One Semester In: How the Freshman Class of 2022 Feels So Far
Emily Cobb | February 9, 2023
Now that their first semester of classes has been completed, many first-year Warren Wilson College (WWC) students have settled in and have some reflections and thoughts about their time so far at WWC.
Josh Sanchez is a first-year student from Fayetteville N.C. He is on the Dining Crew and plans on majoring in drawing and painting.
Q: What brought you to WWC?
A: The scenery, actually. So, I was taking a college tour here with a program in high school as a freshman, and I remember exploring near the log cabin and how shady it was and I thought, you know, out of all the college campuses that I've been on, this campus is not as hot, and not as sun intensive. Then when I told my dad about it, he said, ‘hey, you need a more legitimate reason to come to the college even though the scenery is pretty nice.’ So, it's far away from home, but not like outside the state, and also this is a liberal arts college, meaning it's a college for nerds.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory or class at WWC?
A: Probably the West African ensemble.
Q: How do you feel about the room and board here?
A: I like the fact that Sunderland is co-ed, I love that a lot. Because I do not want to be in a dormitory with just strictly dudes. That's just too much testosterone for me and I like it balanced with different hormones. And then the food situation is alright.
Q: How would you describe your work crew experience so far?
A: I like it. I mainly wash dishes, I am the master dishwasher in what I call the dish dojo. It's not for everyone of course, but if you like vigorous work and staying busy then you will probably enjoy Dining Crew and you get a small bit of socializing too.
Q: Do you think work crews are one of the benefits of WWC?
A: It is the benefit, it is the benefit. Shoot, you can come here and work off part of your tuition? Yes, I'm showing up. I'm pulling up.
Q: What is one thing you would change about WWC?
A: Well, probably the price, probably the pricing point. . . I do understand [WWC] is on the cheaper side of the expensive colleges, but even then I feel like [WWC] doesn't live up to the hype to be that expensive.
Zachary Beverly is a first-year student from Greensboro, N.C. He is on the Transportation Crew — a subsidiary of Dodge Crew — and is planning on majoring in biochemistry with a minor in neuroscience and possibly philosophy.
Q: What brought you to WWC?
A: [WWC] gave me the most scholarships compared to everything else with the price being reasonably the same across the board. But I also just chose it for its terrain features. It has mountains, it [campus] is free. I can probably go and get lost anytime I felt like it.
Q: What has been your favorite part of WWC so far?
A: I think just going out and exploring random parts of the campus. Finding old pieces, new pieces, like parts that used to be here. Like, there was a foundation of a house, a bridge. That and I guess maybe seeing new people and forcing myself to grow as a person.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory/class at WWC?
A: Probably my philosophy class with Todd [May]. It was ethical theory and practical issues. I originally chose the class because I thought it would challenge ethical questions, morality and common issues with ethics today. But it also touched upon old ethical issues like if this is right, this is wrong, what is truly right and wrong?, what is good, what is happiness? And then we got into arguments about old fashions, chocolate martinis and cars.
Q: How do you feel about the room and board here?
A: I would hope going forward like my sophomore year, I'll be able to choose the [dorm] building and who is on my floor or something to make it a lot easier, because we got friend groups now. Food is a solid hit or miss. But then again, there's always pizza — the unhealthy last option.
Q: Do you think work crews are one of the benefits of WWC?
A: Yeah, I believe it is one of the benefits because you get to know your teachers, your supervisor and fellow students around you a lot better because it [WWC] is so small compared to your normal college. Wilson’s population is probably — after I take a rough guesstimate — I’d say 700 or so. And even then, my high school beat that almost double. So I feel like maybe with time you could recognize everybody. If you stay through your entire senior year you could know everybody by name.
Q: Is there anything you want to add about WWC or your experience so far?
A: I feel like they [WWC] could probably try and do something to bridge a gap or something with the way everybody's separated. Because it's very cliquey. Like how you can just tell by looking out who is probably alone and who is probably just there half the time and who actually is just a part of a smaller or bigger group.
Lili Jones is also a first-year student, and is an Asheville, N.C. native. She is on the Theater Crew and plans on majoring in environmental policy.
Q: What brought you to WWC?
A: The environmental policy major and focus on environmentalism, and really just close connection to the land. I'm really big on the environment and planet and wanted to be near that.
Q: What has been your favorite part of WWC?
A: Probably the people, I really like the community here. And I like that there are really small classes and small everything. So you kind of know everybody, even if you don't know them as friends, which is good. And being close to home is helpful for me.
Q: What has been your favorite memory/class at Wilson so far?
A: I think probably my favorite memory is going on a hike in the woods alone after class one day, and just wandering through the old pine forest and being like, ‘Oh, my God, I am in the prettiest place on earth.’ And just kind of having that realization that I have a lot of stuff ahead of me that I'm waiting to do.
Q: How do you feel about the room and board here?
A: The food is pretty good. Everybody complains about Glad, but having grown up around a lot of like, cafeteria kind of food, Glad is really good for a college campus. There's a lot of variety in what you're eating. Like the International Week and things like that are pretty cool. But the dorms are not the best. I'm fine living in a small space, and it doesn't really bother me. But they're very small, and they're very kind of rickety, and things are often falling apart.
Q: Do you think work crews are one of the benefits of WWC?
A: I'd say it's half a bonus and half kind of a downside. I like my work crew a lot. But I know a lot of people who really do not enjoy their work crews very much. I feel like sometimes it can be a little overwhelming and kind of tip your classes over the edge to just have that extra thing you have to do every week.
The first-year students have mixed feelings about a variety of things at WWC. Although some complain about the quality of food or dorm-life, they spoke to enjoying the sense of small community and a nature-infused campus.