So looking at some of my fellow bloggers, I noticed that questions were being asked about majors. I just wanted to remind you all that I am a government major and I adore it. I am also a history minor. 

So, if you are thinking at all about government or history or have any inkling that you might enjoy pre-law things. feel free to send me your questions. I would love to talk to you. If you have no idea what you want yet, that’s totally acceptable, even typical. Also, if you can’t find someone to talk to about your major, I might be able to connect you. 

Yay for two posts a day! I’ll try to make it a habit 

<3 

Hey everyone, 

Hope you all are having a really good summer or end of the school year. Not too much to report from my end. I’m just spending another few weeks at home before heading off to my internship at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund. I hope to blog somewhat extensively while I am there as my guess is that it’ll be a reflective time for me. I’m both excited and nervous about starting my time there. It is a completely new city and environment but the people that I’ve talked to have been extremely supportive, so that’s  important. But, I can’t fight the feeling that this means I am like a GROWN UP/real person now. I think I’ll go  ahead and not reflect too much on that. 

Earlier this semester my advisor taught me how to use LexisNexis which is a legal search engine, so I have been looking for articles about healthcare in the disabled community and other vulnerable populations to better understand what DREDF is working on. I like healthcare policy because it has specific implications for the disabled community, but it also raises broader legal issues about the appropriate role and size of government, about individual choices vs. community impacts and just generally autonomy and dependency. Anyway, I digress somewhat. 

If you have any questions at all about Smith, please ask!!!! Like I say, I have a slow few weeks!

Lili

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwuNfHSOxZI

Jane Lynch is totally cool.

Congrats Smith 2012! Love you all!

Hi everyone, 

I am so, so, so happy to be home. I’ve literally been doing almost nothing all week. Just hanging out, spending time with family and baking cookies with my friends from home. I miss Haven House a lot but I know I’ll be back soon enough. I’ve watched a season and a half of the West Wing and purchased two new books about law. The excitement of my life is overwhelming. Really. 

Tomorrow, I plan on tuning in to watch Ivy Day onlIne and then the webcast of Commencement. Ivy Day includes a wonderful parade led by alumni of all class years. Then at the end of the day, the graduating seniors plant ivy to symbolize their continued connections to the school. You can see just how alumni remain connected to the school by how many return to the school for reunion. It’s always very touching. 

My favorite part is watching commencement. I remember being a recently accepted student in 2010 watching the ceremony and just feeling so incredibly excited. I was also aware that my aunt, Class of 1970, was watching with me. Watching people cross that s so incredibly far away. I completely freaked myself out by figuring out that once the time between then and now has passed again, I will be walking across that stage. Exactly two years from today. You can find the webcasts for all events, starting at 9:15 am tomorrow on the Smith College website. 

Enjoy, get pumped, and ask me anything….I love receiving your thoughts. 

All the best,

Lili

mybreathiseasy asked: hi my name is Lillian. I'm from San Francisco. I just got taken of the wait list at Smith at I'm trying to figure out whether to deposit there. (I have a deposit down at Lewis and Clark right now and will be taking a gap year no matter where I go) My biggest concerns about Smith are 1. (obviously) all the women- most of my fiends have been guys for most of my life 2. it feels pretty isolated despite the five colleges 3. the workload... could you help me out with your perspective? thanks!

Hi Lillian, 

First of all let me say that I know that wait-lists are anxiety inducing and I wish you all the best. Also, several of my good friends had fulfilling and exciting gap years. I certainly wish you the same. Let me try to address your valid concerns. 

1) This is definitely something I worried about as well. One of my closest home friends is a lovely guy, and I was definitely worried that I would miss out. That said, I really haven’t found that to be the case at all. I love the all women’s environment. Is it different socially? Sure. But academically I adore it. Really. 

2) I feel like I don’t fully have a handle on this one because I am from a small suburb and so NoHo feels sizable to me. It does have an active, albeit small as compared to SF. political and cultural scene. It has good food and great music. The other thing is that, while I share your desire to be part of a vibrant broader community, there is a huge amount going on on campus. More free shows, movies, exhibits and lectures than you could ever attend. If you want to tell me more about your specific interests, I could tell you more.  

3) I’m not going to lie, Smith academics are definitely intense. The thing is though that people care about doing their best not about out-GPAing, if you will, their friends. I think also that the professors are my favorite part of Smith. They are good to talk to and will absolutely engage with you about expectations and concerns. Smith is hard, but doable if you use your resources. 

Hope this helped and best of luck to you. Let me know if you have other questions. 

Lili

Anonymous asked: Hi, I'm applying to Smith next year, but I have a question. Is it true that the majority of students there are gay?I have no problem with this whatsoever (two of my best girlfriends are gay), I'm just curious. For those who aren't gay, how difficult is it to meet guys? I definitely want to focus on my studies, of course, but I don't want to isolate myself.

Hi there!!

So according to a student survey that was done a couple of years back, sorry I don’t have a source, about 1 in 3 students identify as lesbian about 1 in 3 as straight and about 1 in 3 are questioning, unsure or don’t approve of labels. The percentage of lesbians is actually not particularly far off from other similar schools. My sense is that what is unique is the 3rd category. Engage with a Smithie about sexuality and gender and you will hear phrases like fluid, environment specific or socially constructed a lot. Smithies don’t hate men and they certainly don’t hate straight people, I think the suspicion is of the idea that one must choose an identity and uphold it all the time. 

In terms of finding men, I think it is doable but on the challenging side. You certainly do have easy access to the 5 colleges through a free and efficient bus, the PVTA, and there will be men in some of your classes. For full disclosure though, you will be spending much of your time with ladies. As a guy loving female myself, I was worried about being lonely, but I haven’t found that to be the case! 

Hope that helps some! Let me know what else I can do for you as you begin applying.

Best, Lili 

whatshouldwecallme:

In exactly a week, I will be returning home to Westchester, and, as much as I love Smith, and I do, I AM SO READY. The end of the semester is a stamina struggle and the lovely stomach flu I caught did not help—- I’m sorry——HI everyone, how’s it going? Forgive me, I am mid-workplace law final. 

By now, the Smith class of 2016 has sent in their deposits (YAY) and the class of 2012 is done with classes. I will miss them all very much. And I am apparently nearly half way through my time at Smith!?!? This is what they tell me, but I’m not sure I’m buying. I could have sworn orientation was yesterday. This has been a tough semester for me, and an intense one on campus. That said, I feel that Smith has a massive amount to look forward to, not the least of which is the announcement of a new president. And I have a lot to look forward to as well. I am using my Praxis funding to spend 6 weeks in Berkley, CA at the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, which is kind of surreal. I feel so lucky that Smith has this kind of funding available for me, and for every student. 

While at DREDF, I will be doing research about the disabled community and healthcare, and I will be assisting in youth outreach efforts to support the ratification of an international disability rights convention. Not too shabby, also wildly important. I’m terrified, but I am Smithie and I am strong, strong, strong. 

With that, back to my paper 

<3 

I get to write my final paper using the Sophia Smith Archives about this amazing lady. 

So MUCH Happy 

http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/new-stories/325

Also Next Semester…

Environmental Integration 1: Perspectives 

Spanish Lit:Representations of Violence 

Gender, Law and Society with @Carrie Baker ahhhhhhh

State Regulation of the Family with ALICE HEARST

Loving my life!

Everyone, 

I feel like it’s been an unacceptably long time, especially given everything that has been going on on campus the past couple of weeks…I’m assuming you all have heard about it by now, but please if you have any questions please, please let me know. What I’ll say is this, it has become clear that Smith is an imperfect place but also has the capacity for introspection. The campus has been tense, but I think that the communications going on in houses has been positive. Also it has led to a range of student, faculty and staff forums. It has also led to a commitment. Even more productive, it has led to a commitment for increased training for diversity representatives. I will be back on campus a week early :)