If you find yourself thinking "why can't I choose one thing, I want to do it all!", you are not alone! I graduated from school in the UK in 2024 and quickly realised that the conventional UK Uni route was not for me - it wanted to shoehorn me into a box which would snowball into my future. I'm ambitious and driven, and mostly, I'm an adventurer- I wanted to explore academically and physically. Therefore, I took a gap year in which time I traveled and lived alone in various places across the world. First, I worked on Crete, Greece, as a Scuba-diving assistant instructor for 3 months. Then I travelled to the north island of Japan for 3 weeks, in which time I learnt to snowboard (kind of). After that, I traveled to Ithaki (in Greece, not the US!) - with some Greek friends from my time working - for a week of free-diving and spear fishing. Finally I lived in Florence, Italy, for 1 month- studying Italian and History of Art at the Accademia Europa di Firenze. I then had a choice - pursuing my dream of a literal lifetime, devoting my life to becoming a world renowned Equestrian athlete... or quite literally selling that dream to fund a new and completely different one over the ocean. I look back now at that choice, that sliding doors moment, the dichotomy of two entirely different worlds, two lives, two selves- not with regret but wonder... what would my life have become if I chose the other? I think neither would have been "wrong", simply, me in an alternate universe. But I'm glad I chose the US, and within that, Bard college; Bard has been an incredible starting block. I couldn't have asked for a place that opens up more doors for my future.

Hometown

Saxby: A small hamlet of 15 houses, in the rural shire of Leicestershire (the county with about 17 letters and 3 syllables as is typical of the UK) ... it's like the Shire from Lord of the Rings, but less nice. As you may have gathered, I am from the UK.

Major(s)

Cognitive Science - it's a combination of neuroscience, philosophy, psychology, linguistics, and computer science. Bard doesn't actually offer this as a major yet, but it does offer it as a 'focus', which might actually work out better for me because then I can truly personalise my own education.

Minor(s)

I was considering International relations, or theatre​/​acting. But because I want to focus in Cog Sci, I may need to use both my major and minor to do that.

Clubs, organizations & involvement

Debate club (I have been to many competitions across the country now), MUN club, Squash club (I was almost enlisted onto the team), Film club (occasionally), I am starring in a feature-length film that one of my friends is shooting at the moment. My background is as an international athlete competing showjumping (equestrian) in Europe. In 2022 I was in the top 20 in the UK, and therefore (the GB team being the top team at that point) within Europe. My family's background is in Horse whispering​/​behavioural training, so this is a first language to me. Through Bard I got involved with a local rescue​/​rehabilitation centre for horses- PonyUp Rescue. I use my unique skills and expertise to help train the horses as needed, and the people, giving lessons occasionally. Not so much a co-curricular, but certainly an extra - this semester I am involved with the Al Quds Bard-Palestine FYSEM section, working with students across the globe, which has been super interesting.

Describe your college experience

As someone who grew up in the middle of rural England, I was hoping to go to Uni in the US at a city-based Uni... I do still slightly pine over NYC, however, Bard has soooo much to offer that I am so busy with everything, and I hardly notice how rural we are. The professors are incredible, so supportive, flexible, and straight up cool. 99% of students are genuinely nice people- I don't know how Bard manages to find a good community with this much accuracy! I have found a group of friends who are intriguing and interesting in so many different ways.

Tip for future students

Get yourself a friend with a car. Trust me. Whether its late night runs to town because you ran out of laundry powder, trips to the train station, needing to get from one side of campus to the other and it's raining, going to the Rhinebeck farmers-market every Sunday, or simply needing to get off campus to clear your head: It's easy to get stuck on 'Bard island' because it is so idyllic, it's easy to forget there's a world out there, but mixing the Bard environment with the wider environment is an important balance to strike.

Favorite class

If I have to choose one I'd say "Imposter Syndrome in the Ancient Roman World". It was like a 2.5hr seminar once a week in which we discussed everything from Tacitus' Annals to Trump AI brain-rot (and it was all somehow inextricably linked!). The class was relatively small so the discussion was incredibly engaging and the class community was warm and comforting. It kind of gave Secret History vibes but with less of the secrets and murder.

Career goals

I'm not certain yet. I want to make myself un-unemployable! This is why I came to a liberal Arts college such as Bard: so I could not only give myself skills, but give myself skill.

Ideal way to spend a free night

Either in my bed with home cooked food and a good movie, or going to the local cheese festival with my friends or something like that.

High school or secondary school

Tudor Hall School. Oxfordshire, UK. A small inspired girls school- which felt rather like Bard.