College life has been a bit of a roller coaster for me. On my first trip to college (my previous college), driving across the state, I was “accidentally” left at a rest stop along the route. I got out to use the bathroom at a stop, and my parents drove off before I’d gotten back in the car. I was forced to borrow a stranger’s phone to call my parents to retrieve me (they initially thought I was pranking them until they physically turned around and realized I wasn’t in the back seat). I am happy to report that this year I stayed safely in the car for the entire journey. Although my year at a different college was a good one, I can confidently say that my second college experience, this time at Swarthmore, has started off on a much better foot.
So, why did I transfer? Was it because of the above traumatic experience? Was it because I’m such a masochist that I longed to dine at Sharples daily? Or perhaps because I wanted a community in which the standards for what constitutes awkward are much lower (see “swatkward”). No, personally I just didn’t align with the culture of my old school, and I wanted to pursue engineering, which my old school did not offer (small detail). Everyone’s transfer story is unique, but generally the experience is about figuring out what you really need and want from a school, and, like our fair mascot Phineas the Phoenix, it’s all about new beginnings and rebirth. Long story short, I’ve enjoyed this fresh start at Swat — it’s been fun to relive the excitement of being a freshman without the stress of total cluelessness, and for those of us that were not excited by our previous schools, it’s a do-over.
Although all of us incoming transfers came from different schools, I’ve observed that we share many of the same opinions about Swat. For many of the transfers I’ve talked to, the first difference they mention is the strong student community. One enthusiastic transfer raved about how “everyone’s so nice!” I agree, and I’m a midwesterner, the embodiment of nice! I had thought coming to Swat would be initially uncomfortable — because although I’m technically a sophomore, I always feel the need to specify that I’m a transfer (lest people think I actually know things). However, despite my own self-consciousness, my experience thus far has been overwhelmingly positive. Where at my old school you could get a side eye for sitting at the wrong table, here I’ve actually made friends by eavesdropping on people’s conversations (not a technique I’d recommend, because social norms, but it does work). Swatties are certainly a unique group, but this may be part of what makes them so welcoming.
On a similar strain the community is very close knit. The campus is united in part by our small numbers, but also through a shared spirit of learning and curiosity. Fellow transfers were also impressed by the amount of academic discussion outside of class. Ever get laughed at for trying to discuss political theory at a party? Not at Swat! While it is more academic than my old school, it was less so than some transfers expected. One transfer thought everyone would be “pretentious and outright nerdy … in reality, we are brought together by a love for learning, but not everyone goes around quoting Plato.”
Not to sound like a college informational mailer, but the collaborative spirit so often flaunted by Swarthmore is the real deal. I’ve had numerous upperclassmen give time and advice to help me with everything from writing debates to survival techniques for Sharples dining.
One less-advertised difference about the school is the variety of activities students do in their free time. Fellow transfers were pleasantly surprised by the number of students that go into Philly to visit museums or concerts on weekends. And while the most popular social activity is still the classic study group, it’s a pleasant surprise to find students doing more than partying on weekends as they do at so many other schools. Because of this, I’ve heard transfers call Swat parties “lame.” Fortunately, there is much less pressure here to go to parties than there was at my old school. Partying is popular, but not the center of social life.
Students here are also passionate, often for very specific issues. This creates a much more active dynamic on campus. Students are engaged, and due to their involvement in extracurriculars, they appear to have a large voice at Swarthmore. Entering Swat, I was impressed by student-driven environmental efforts on campus. While many universities put up recycling bins and call it a day, Swatties spend their afternoons voluntarily sorting refuse to collect data on our campuses waste disposal and dedicate time during orientation to reinforce sustainable practices in each incoming class.
One negative trait Swarthmore’s known for is its “stress culture”. While this can certainly be a negative, many transfers appreciate Swarthmore academic intensity. At my of old school, academics were somewhat secondary to social life and extracurriculars. Here people are students before all else … but also no one sleeps.
The most peculiar observation I’ve heard is that Swat has “more mosquitos than expected,” according to a transfer from a very urban area. But when you live in an arboretum that’s par for the course. I’m skeptical that this is a significant factor in college choice for many students anyway.
These are things that really set Swarthmore apart, and though some of the details about community or friendliness may seem insubstantial or unquantifiable, take it from a transfer; these things matter. I’m not trying to say that Swat is the only school like this, but as a transfer from a school that is less like it, I urge you not to take it for granted.
