Senior Reflections: A Letter from 2020 to 2024
As a senior, there are many milestones that occur throughout the year, especially during the spring semester. While this wasn’t the senior spring any of us were expecting, I have learned the depth and breadth of support from the community at Barnard truly extends beyond our campus and I am confident it will continue after graduation. I have been additionally impressed by the resilience of my friends and classmates and the continued compassion and understanding of my professors during this time.
Right now, I feel especially connected to the class of 2024. This is in part because we are both seniors struggling to transition into a new life that is riddled with uncertainties and unable to celebrate these milestones in a traditional manner. But this is also in part because the class of 2024 is the last class I will have helped recruit and the first class that I will not get to greet in person on campus when they arrive. They are the first cohort that I have ever zoomed with and hosted virtual panels for and last cohort that I will have given tours to and answered questions through emails and phone calls. For me, the most rewarding experience I have had while working in the Admissions Office has been when a student tells me that I am the reason they decided to come to Barnard. I know many of my peers in the office share this sentiment as well.
For my final project as a Head Barnard Student Admissions Representative (BSAR), I have asked some of the senior BSARs to submit some reflections and advice for the class of 2024.
Here, four seniors (and myself) offer some short but sweet reflections on their time at Barnard.
Why Barnard?
“Barnard was the gift I never knew I needed. Its campus, faculty, students, and community push me to be the best version of myself, even on days when that feels impossible. When I have low points, Barnard reminds me that it's okay to be human and make mistakes, and when I have high points, Barnard teaches me to own them and celebrate them, and then lift others up with me.”
– Izzie Rivera (she/hers)
“I believe Barnard prioritizes close community and a drive for critical engagement with every part of the academic and social worlds we move through. It's an incredible place to grow into yourself because you are given permission (and challenged!) to really self-author yourself, rather than settle into categories or identities - gender or otherwise - that overdetermine you.”
- Aydan Shahd (they/them/he/him)
What is something unexpected you learned?
“Before coming to Barnard, I didn't consider myself an independent person. After being here for four years, I realized that I actually function super well as an independent person, and I've come to love myself without boundaries instead of basing my opinions about myself on what other people thought. It's been a surprisingly transformative mental experience.”
– Megan Trach (she/hers)
“I didn’t think I would value female mentorships and relationships as much as I do now. At the time, I chose mentors who I believed had values and qualities that I admired and aspired to have. Since then, Barnard has challenged me to analyze and think critically about gender and identity, and I have only become more inspired by mentors and friends because I value having the ability to see women and gender minorities in these positions of power and leadership. I’ve found that what it means to be a “women’s college” will continue to change and be redefined long after I graduate.
- Hannah Yueh (she/hers)
What advice would you like to give the class of 2024?
“While Barnard is indeed the next step in your lifelong journey, I would encourage you to see it as a new chapter. Embrace the unfamiliar and find the courage within yourself to try new things and make mistakes (you'll have a great community to support you when you do). You never know what or who might surprise you, and those things ended up being the most important and impactful experiences I've had at Barnard.”
- Chantel Woo (she/hers)
“Ask for help! Ask your friends, classmates, peers, professors, deans, and everyone in between for assistance when you need it. I’ve found that every person I have met here has been extremely understanding—unfortunately for me, it took a global pandemic to realize it was okay to ask for extensions or accommodations. Even during my time on campus, the community at Barnard has been exceptional at providing support in so many ways. I know that I personally am always willing to go out of my way to help my peers in any way I can.”
- Hannah Yueh (she/hers)
Any final words?
“I know my time at Barnard is just ending now, but I can already say with confidence that these were the most transformative four years of my life. I am who I am because of Barnard, and I will always live my life according to the lessons I learned here. Thanks for listening to me nerd out about our little college; if you come here, then one day you'll understand what I mean too.”
- Izzie Rivera (she/hers)
“I am so grateful to have been at a school where people truly and fiercely care about their work, their communities, and the world around them. Especially at a time when it can feel so heartbreaking and futile to invest in things wholeheartedly, being at Barnard makes you want to go all in, and makes you feel like you will always have someone at your back as you do.”
- Aydan Shahd (they/them/he/him)
I truly can’t imagine spending the past four years anywhere else. As I have been reflecting from home this past month, I’ve realized that even if things had gone as planned, I don’t think I ever would have been “ready” to say goodbye to Barnard. So this isn’t a goodbye, it’s a see you soon. To the class of 2024, I wish you best, craziest, and most transformative four years of your life.