Wilson & “Unique”: My Experience So Far
Jake Navarro | September 18, 2024
Preliminary
Europeans, especially the younger generation, are in awe of the idea of America, whether they acknowledge it or not. At times I do stop and wonder why this is so. Is it a case of “the grass is always greener on the other side”, the proliferation of American culture in Europe, or America’s political potency? Possibly one day, I will endeavor to decipher an explanation.
Before I go any further, my name is Jake, and I’m an exchange student from Malta, a tiny island (gem) in the Mediterranean, just off the coast of Sicily. Back home, I read Law and am in my fourth year of studies. This semester, my friend Kyle and I are attending and taking classes at Warren Wilson College (WWC). With this background established and using my perspective, I will attempt to articulate what my experience at WWC has been like so far.
How Unique Wilson is
Wilson, as the local students refer to it, is “unique.” That’s putting it mildly. From what I’ve heard, this holds true even for American students who compare it to other colleges or universities. It was the first thing I was told when I entered Schafer and met fellow students. One can imagine how drastically different this place is for me, coming from a European island. When I asked one particular friend “Unique how?” The answer I got was “You’ll see.” They weren’t wrong.
The first thing that caught my eye was the obvious: How green everything is. Of course, being in the middle of a forest, that’s to be expected. But what actually stands out is how easily the campus blends into its surroundings, to the extent that at times it becomes increasingly difficult to decipher between the actual college campus and the beginning of a beautiful rural expression. The modern architecture complements the older buildings, and the woods weave everything together. Back home, we don’t have forests – quite the opposite. It’s tough to explain how different it is. So, seeing a bear outside Schafer was not something I had ever contemplated. This is part of what makes Wilson “unique” to me.
A part of Wilson’s distinctiveness is how friendly everyone is. Seriously, cultural differences aside, my friend and I have been met with constant “hi”, “yo” and “what’s up” greetings. I’m not sure if it’s because Wilson is a small school, or if it’s an American thing, but wow does it help. People’s cordiality has been a refreshing change, making the adjustment to life here much easier. I would not go as far as to say that all these “hi’s” and “yo’s” have translated into serious friendships. Nonetheless, it definitely fosters a welcoming environment. People just seem friendly by default, maybe without even realizing it.
Another facet to the “unique” is the lack of judgment. Let me elaborate. Back home, an undertone of social pressure is ever-present. What I mean is that invariably, you find yourself asking questions such as; What should I wear today? How do I look? Is my hair acceptable? What will people think If I dress in that manner? What will people say if I say/do that? At Wilson, it seems like these questions are non-existent. At Wilson, my impression is that people genuinely don’t care, and I mean this in the best possible way. Coming from a country where appearance and behavior are closely scrutinized, the daily struggle here seems to be the converse for myself: How to look effortlessly casual. The pressure to conform to unspoken social norms is almost non-existent. On the contrary, norms are challenged, significantly so. This is one of the things that initially challenged my “orthodox” upbringing and social setting back home, but it is without doubt one of the many things that makes Wilson one-of-a-kind.
An additional layer to Wilson’s “unique” self is probably an accepted standard in the U.S. However, personally, the manner in which the College treats sports is truly unique. It is truly commendable how well-respected athletes are, particularly by professors and the administration in general. It seems as though the majority understand the importance of sports and in investing in athletes. I look forward to interviewing such athletes soon, to get to further understand the ins and outs of sports here at Wilson and the underpinning framework they operate in.
Two other aspects that are different here at Wilson, and perhaps in the U.S. in general, are the classroom setting, and the political ambiance. These are topics I plan to explore in more detail later, so for now, I’ll keep my observations general.
Insofar as classes are concerned, professors have been great. They have allowed me to express my thoughts and opinions, and have cultivated significant room for personal interpretation – to the textbooks that is. This is something I always desired and look towards with great admiration. The idea that students are allowed to actually converse with the professors as if having a discussion over coffee, was a significant novelty. All the more, classes are structured very differently from back home, with a continued emphasis on a lot of reading. This has been a bit of a challenge, but one which I strive to overcome and be able to grasp.
With elections around the corner, political discourse is everywhere on campus. From “Are you registered to vote?” to “What do you think about the debate?” to “Who’s winning North Carolina?” it’s clear that Wilson fosters an environment where students — and professors — feel free to engage in political discussion. Maybe this is normal for Americans (I’m not sure), but where I come from, political engagement often feels narrow. Don’t get me wrong, we do talk about politics, but institutions back home are reluctant to foster open debate in the classroom. Students usually find themselves in like-minded cliques, going in circles on issues they all agree on. Genuine, open debate is rare. There are reasons for this, but that’s a topic for another time. The point is, Wilson has genuinely surprised me with how politically active and engaged the community is.
There’s a lot more about Wilson that makes it stand out. Space precludes a detailed analysis of all the peculiar aspects. I can however, briefly reference the Work Program, a unique opportunity to blend academia and the real-world work experience. I could also talk about Public Safety, a phenomenon I am still struggling to completely understand if I’m being honest. The point is, Wilson is truly unique, and my few weeks of being here has already made that quite clear.
All the above is not to be construed as if to mean that I have found no challenges. The clearest example is how people decide to spend their free time. This is where Europe, I feel, sharply contrasts. People’s concept of “hanging out,” and “having fun” is different, where chilling at Dogwood seems to be the thing-to-do, or have parties down at the Garden. A sharp contrast to Malta’s party-studded clubs. The culture-shock also meant that the campus seemed “isolated” at first. During my first week, I wandered across campus asking myself “What do people do here?”, “Why is everything so far away?” and “Why it seems like there’s nothing to do?”
However, the above “struggles” are once again what make Wilson “unique”, and why I’m so happy to have found a place where everything I’m used to has been challenged. A place where my idea of “fun” has been upended, where I spend my days differently and where my perception has already been remodeled. A place where anyone can cultivate a different unique form of friendship, and experience. This, after all, is what an Student-Exchange is meant to yield.
Now that I’ve started to settle into Wilson, I can’t wait to see what the next few months bring. I wonder how my perception of what makes this place “unique” will evolve by the end of the semester. There’s so much left to discover, and I’m genuinely intrigued.