weight as that of applying to college, but it’s certainly not without the stress.

The Freshman Fifteen: College House results rock first years

As many of you know, College House decisions were released this week, and naturally the results caused quite a stir amongst us first years. On Monday afternoon, I had immense trouble making my way through the Smith Union. There were two reasons for this: first, it was physically challenging to get through the sea of first years huddling like penguins checking their mailboxes, and second, I had a hard time watching the reactions of my fellow compatriots as they uncovered their fate.
The whole scene was like a battlefield. I saw a stocky hockey player fight his way to his mailbox by vehemently pushing a group of petite girls out of his path. I watched two excited friends do a ritual jump hug and make some sort of strangely high-pitched chihuahua-like victory screeches as they tore open their acceptances. And then, no more than a couple feet away, I saw the fallen—a group of boys silently staring at their letters with furrowed brows reflecting upon their loss. They had been hit by the news, and it had hit them hard.
Indeed, as difficult as figuring out blocks and writing College House applications was, the process of hearing back from Residential Life offered a whole other dramatic punch. In fact, I think this week created just as much tension, if not more, than the week applications were due.

The Freshman Fifteen

This piece represents the opinion of the author:

Julia Binswanger

Columnist

March 29, 2013

Fellow first years, we have been on the bottom of the totem pole for quite some time now. The bottom is what we are used to. It is all we know.

Being there can be somewhat comforting. Because hazing at Bowdoin is practically a hate crime, there aren’t many drawbacks to first year living. I, for one, majorly enjoy my central location on campus in Moore Hall. The fact that food is never more than a couple steps away is enough to make me sing.

In addition, right now we are still in the “exploratory” phase of our liberal arts education. We still have some time to take as many intro classes as our hearts desire. Plus, declaring a major seems far in the distant future. Sure, being at the bottom is not the most glamorous, but it is free from the pressures and responsibilities of the top.

However, something has happened this week—our place in the Bowdoin hierarchy has slightly shifted. We are no longer the lowest of the low. The class of 2017 has been admitted, and that means that the “pre-frosh” are lining up to take our place.

I was extremely curious to find out about these newbies, so I immediately turned to social media. Twitter was abuzz with high school seniors excitedly posting acceptances or passive aggressively tweeting rejections. On Facebook, I found out who from my high school had gotten in. Drew Van Kuiken ’17, I never met you in high school, but I guess I’ll be seeing more of you next year.

Still, what may have been most strange to learn was that the “Class of 2017” Facebook group has already been created. Next years’ students are already getting acquainted with one another. They are already embarrassing themselves by posting overeager comments online. Rookie mistake.

Soon enough, these people will be arriving on campus and scoping our turf during accepted students day. They will come into our dorms like vultures and soon claim our spots in the bricks.

In one sense, I might be over exaggerating. Not that much has changed. Although we are no longer on the bottom, we also haven’t really moved up the totem pole either. Sure, the class below us has been accepted, but we are still the first year class.

In another sense, ever since we returned from Spring break, I can’t help but feel that the end is near. I keep getting emails that are telling me I might have to start preparing for the housing lottery, which sounds really scary and I really don’t want to think about it.

What’s more, I feel that everyone has already started counting down the final weeks until summer. News is abuzz with what internships and jobs everyone has been receiving, and plans are getting set in stone. We just got back from two weeks of vacation, yet students are already ready to leave.

Yes, the pre-frosh are on their way, but until they get here I propose a campus-wide carpe diem. Go to a restaurant in town that you haven’t been to before. Sign up for an outing club trip. Venture to Crack House and see what it’s about (then, when you do, tell me what it is like because I never actually want to step foot in there). Check off something from your Bowdoin bucket list before summer arrives, and most importantly, recognize that the year is not yet over.

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