In the series “Student Voices,” current students write about the reasons they chose Hampshire and how our educational model works from their perspective.
“A Love for Learning”
There’s an almost indescribable, contagious passion for knowledge in Hampshire students. Often times I only notice it when I leave campus and am back with some I went to high school with — when I speak of my studies passionately and describe my concentration in great detail and I’m met with a vague sense of boredom and confusion as to why I care about school to such an extent.
But I can’t help it. The Hampshire atmosphere breeds love for learning, and I’m so grateful for that. I believe a strong reason is that Hampshire students create their own concentrations of study. We aren’t confined to a rigid major with strict requirements. Instead, we take what we are passionate about and turn it into a personalized area of study that works for us.
One of my favorite things to do to motivate myself is sit in the Bridge Café or the library and talk to students about their Division III project, the senior thesis that’s the staple of a Hampshire education. It could be a novel, work of art, dance, musical piece, business startup, invention … anything!
Answers almost always take at least five minutes and include deep explanations of intriguing concepts that I may have never thought of before. I listen intently, feeling their passion envelop me, and smile at their excitement for knowledge.
It’s the wide eyes and gestures and fast-paced explanations that convey that a student cares deeply about using knowledge as a source of power in the world. Hampshire allows us to do that, and has truly shown me that colleges with students who love to learn have an effect on the atmosphere of learning itself! It’s easy to stay motivated and inspired. All we have to do is look around and listen.
Turn your ideas into action.
Learn more about Hampshire College.
