Predictions for the future of SRC. Commencement - May 17, 2008

Wow, I can’t believe it.  My friends and I started this blog almost a year ago.  While we haven’t put too much content on it, we’ve received dozens of comments from interested students, parents, and even faculty!

I write post on the evening before commencement.  I’ll be graduating tomorrow with an Associates Degree from Simon’s Rock, and I’m incredibly proud of the student body.  Graduation isn’t just a time to be happy about having survived the massive workloads of Simon’s Rock, but also to reflect on the overall experience.  Many of us came here to escape the psychological tortures of evil high school cliques and snotty high school lecturers.  We came to Simon’s Rock, and we learned so much about ourselves and the world around us.

Before coming here, I doubted myself in every way.  I didn’t think that I’d learn from school or make any friends.  I didn’t think that I’d be able to move past the evils of 10th grade and find myself at a cool college, but I thought wrong.  I see Simon’s Rock as that stepping stone that allowed me to grow emotionally and intellectually.  Sure, there were many rough spots — the dining hall (still) sucks, the tri-dorms are miserable, the weather is lame, the location is a bore, and the gossip is painful.  HOWEVER, as everyone here would agree, you don’t come here for grade A amenities.  You come here to analyze the world in ways that most schools won’t.  You learn how best to learn, and how best analyze material.  Such skills can be put to use in virtually any major and any industry one chooses to work in.

I’m going to make a prediction.  In the next 10 years, Simon’s Rock will be known for the amazing leaders that it creates.  We’ll be known for shaping students who are able to revolutionize the worlds of politics, business, psychology, science, and everything else that our students find interest in.  There seems to be the common misconception that the best “leaders” are business people or politicians, which I don’t agree with.  Most of my friends at Simon’s Rock are incredible leaders, whether or not they realize it.  So why does Simon’s Rock create such amazing leaders?

1) Students here learn to speak up.  They have no problem with airing their honest opinions, and sharing them with colleagues.

2) Rockers know how to analyze.  Our students don’t memorize facts.  They look at and understand content in abstract ways, finding the many relationships between what’s learned in Politics to what was read in Ethics.

3) Most importantly, Rockers care.  If you’re among the brave souls who decide to come to Simon’s Rock, you’re probably unhappy with the status quo.  You don’t accept things as they are, and actively seek to change things for the better.  You care not only about yourself, but about the world around you.  If there’s a problem, Rockers will try to fix it.

Obviously, there are a few caveats.  Since the school attracts students who aren’t satisfied with the status quo, we’re bound to have a few rotten eggs.  The biggest intellectual problem among the student body is arrogance — students often think that they’re the best and that they know everything, but there’s a huge disconnect between theory and practice that many don’t realize.  If the school put in more effort to promote internships and to actively seek out leaders, I can see this campus grow tremendously.

Mark my words.

Jessica Mah is an aspiring entrepreneur, blogger, and sophomore at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

She loves chatting with fellow students, readers, and entrepreneurs, so don’t hesitate to email her or message her on AIM! Feel free to subscribe to her blog or stalk her twitter.

Welcome American Actress Melissa Leo to Simon’s Rock!

Melissa Leo, an awesome American Actress came to speak at Simon’s Rock this Thursday.

“Melissa Leo is an American actress known for playing the tough-minded shift-Det. Kay Howard on the award-winning TV series Homicide: Life on the Street from 1993–1997. She has also been a regular on All My Children and The Young Riders. Feature films she has appeared in include A Time of Destiny, Last Summer in the Hamptons, 21 Grams, Confess and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada.”

She spoke about how she grew up without much money and decided to become an actress. The press doesn’t show the true life of actors and actresses. Matter of fact, Leo doesn’t consider many of those people shining in the spotlight to be true actors and actresses.

Film and theater appear super similar, but Leo says they’re quite different. In film, there’s no REAL rehearsing that happens. You never want to “find it” without having a camera going. Film is more about capturing a moment and theater is about showcasing talent by the moment.

Acting isn’t nearly as easy as it may seem. I went to LA for acting camp a few summers ago and only then did I realize what a career in entertainment involved. Leo obviously agrees. “What everybody sees is the best of it. The best of it is rehersing the play or making the film.”

Leo was supposed to come last Thursday, but had to return to LA for a few auditions her agent called her back for. She didn’t get called back for any of the parts. “There is a lot patience involved… I’ve learned how to nap a lot!”

We see Paris Hilton and crave to make as much money as she does. Unfortunately, very few people in entertainment get paid that much. “I work pretty steadily. I don’t get paid a lot. ”

I asked her if she had any problem with nudity. “If it fits the character, I’ll do anything.”

I’m impressed. And big thanks to Valerie, our director of Activities, and Tiffany Albright for making this happen.

Jessica Mah is an aspiring entrepreneur, blogger, and sophomore at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.

She loves chatting with fellow students, readers, and entrepreneurs, so don’t hesitate to email her or message her on AIM! Feel free to subscribe to her blog or stalk her twitter.

Simon’s Rock is the best thing that ever happened to me…

Bard College at Simon’s Rock receives a lot of criticism for it’s social environment, non-conformist methods for education, and is even criticized for its horrible food in the dining hall. However, the sincere truth about this school is that the education is really one of the best that a teenager could possibly receive (this is a bias but is only true to those who love to be in the “limelight” of their professors and classroom discussion, and especially feel that this is what constitutes a good education, which is educational discussion). Most college graduates in America don’t have the intensive study and close
conversations with professors like Simon’s Rock students do until they are well into their twenties at graduate school. Simon’s Rock provides an excellent environment for a student’s intellectual growth to occur and especially provides an academic atmosphere for doing so.

As a teenager in college, I must admit there are many abstractions for my particular age group. However, the only way to stay intellectually and socially alive in this place is to maintain focus for what you are initially trying to achieve, and who you really want to surround yourself with. Come to college because you have exhausted your high school’s educational levels, because you seek a more meaningful purpose in discussion and conversation, and especially for that
remote independence you receive at Simon’s Rock that allows you the freedom to invest in your pursuits for correct and logical thought in your field of interest.

Independence at an early age can have several side-affects. It can either be a jading experience, or a freeing one. Of course it is up to the individual to make what they choose of this opportunity, which does not come often in youth. An opportunity like this is one that I would never replace, and one that I never regret having chosen, because I personally know that I would never be at this stage of my hopefully ever-growing intellectual development in my past high school, and even as a senior in highschool. To give an example of the education at this school; I took an intro biology course here. All throughout highschool, I remember the only science tests I had ever taken were multiple choice, or “choose from the word bank tests”. I thought that my highschool biology would provide a basis for by course at Simon’s Rock. But it did not. The biology test that I took at Simon’s Rock was an essay test. To my utter and pure fear, there was no word bank, or multiple choice questions. I was supposed to write an essay about biology! So I did horribly on that test, and the next after that. But that is getting off the subject; the point is, I was forced to think on my own, and I was terrified of this and excited at the same time of this aspect. Independent thought is a most exhilarating and liberating gift that any school could possibly give, and that is what Simon’s Rock has also given me (as well as terrible grades in biology, but I am not a science person haha).

I am one of three people of my family who chose to come to this school, and believe me, I chose to come to create my own independent experiences and thoughts and to not be influenced by society or experiences of others. My sisters and I saw this school as an open door to scholarly freedom, and if we could, we would impose this place upon all who want to be scholars. My older sister just graduated and received a stipend from a major university to go to graduate school, and now my younger sister and I are left to learn and explore what we will. Seeing the change in my sisters after being at Simon’s Rock has really inspired me. They did not change for the worse, but for the better. This school has set us dangerously free in giving us the “independent thought” ability to argue and actually sustain our arguments with “petty” philosophical quotes or even arrogant remarks (this is only a representation of the change in me and my sisters). We are now only completely satisfied when questions are answered, or when we have had a revelation, or when we have completed a 10+ page paper.

~ Jessica Lee is a sophomore at Simon’s Rock College.

First SimonsRockers.com Interest Meeting!

It’s great to finally be back at the rock!

Welcome back!  If you don’t know already, http://SimonsRockers.com is a student-run blog dedicated to showcasing what it’s like to be a student at the rock.  Unlike the Llama Ledger, we are NOT the official newspaper.  We’re instead set out to tell the world what an amazing school we are.  We’ll be reaching out to publications around the world to bring more attention and name recognition to our school.

We’re having our first meeting at 8PM Thursday at the snack bar on the 2nd floor of the student union.

Our current team is composed of writers, photographers, marketers, website designers, computer programmers, and more!   All volunteers are welcome!  No commitment required.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me at jessicamah@jessicamah.com.

Look forward to seeing you guys there!

Yakety yak (TALK BACK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN)

This last semester, I took three classes together that I was sure would allow me to talk my way out of any situation smoothly: Improvisational theater, Spanish, and Ethics. Of course, I talked a great deal in theater and spanish, as it’s essentially mandatory to do so in such classes.

In Ethics, though, I often felt like I was the only one talking. I talk a lot, though, as my last post proves, so it didn’t seem too far out of the ordinary. Ethics as a class isn’t just a discussion of right and wrong, but a discussion of the various ways of thinking that allow people to classify right and wrong. Now, philosophers being what they are, they have to rigidly define every single rule of their simple concepts to the point that there is no confusion whatsoever except as to what the hell they’re actually saying.

Take consequentialism, for example. The general rule is to optimize the consequences of a situation according to rules that one can assume apply to the majority of the populace. As such, simple things like “people like eating tasty foods” become “the application of certain substances to the alimentary canal in a manner as such to please the palate”.

Combine that with hedonistic consequentialism and you have only the consideration of pleasure in ethics, which some philosophers argue lowers man to the level of animals. Now, combine that with my knowing off the top of my head that pigs have 30-minute orgasms, and you have an interesting classroom argument as to whether or not people are ethically obligated to give pigs handjobs all the time.

While other people were carefully taking notes of what our professor, Brian Conolly, was saying, I was mocking it every step of the way. The one thing all ethical theories have in common is that they allow you to do completely preposterous things when followed strictly. Now, this usually requires absurd hypothetical situations, such as “there is a baby glued to the only button which can stop the Earth from exploding, and the only thing that can press the button is a jackhammer”. In this situation, under consequentialism, one would jackhammer through a baby, whereas under deontology one could not press the button even if it were to be superglued to Hitler instead of a baby.

Now, I spent an entire semester undermining every concept I was taught, instead focusing on the fluidity and ambiguity of ethics as they actually are. My final paper was comprised of five pages that can be summarized as “The most highly regarded moral ethical theorist of all time, Immanuel Kant, was full of internally inconsistent and absurd shit, here’s why.” As I waited for my grades, I was terrified. I was still under the high school impression that note-taking and regurgitation was the path to good grades and respect from the teacher. I’d done what had heretofore earned me nothing but contempt from my teachers: be completely honest about my opinion of the subject. Yet I got my grades, opened them up, and found, next to a rather startling “A”, that I apparently had a strong philosophical mind and an ability to incorporate humor into my arguments. Only at Simon’s Rock does whining about pig orgasms earn you that.

Poncho Peligroso is a sophomore at Simon’s Rock College

LIVE at Freshmen Orientation Day!

To all new rockers: WELCOME TO SIMON’S ROCK!

Saturday 18th, 2007 was the kickoff day for incoming freshmen. It was absolutely amazing to come back to my home away from home. Jay Sherman and I arrive at the rock at around 1PM - just in time for the speech by Leslie Davidson, Mary Marcy, and John Weinstein. It was pretty much the same thing from last year, but this time, they couldn’t fit everybody inside the auditorium!

We now have 182 freshmen. It was only a year ago when admissions was struggling to find enough freshmen to fill the incoming class. More freshmen means a stronger student body and higher admissions standards. This can be both a good and bad thing.

The RAs are now called PAs. (peer assistants?) There was a lot of controversy among the students regarding the people chosen for this role. No names will be mentioned.

After dinner was the traditional fireworks extravaganza! Of course, there were no fireworks. The freshmen were once again confused by this silly label, but most of them had a blast. Feels like the start of summer camp.

Typical ice breakers… Groups were asked to do everything from making pyramids to playing tag.

It was a beautiful and perfect day for moving in. Unlike last year, it didn’t rain during our “fireworks extravaganza.”

More to come! For the rest of the pictures taken from freshmen orientation, check out my flickr.

Jessica Mah is a 17 year old entrepreneur, blogger, and sophomore in college. She’s currently the founder of a startup, managing editor at Startupism.com, SimonsRockers.com, and Jessicamah.com.

The Agony, the Ecstasy, or the Just Plain Weird: Identity at SRC

I hate labels. I really do. Like the word “normal”. It can encompass everything and mean nothing at the same time. Regardless of the scenario, it creates divisions, and often conflicts. But, the nature of college is a constant exploration, a battle, a dissection of one’s identity. We question the labels that we already have for ourselves, throw some away, take on new ones; political, religious/spiritual, intellectual, sexual, personal. Anyway: why am I writing this? My purpose is the following:

No matter what, when you first-years/freshmen arrive at Simon’s Rock, you are going to register this thought in your mind many, many times: “WTF?” My hope is to give you an idea of what the demographics and dynamics at SRC are like, so that “WTF?” can be more out of intrigue/curiosity and less out of terror.

So, let’s begin at the top of the list: politics. Simon’s Rock is dominated by liberals, or at least people who call themselves liberals. Most Rockers claim to be open-minded, and some authentically are, but many really aren’t. The atmosphere for political discussion at SRC is somewhat hostile, but it looks like some student groups are slowly working to change that. There has been talk of a “Rockers For A Democratic Society” group forming to fortify the existing Dem ranks, and a Conservative Club also meets. If your political beliefs differ from the somewhat established ‘liberal’ expectation at Simon’s Rock, be prepared for a hostile atmosphere. Conservatives have a hard time here, more so if they are particularly vocal about their opinions. However, not everyone is hostile; above all, be yourself regardless of your views, and seek out more accepting friends. What can you do to help the situation? Try to be sincerely open-minded. SRC may evolve one person at a time, and become more open.

Moving on down: religion. Organized religious groups do not have a very strong presence on the SRC campus, but they do exist. There is a Bible Study group for Christians, and last year (shameless plug) an informal Pagan Club was born! I hope to see it continue, if there are any Pagans, Wiccans, etc. among you all. I don’t know of any Buddhist or Muslim groups, but go find each other! The campus is small, take advantage of this. The Jewish folk at SRC seem to gravitate toward each other pretty easily. SRC does have a shuttle to and from town on Sundays for religious services; I don’t know much about this personally, but Admissions probably has more info.

Skipping a bit to another hot-button Simon’s Rock label: sexuality. You may or may not have heard that SRC is the second most “gay-friendly” campus in the country. This is true in many ways, and not so in others. We have a Queer-Straight Alliance (QUEERSA) group, and gays and lesbians tend to be well-accepted here. The most common ‘alternative’ sexual orientation here is bisexuality; of course, many people experiment while they are here and may not have a definite answer. That is OK. ‘Purely’ straight and gay/lesbian people here are in the minority; most people identify as somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. Above all, once again, try to be open-minded. Sexuality is a personal decision, and college is the time when such things are opened up for questioning. Many people also confront their values in terms of sexual promiscuity or different types of relationships, such as open relationships or polyamory. You may encounter this. Love your friends for who they are, and talk to them! Communication is good for everyone.

Intellectual labels run the gamut here. I remember being frustrated in my first semester last year because I wasn’t as well-read in philosophy as many of my acquaintances. People have ‘intellectual’ conversations here all the time; some meaty, some ridiculous. It comes with the territory. Just remember that everyone has different interests and it’s OK if you don’t know everything. We’re supposed to be here to learn. Read everything you can, start talking to people. I wasn’t a philosophy whiz, but I can talk theatre and literature forever. Some people try to look smarter by pretending that they know stuff that they really don’t; you will hear the word “pretentious” thrown around. Everyone here is smart in different ways. Enjoy the intellectual stimulation and don’t worry about measuring up to an invisible measuring stick. Get to know your profs (we can actually do that here!), study to get the grades you want, and contentment should be in sight.

A word on “hippies” and the drug scene. Many people at SRC, myself included, admire/identify with the idealism of the 1960’s or what have you. We like peace, war is bad. Many of us listen to classic rock and funk. We are easily spotted with our drums and guitars on Kendrick Lawn, or with tents and blankets camping out in the woods. You will hear our high-pitched “stoner calls” and learn to recognize them. We often wear loose or tie-dyed clothes, have dreads, go barefoot, and generally look like textbook hippies, if there is such thing. This might sound exciting to you. However, hippiedom can be whatever you want it to be. It’s just another label. Bohemians, hipsters, punks, goths and wannabes of all kinds are generally free to be themselves here. You may hear tell of a clique/collective called the “Infoshop” among other social groupings. Find people to talk to and don’t worry about the label, is what I say. But try new things!

Many hippies at SRC tend to be involved with drugs. Drugs at SRC are there if you want them, but if you don’t, you might never see them. There is somewhat of a social segregation between the smokers and non-smokers at SRC, but mixing does happen. Alcohol is frequently kept in dorm rooms. Tobacco cigarettes and marijuana are the most common drugs, but psychedelics like “shrooms” and LSD are sometimes around, same with cocaine. Some people do speed or prescription drugs to stay awake; PLEASE avoid this if you can. It’s potentially deadly, and energy drinks like Red Bull or Jolt are much more pleasant for cram nights, trust me. Drug use is your choice; keep in mind that busts do happen and repercussions range from nothing to expulsion. It’s up to you to decide whether you want those substances to be a part of your life.

I will end this diatribe with a SRC veteran’s advice, take it or leave it: Simon’s Rock will hurt you at least once. You’ll break a boundary that you used to have, lose face, question yourself and others, experiment, sleep less, eat more, eat less, keep obscene hours, get into arguments, have awkward moments. But, SRC will also change you. And, it’s up to you to decide whether that’s going to be for the better or for the worse. Experiment and ask questions, but use whatever common sense you have, also. Sadly, I’ve transferred back to my home state of California so I won’t get to see you all until I visit my sophomore amigos later in the year : ( but I wish you all the best. Peace, love, bring blankets, a fan, and plenty of snacks, and rock n’roll.

Take Chances, make mistakes, and get Messy: an almost-emo’s giude to being happy at the Rock.

Many people have told you about how freaking awesome Simon’s Rock is. And, well, it is. Freaking awesome, I mean. Still, there is one very important thing that every new student needs to remember. Simon’s Rock will not do everything for you. It is not sentient (although it feels like it sometimes) and cannot address your every need and desire.

Here are a few things Simon’s rock cannot do:

1) It cannot make you smart. Only SmartER.

2) It cannot cause Gumdrops to fall from the sky. That’s why we have Candyland U.

3) It can not make you smell good. In fact, it usually makes you smell worse.

4) It can’t do your laundry, though it doesn’t cost any money to use the machines. (besides Detergent, of course)

These are only a few things Simon’s Rock can’t do. In the end, this all comes down to the fact that, as a new student, you cannot expect Simon’s rock to fix every problem in your life, without putting anything into it. The school is a hodgepodge of ideas and personas, all with a few common strings. Every rocker is bright, innovative, and wants something more out of life than what they had. Simon’s Rock is the place to be when you want to find yourself.

However, Simon’s rock can’t find you for….you, any more than it can do your laundry. It’s an important lesson to learn, or you may make some of the mistakes I did as a freshman.

First, some back story. I know, I know, you don’t want to listen to my life story any more than I want to tell it, but it’s important to make a point, and besides, if Poncho gets to write 5 pages of it, I should get a paragraph or two.

From the 5^th grade on, I was Homeschooled. (FYI, Homeschooled students are incredibly rare at Simon’s rock.) Even before that, I was miserable in elementary school. Like many of you, I didn’t fit in. In some ways, Homeschooling exacerbated that, though on the other hand, I doubt I’d even be at SRC without it. As a child, I was always lonely. I was an only child, had few real friends, and no long term relationships with anyone.

When I found out about Simon’s Rock, I thought it was everything I was looking for. People like me, who were smart, kind, and looking for something more out of life too. This was true. Rockers are some of the best people you’ll ever meet. However, I thought that that would be enough. That things would happen naturally there. That everything would just fit together.

But…I was miserable. Not because I hated Simon’s Rock, but because I just couldn’t move with people. I couldn’t interact properly. A group never materialized, and when I tried to find my place, it came out phony. I couldn’t make friends, I couldn’t get close to anyone, and don’t even get me started on the dating scene…

BUT, and this is a big but, this is not to discourage anyone from applying. Instead, I wish to stress what I learned from this. Simon’s Rock is a place where you get out of it exactly what you put into it. If you put yourself into it, you’ll get other people. If your put your mind into it, you’ll get an incredible education out of it. I made the mistake of expecting a lot, while not even knowing how to offer up anything. I was scared, alone, thought I had no one and nothing. I know what I need, and how to get it. Simon’s Rock gave me that, and I’ll always be thankful.

And yes, the title is from the Magic School Bus. Deal with it.

Josh Kasten is a sophomore at Simon’s Rock College

Dating and Sex 101

Dating at Simon’s Rock is a mixed bag. Some people seem to find the love of their life while others are simply seeking fresh booty.

At the Rock we’ve seen everything from perfectly adorable couples to girls who seriously tried to kill a few people (and got restraining orders). Your experience of dating and sex depends on your goals, motivation and skills, and the way you relate to those around you.

Unfortunately for girls, Simon’s rock is an early college, which doesn’t necessarily mean that there are many “college guys” around. We get all the high school - dropouts: dorks, druggies, and dudes.
I’m not exactly sure how it is for guys, but I imagine it’s somewhat better. According to collegeboard.com, the female/male ratio is 39/61. And that’s about how it feels when you’re there.

It’s very difficult and trying – it’s almost impossible not to see your significant other twice a day because the campus is so small and tight nit. Qualities that may be imperfections stick out like a sore thumb: messiness, promiscuity, smokers, etc.
If you must have sex at Simon’s Rock, I would advise you to do it discreetly. People don’t usually care, unless you do it in their face. If you have a problem with your friend or roommate having loud, messy, smelly sex in your room, tell them. There is nothing worse than letting negative feelings bubble up inside you.

The Rock isn’t the ideal place for dating or sex: tiny beds in tiny rooms in smelly dorms in the middle of the woods, but some people make it happen.

Laura Byrne is a sophomore at Simon’s Rock College

If potheads are doing community service, you know you’re at Simon’s Rock.

On November 12, 2005, I visited Simon’s Rock for the first time. By the end of the day, I was sure it was the perfect place for me.

It was a Discovery Day, complete with sample classes and tours of the campus. After having the surprise of seeing a friend from summer camp at the opening breakfast, the day goes on pleasantly. The school seems very nice, and the students very studious.

After all the official activities had ended, a group of prospective students were milling around in front of Kellogg, waiting for their parents to come out of Blodgett.

All the prospies turned to watch as a group of students came down the hill above, with a shopping cart, running and yelling. As most of the prospies stood stiff still, terrified of these students, with their multi-colored hair and mildly eclectic styles, one of them asked, “Who wants a ride?”

In a somewhat uncharacteristic burst of spontaneity, I yelled, “ME!” and hopped in their shopping cart. One of them runs with the cart, until it reaches the edge of the pavement by the gazebo and I am somewhat unceremoniously dumped on the grass.

From my position on the grass, I asked for everyone’s name, and introduced myself. They invited me to see the bomb shelter. I called over my friend from camp, because the spontaneity is wearing off. We followed them into the field and into some woods.

In what appears to be a dry creek bed, there is some kind of shack built into the side of a hill. There is a hole in what might’ve been the door, and we all crawled through.

Inside, one of them pulled out a bong. Somewhat shocked, (College kids, doing drugs?!), my friend and I politely refrained.

Meanwhile, the students are discussing a clothing drive they’re doing. They’re collecting clothes to go to a local shelter. They’re smoking pot, and talking about community service.

Something wonderful struck me in that moment. These were the kinds of people I could be going to school with. Not people so worried about their GPA, a B was the end of the world. Not people who couldn’t care less about what the teacher was saying. Not people who didn’t notice or worry about the world around them. I could go to school with people who cared about things, took notice, and actually did something about it. Sure, they might smoke pot, but I could deal with that much more easily than apathy and ignorance.

I went back to my parents and drove home, glowing with the satisfaction of my epiphany. This place could be my school, my home. These people could be my family. I could be happier here than at any other place in the world.

Darcy McCusker is an incredibly lovable sophomore at Simon’s Rock College.