Bryn Mawr: The Big Picture
Bryn Mawr is a great place, but prospective students should know that the community is unique and not for everyone. People often overlook basic information about the college and complain about it later. For example...I often find myself grumbling about the lack of boys on campus or at social events, before remembering I'm at a women's college. It sounds petty and obvious, but it's easy to forget silly facts in a stressful academic environment. On the same note, it's not uncommon to hear people complaining about seeing the same faces every day (yes, it's a small campus!) or about the general PMS that strikes the student population during particularly stressful times. It's important to remember that Bryn Mawr is designed for women to grow into free-thinking, socially conscious, and scholastically well-rounded individuals. I try to focus on these ideas, and I find I don't actually have anything substantive to complain about.
Bryn Mawr Academic Life
Wow. I often feel like I've had the wind knocked out of me after a particularly rough exam or a singularly intense class. Bryn Mawr is a tough place to navigate academically. Students should be prepared to work their asses off, to listen, with jaws agape, to their brilliant professors, and to take cat naps in classes that are naturally dull. The college is great in this way: women get a feel for the highs and lows of the academia while learning to be organized and self-disciplined. One of the most unique things about Bryn Mawr is that grades are not discussed openly. On one hand, this is a great system; students are able to concentrate without worrying about the opinions of their peers. However, this set-up forces women to push themselves harder and to prove their abilities to their inner-critics.
Bryn Mawr's Student Body
I was engaged in a two-hour long debate about the social merit and detriment of Sex and the City. This didn't happen in a classroom...I was sitting on the floor of my dorm, eating chocolate, and arguing fiercely with my hallmates. That's Bryn Mawr. Intense discussions about everything and anything are spontaneous. Fights about polarizing issues are common. Political conversation is normal conversation. I love Bryn Mawr for these reasons. My friends and peers are willing to extract meaning from topics both mundane and important, and I respect and enjoy their company with this in mind.
Bryn Mawr Student Activities + Social Life
I'm not going to lie: I really wish Bryn Mawr parties were better. We have one or two really fun times during the year, but you need to Swat or Haverford for the more generic college gatherings.
