Hint of Masochism with A Drop of Insanity

Honestly, you’ve got to be some kind of crazy to go to William & Mary. You have to be the person who lives for the high of rising above the fray to become an academic champion. The type of student who did the additional reading because it’s interesting not because it’s graded. The one who would rather sit in the back of the class and mentally answer the teacher’s questions rather than flaunt their intelligence. The superhuman involved in 3 clubs, 2 extracurriculars, and wakes up on the weekends to volunteer in the community. The global citizen who will be the change they wish to see in the world.

You’re brilliant. You’re the type of individual who knows what they want and actually has the gall to pursue it. You don’t settle in life, school, or relationships because you know what you’re made of and what you have to offer. Even though you exhausted your spare time on Reddit and Netlfix, you’re pulling that all-nighter because your best work flourishes in your darkest hour.

You are a socially acceptable & capable introvert which is why you relate when people say, “William & Mary is so beautiful.” Nature has to be interwoven throughout your everyday life, because it preserves your sanity. It’s tough to be stressed when squirrels are scampering by with every step. You’re understated. Your best impression is one-on-one. Sure, you can win over a crowd (if you really had to) but that’s not your bread and butter. Office hours are your best friend because that’s when your interpersonal skills flourish.

You may not be a runway model from Paris fashion week, but clothes don’t define who you are. You want to be all you can be and make the world a better place. William & Mary is merely a stepping stone on your way to world domination.

…And then you go from being the best and the brightest to average and making it.

Let’s face it, William & Mary draws in the smartest of students. They didn’t get this prestigious reputation from the food and seniority. You have to work to survive here. There will be days when you crash into bed and think Why do I torture myself like this? When professors challenge your way of thinking, the classes force you to establish viewpoints grounded in long researched facts, and your peers debate like candidates for the presidential election, it jolts you. There’s a social and mental refining process that either breaks you or forces you to shine bright like a diamond.

For those who survive the Tribe, the street cred alone is worthwhile. To proudly tell anyone who asks that you graduated from William & Mary will nine times out of ten merit you a response along the lines of “Wow, that’s a great school. You must be very smart.” In this hard knock life we live in, the prejudice of intelligence can go a long way. Aside from the bragging rights, there’s a personal sense of pride you receive after living through William & Mary. You held your own with some incredibly talented, privileged, highly educated students and lived to tell the tale. Within the hallowed walls, after countless class discussions, you reconciled who you thought you were and who you truly are. You learned some hard truths about yourself, your life, and the world you live in. Essentially, William & Mary hurts your pride but grows your soul.

You will be stretched, pushed, knocked down, frustrated, maybe even shed a tear, but it’s all worth it. You are smart and you can do this.

Trust me, I survived.

~ Lynelle Haugabrook