With freshmen across the country heading off to college for the first time, it’s the perfect time to hear from those who have been in their shoes. These three student stories give a glimpse into how Washington and Lee’s unique environment has helped them to make the most of their college experience, both inside and outside the classroom.
By: Juliette Sohonage
Juliette Sohonage
It was never a question in my mind that Washington and Lee was my dream school. My earliest memories include my father taking my sisters and me on trips to Lexington while we were growing up. I would race my sisters on Wilson Field, before we would get the best mint chocolate chip ice cream from Sweet Things and walk along the colonnade, astonished by its magnificence. It was no surprise that I was certain about W&L, and that I knew it was my future home.
Stepping onto campus my freshman year felt like a dream. W&L had always been my goal, but the night my parents left, my dad handed me a five-page handwritten letter (which I read in the bathroom because I didn't want to cry in front of my roommate). The reality set in. I had created such a phenomenon of W&L in my head for the past 12 years that I had never considered all the other aspects: new friends, new classes, a new town, no parents, and a fresh, yet scary, start. I had no sense of certainty anymore, the certainty I had relied on all my life.
I switched out of a class I was certain I loved in high school after just one week. I changed the major I was certain about after my first semester. And I created meaningful friendships in group settings that I was certain weren’t for me.
Washington and Lee immediately pushed me off the cliff into the unknown. It was terrifying at first, but I knew I needed that push because I would never have done it on my own. Through freshman orientation, advisors, passionate professors, sorority rush, challenging courses, and volunteer work, W&L provided me with the opportunity to try all the things I was initially uneasy about. I wasn’t worried about college applications, resumes, pleasing people, or following the path I had set for myself. I could try on different versions of myself.
I am currently a double major in Journalism and US History, with a minor in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. W&L has allowed me to explore my passion for news and historical events while challenging me to step outside my comfort zone in public speaking. This past year, I completed episodes for my own podcast, hosted a radio show, created my multi-media portfolio, and even taught a class of elementary students Latin. This upcoming year, I will be covering my topic on the Rockbridge Report, Washington and Lee’s student-run news channel. Without taking advantage of the many hands-on activities W&L offers, I would never have felt comfortable enough to let my voice be heard. These extracurriculars have given me a space to express myself.
As I enter my junior year, I reflect on what the past two years at my dream school have taught me. I’ve learned that the only certainty in life is that I will continually reshape and readjust my perspectives. I came to W&L so sure of what I wanted, but the place I felt most certain about has taught me how to live with uncertainty. I chose Washington and Lee because it felt like home, and it still does, but not in the way I expected. It’s home not because it confirmed everything I thought I knew, but because it allowed me to explore what I didn’t.
By: Ellen Fields
Ellen Fields
Going to a good school is not just about the prestige or difficulty of the classes; it’s about the ongoing opportunities that you have when you continue to work hard and take advantage of them.
My freshman year, I felt as though the weight of the world was lifted off me as I started at Washington and Lee University, a top liberal arts college, where my only responsibility was to make friends and adjust to living on my own. In my South Carolina public school, I held numerous leadership positions and involvements, including Student Body Vice President, captain of two varsity sports, President of the math honor society, and president of the French club, as well as several other organizations outside of my school. I loved that in college, I only had to be myself, and I did not have to work towards some tangible measure of achievement such as college acceptance. Building my professional resume was something for another time in the distant future, a lifetime away.
As I entered my sophomore year, I started to realize that I was really missing that connection of involvement and I wanted to feel more integrated into our school community with clubs and organizations outside of my sorority. However, a major difference from my high school was that many clubs at W&L require an interview or application to join. I was intimidated by this because my high school resume no longer mattered as everyone that I was up against had similar qualifications and backgrounds, all driven high achievers like me. I felt like I missed my opportunity to join things my first year and that I would never compare to my peers who had become recognizable and involved people on campus. In hindsight, this was not at all true but at the time I felt like I missed the mark and would always be behind. I did not let the intimidation of putting myself out there stop me and I decided to set firm goals for myself for putting myself out there and joining new organizations. I made a list of things that I wanted to be involved in by the end of the year and started to plan how to join each.
Along with my planning, I paid attention to other opportunities at the beginning of the year for groups to join that I may not know much. The executive committee, W&L’s student governing body, was holding interviews for various board positions. For these positions, you have to sit in front of the committee for rapid fire questioning about the position and yourself. Apprehensively, I applied to be a board member of the Title IX student advisory board and signed up for an interview. I was nervous but knew that taking the opportunity and trying was better than not trying at all. After the interview, I was so proud of myself for doing it and even more so when I got the position. I now had the confidence to keep joining organizations and even a leadership role in my sorority, become the philanthropy chair, working with a domestic violence shelter that I started volunteering at.
This past winter, I decided to try for another opportunity, a summer funding grant from Washington and Lee for a London Internship program that I had been accepted to. I remembered from my tour of Washington and Lee, learning about the summer funding and opportunity grants possible. I had heard many people applying for these in the past and knew
that funding was competitive, but I decided to try anyway because even a partial award would help make my dream possible. I spent days crafting my application essay, working with the fellowship office and peer advisors to fine-tune my funding proposal. A few weeks after submitting, I heard back that my entire program would be funded through an abroad summer endowment. The gift from the donors and the school was beyond generous and allowed me to have this incredible opportunity that otherwise would not have been possible. As I write this, I have just returned from the most amazing two months of my entire life, living and working in London entirely on my own for the first time in my life.
When I decided to attend Washington and Lee, I never imagined I would have the opportunities to hold leadership positions in four campus organizations, let alone that W&L would send me to London. In my first two years, however, I have learned what makes a good school and more than that, what makes somewhere a good fit. I have been afforded infinite opportunities from W&L’s community, but nothing has been possible without my desire to take advantage of them and continue working hard. Through this, I have learned that making the right college decision is not just about where you can see yourself, it's about who you can become in that environment. Fortunately, Washington and Lee has allowed me to see myself in an opportunity and then become the owner of it.
By: Marina Duff
Marina Duff
Attending Washington and Lee is by far the best thing that has ever happened to me. Growing up in New York City, I did not experience weekend hikes with my family or riding my bike to school. Because of this, I knew I wanted to go to a southern school to have a new experience. It was a nerve racking decision, I did not know anyone at Washington and Lee and most of my friends went to schools in the north and closer to home. But since the moment I stepped on campus in the fall of 2023, I have fallen in love with Washington and Lee.
Washington and Lee is known for its outstanding academics and alumni connections. Our speaking tradition, which means that everyone on campus greets each other, is the essence of our community. Each member wants to help each other achieve their academic, career and personal goals. Our world renown faculty cultivates classes that are engaging and applicable to careers and the real world. We even have a one month term called spring term where we take one class with a specific topic to have a greater knowledge. Our core classes, also known as FDRs, allow each student to expand outside their major and comfort zone, allowing for students to find passions they didn’t know they had. Through meetings with alumni, career trips and colonnade connections, alumni are extremely accessible to the Washington and Lee students. Most days I hear about one of my friends engaging with alumni, setting up for their future career.
The students at Washington and Lee are extremely driven, hardworking and future oriented. My friends and I discuss future career paths and aspirations on a daily basis. Washington and Lee admits students based on their academics and extracurriculars, but most importantly their characteristics. Kindness and inclusivity are seen all around campus creating a great environment, especially for the freshmen.
As an education minor and aspiring teacher, schools and education are my passion and priority. I believe Washington and Lee is one of the most unique and impactful schools in the country. From the picturesque backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains to the engaging classroom experience, Washington and Lee is truly a special place.
At Washington and Lee University, students aren’t just attending classes, they are exploring new passions, adapting to challenges, and discovering more about who they are and who they want to become. Want to learn more about Washington and Lee? Contact thecollegesage.com now!
