By Martha Berkheimer, Staff Reporter
A look back on pre-vious years at Hood College through archived editions of the Blue and Grey reveals a range of emotions from rising freshmen.
This year is hoods 126th year and Con-vocation. Looking back at the past 20 years, Hood has not changed much, freshmen are still stressed and scared beyond belief, seniors are still ready to get out, and everyone is between is going through the motions, making memo-ries, and forming life-long friendships.
An issue of the Blue and Grey from the 1997-1998 school year called How Was It? A Reflection on Freshman Year, by Jennifer Foreman, details the experience of a freshman at Hood College.
According to Foreman, that year 144 students who paid their down-payment to come to Hood, that fall, 138 students actu-ally moved on to cam-pus, and by spring, 114 students returned as residents. According to all the freshman Foreman interviewed, the new students en-joyed their indepen-dence and freedom, but also missed their families and dealt with quite a bit on homesickness.
Flashing forward to ten years later, Hood holds its 155th Convocation on the first Monday of the academic year. Staff reporter Lauren Beware writes, “Convocation marks the beginning of the academic year here at Hood. It also welcomes the new class of freshman to Hood, while simultaneously welcoming seniors to their final undergraduate studies.”
This description perfectly illustrates the point of convocation, high-lighting the unity and strength of the Hood college community. Beward emphasizes the fact the Convo-cation ignites a range of emotions for both freshman and seniors at Hood college. For freshmen, this is their wake up call to the work load they are about to have. For seniors, it is the beginning of a long farewell from Hood College.
College is a unique opportunity to discover new pathways and experience an array of changes, mental, emotional, and educational. Hood College, for the past 126 years has upheld tradition and community above all else. As we begin the academic year, we should value the support system Hood College has created for us and above all else, expand our horizons and become more intelligent members of society.
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