[saucysmithie]

This Summer...

This summer I am incredibly lucky. I am interning with EqualityMaine in Portland, Maine. They are an organization that fights for LGBTQ+ equality and rights through education, legislative advocacy, and community building.

I am the Program Intern. I help our Program Director with all summer, fall, and ongoing programming for the organization. I am helping her develop EQME’s first overnight summer camp for LGBTQ+ youth and their allies as well as helping her program and craft their fall conference. Sarah McBride will be speaking at that conference!! How cool!?!?

I am incredibly fortunate that I don’t have to work while doing this internship. Going into Smith, I never thought that I would be able to do an unpaid internship during the summer. Thankfully, I was awarded the Leanna Brown Fellowship. Going to Smith is amazing for many reasons. I feel truly grateful to go to a college where they want experiences around my passions to be a reality as much as I do. The hardest part about finding funding was not knowing where to look. The best piece of advice I can give someone in a similar situation is to not be afraid to ask. Before my fellowship, I didn’t know that Smith had these funds. Ask the people around you. Ask professors. Ask your dean.

[saucysmithie]

Smith Reads!

Welcome, Class of 2021! I hope you are all enjoying your summer.  

Smith has a summer reading program called Smith Reads. It is a great way to interact with an issue that Smith values before getting to campus in the fall. In past years, Smith has chosen issues such as climate change and mental illness. This year, we chose immigration!

I was one of two first-years on the committee that chose the book. The committee met every week for a few months to try and find a book that exemplified Smith’s values and introduced Smith’s academics. We mulled over dozens of wonderful books. Given the current political climate and many other factors, we decided that The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez best fit the criteria.

This article goes more in-depth with why we chose this book. I truly hope you enjoy it! I can’t wait to chat with you all about our pick and get your feedback.

[smithbysmithies]

So... how's the food at Smith? When I visited Smith my tour guide told me the foods not good, but it's getting better. I was wondering how bad it is or if it's really even bad at all. Also, what kind of foods does Smith offer for Breakfast, Lunch & dinner? thxx

Hi!! Honestly, I think a lot of people exaggerate how bad the food at Smith is. It isn’t 100% great 100% of the time but It really isn’t awful either. I’d say that breakfast and brunch are Smith’s best meals. I’ve never been disappointed at breakfast/brunch. There are always cereals, granola, yogurt, many types of milks, eggs, bagels, bread, english muffins, breakfast meats, coffee, tea, juice, fresh fruit, etc. At some breakfasts and most brunches there are pancakes (which are always very good!), french toast, gnocci, pierogies, hash browns, muffins, breakfast breads, eggs benedict, and more. Lunch is usually also pretty good. There is always grab n’ go at Chapin which has sandwiches, salads, chips, yogurt, fruit, and brownies/cookies. Tyler always has hot soups and sandwiches. Common lunches are grilled cheese, burgers and fries, different teriyaki dishes, pasta, tacos/burritos, mac n’ cheese, pizza and caesar salad, bulgogi, and a lot more. Dinner is usually the most hit or miss meal, but is decent most of the time. Dinner is often similar types of food to lunch but usually has more roasted vegetables, rices, pastas, different types of cooked meats and sauces, etc. Tyler always has the same thing for dinner (pasta!!!! And some type of lean protein and other carbs like brown rice and cooked veggies - it’s the athletes dining hall). Northrop-Gillet has vegan/vegetarian food 100% of the time. Also, all dining halls have salad bars open for lunch and dinner that have fresh veggies and other salad toppings like hummus, cheeses, olives, cold noodle dishes, etc. I hope this answers your question :)

-Simona ‘20

[saucysmithie]

Happy Summer!

This summer I will be doing a series of blog posts about my first year at Smith. Topics will include classes, housing, first-generation experiences, declaring my majors, work-study, general reflections on my first year and much more! I’ll be posting my first post next week!

~ Jaycee ‘20

[saucysmithie]

Do you have a single as a first year in King? how many first years have singles?

Hi there! I started out being in one of very few singles in King and then applied for a single in King and got one! Res Life makes moving really easy and accessible. Most first years in King get singles however. Thanks for asking! ☺️

[saucysmithie]

...but why Smith?

My college search started earlier than most. I looked primarily at women’s colleges because I knew that’s the environment that I wanted. I toured Barnard, Wellesley, Mount Holyoke, and of course, Smith. Smith’s campus really drew me in. It felt homey and quaint but there was still access to more urban settings. I also really loved the housing system. All of the houses are so beautiful and have unique communities.

Academically, I was really attracted to the open curriculum. I love how you can jump right into classes that you want to take in your first semester. I feel that this allows students to truly experience a liberal arts education because we have free range on the curriculum we choose.

Socially, I knew that I wanted a women’s college atmosphere. I was looking for a liberal/feminist undergraduate experience. With that being said, if you fit into those demographics you will still have your opinions challenged at Smith, which is great. 

Smith also tends to give great financial aid. My ability to attend Smith was 100% dependent on receiving financial aid and Smith met my needs. For students who need aid, Smith is very aware of our needs and will do their best to make Smith work for everyone.

[saucysmithie]

Night at Your Museum!

This past weekend the Smith College Museum of Art hosted Night at Your Museum! Basically, it’s an event where Smith students and their guests dress nicely (or however they please) and go to the museum! But it isn’t like any old trip to the museum… Everything is decorated beautifully and there is really good food while also having full access to the museum. My friends and I had a great time. Night at Your Museum is like that high school prom you always wished for but never got.

[dunn-and-phillips]

‘Things fall apart,’ Rachel Maddow tells crowd of over 2,000 at Smith College

NORTHAMPTON — So the unexpected has happened, MSNBC news anchor Rachel Maddow told a crowd of more than 2,000 people at Smith College on Monday: Real estate mogul and reality television star Donald J. Trump is officially the 45th U.S. president.“Now...

[saucysmithie]

Spring 2017 Classes!

Classes have officially started! This semester I am taking Intro to SWG, Issues in Queer Studies, Race and National Identity, American Government, and The American Presidency. I am really excited! I intend to be a Government and SWG major. Though I doubt it, things could change. Smith has really wonderful SWG and Government departments. There are also tons of courses in those departments in the five college system! 

[saucysmithie]

J-Term!

Smith has a period of time between the first and second semester where students are encouraged to do a variety of things - intern, work, take a class, or just relax at home! A J-Term internship kind of fell into my lap. A class of 2016 alum encouraged me to apply for a J-Term internship at Verité. Verité is an organization that does work surrounding labor trafficking. Shortly after applying I received an email telling me that I got the internship in the Amherst office! Though my break was cut short, I was really excited to do this sort of work. 

At Verité I was a Research Intern. My work was focused on a project in Sub-Saharan Africa. I wrote a country report for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. The country reports allows companies to have a detailed set of information pertaining to their supply chain so that they can make more ethical decisions. I also did research on how mobile technologies are able to locate and help labor trafficking victims. Sadly, I wasn’t there for long but I really enjoyed my time at Verité. 

Campus was pretty dead during J-Term but I really didn’t mind. Students are able to take classes for one credit or less. The houses stay open and a few dining halls stay open.

[saucysmithie]

Hi again!

Hey everyone!

It’s been a few months since I’ve posted. It wasn’t because I haven’t been thinking about blogging or that I haven’t had time but as you may have seen from other bloggers, we were not comfortable with some of the leadership running the blog. We felt that the leadership was not representative of who we are for various reasons. Thankfully, we were able to meet with administration and fix what we felt was wrong. Many of us are returning now under the leadership of a wonderful person who is dedicated to making this blog an inclusive place.

With that aside, I cannot wait for this semester! I have lots of ideas for great blog posts. I want to shape this blog into an honest and optimistic lens through which people can view Smith. Please feel free to reach out and ask questions or request content. I would love that.

See you soon,

Jaycee ‘20

[saucysmithie]

Mid-Semester Update!

Mid-semester already? Wowie that was fast! I can’t believe I’ve been here for almost two months already. I am really enjoying my time here and I am fully confident that this is the place where I belong. Of course nothing is perfect but Smith is a good fit for me.

Just a reminder that I’m taking Introduction to Anthropology, Introduction to Political Thinking, French 230, and Mammalian Reproduction: The Female Prospective. I think that the first year of college is all about figuring things out. Figuring out what you like academically, where you see your future going, nailing down aspects of your identity, and just exploring the world and yourself. With my classes, I am making progress on what I would like to major in. I would like to double major in SWAG and Africana Studies with a concentration in Community Engagement and Social Change. I think these topics work really well together and will help me get where I would like with my career. 

Outside of the classroom, I have gotten involved in House Council and VOX. I’m actually on the board for VOX as the secretary and I am super excited about that. I also would like to get more involved in F1GS because I think that support system is fabulous for first gen. students.

That’s where I am right now! I’m sorry I haven’t posted in so long. The life of a Smithie is a busy one!

[saucysmithie]

Hi! I'm a junior and I was looking to apply to Smith ED next year. But I'm concerned about the money. How much financial aid will Smith give me and will it be enough to be able to afford it? Or what are other places to get money?

Hey there! Thanks so much for asking this. It was hands down my biggest worry too. My ability to be at Smith was 100% dependent on my financial aid package. From what I’m told, applying ED is a good idea because at that point in time, Smith has the most money to give for the year. I would recommend trying the Net Price Calculator as well. This gives you a ball park estimate of where you might be paying. Smith has a really large endowment and great alumni connections which result in good financial aid. Also, I appealed my financial aid once I got my package and that helped as well. I have also been working every summer since my freshmen year of high school to do my part in affording my education. I highly suggest looking into scholarships now too! I wish I had done that sooner. It is hard but the pay out is well worth it. Look into national scholarships, state scholarships, and local scholarships. When it comes down to it, if Smith wants you, they will do what they can to make it happen. Make your needs known to them when the time comes. I hope this helps a little!

 -Jaycee ‘20

[saucysmithie]

Clubs!!!

On Saturday 9-17, the Org. Fair was held on Chapin Lawn! It was tons of fun! The entire perimeter of the lawn was filled with orgs. I made my way to nearly every table around the lawn looking for clubs that interest me. I found quite a few!! I joined VOX, Ukulele Club, Zine Club, and quite a few more but those are the ones that I am most excited about. I think Zine Club and Ukulele Club will be good outlets from the rigorous academic environment. 

I went to my first Ukulele Club meeting the other day and it was adorable and of course lots of fun! We all sat in a circle in the grass and strummed away. They’re really great at involving people from every skill level.

I went to my first VOX meeting tonight and I am SO excited about it! Reproductive justice is one of my strongest passions and hopefully something I can pursue in the future as a career. I’m incredibly passionate about proper sex education and reproductive healthcare.

[smiths-and-legends]

REMINDER FOR FIRST-YEARS

it’s okay to feel overwhelmed

it’s okay to feel stressed 

it’s okay to feel homesick

it’s okay to feel lonely

it’s okay if college isn’t everything you hoped for & expected immediately 

i promise things will normalize and it will get better

in the meantime, take care of yourself! talk to someone you trust. see a counselor (they don’t bite!). reach out. advocate for yourself, even though it’s hard, and especially in this time of confusion & transition. you deserve to be there for yourself! especially if you struggle with mental illness, it’s crucial to build up a support network asap so you can navigate college with the resources you need. 

remember, you belong here. there are so many people who want to see you learn, grow, and succeed 💕

[saucysmithie]

Classes!

Classes began almost a week ago! How exciting! I am interesting in majoring in either SWAG (Study of Women and Gender) or Anthropology. This semester I’m taking Intro. to Cultural Anthropology, Intro. to Political Thinking, Mammalian Reproduction: The Female Perspective, and French 230 Colloquium in French Studies: Paris, a Multilayered City. So far all of the classes are quite interesting. I like some more than others but I’ll give them a bit more time before I give you the full low-down on what they’re like.  

I’m taking 16 credits which is the recommended course load per semester. 16 credits for 8 semesters is the magic number of 128 credits which you need to graduate. Smith is really awesome in the way that we have an open curriculum. There are minimal requirements to graduate. You need a writing intensive class. This is really easy to fulfill because most first-year seminars are writing intensive. You need 64 credits in your major and 64 out of it. I love the way the curriculum is set up!! I don’t feel pressured right now to take any classes that don’t interest me and I know that regardless of what I’m doing, I’m fulfilling credits. It’s a win win in my eyes. Of course, there are required courses within your major/minor but they’re relatively loose. Such as, needing to take one 300-level seminar or something along those lines. Smith really wants students to be taking classes that they’re interested in while at the same time experiencing the liberal arts. I think it’s a fantastic approach to education!

[saucysmithie]

Welcome to Smith!

     On Friday, September 2nd, at 1am (yes, 1am) my journey to Smith commenced! I packed up my belongings and at 3am my family and I hit the road for NoHo! We arrived around 8:30, made our way to central check-in then to my house (the best house). My lovely HONS helped me load my things into my room and in the process made me feel very welcomed. I won’t bore you with all the details of orientation and every little event but so far, everything is good. My space in my room is very me and I think it will suit me well for my first year at Smith.

     Everyone at every session, panel, and house meeting that I have encountered have been 100% the nicest people I’ve ever met. They’re all so welcoming and they genuinely want to help you. I think that is something really unique to Smith. Being a first-year can be very hard. There’s new housing, new food, new people, new everything. But trust me when I say you’re not alone. Every first year is freaking out. They may hide it well but everyone is freaking out. None of us are alone and we all have each other. There’s a large sense of family between all the first-years.

Here’s to many first year adventures!