To all you high school students out there, have you ever wondered what college life would really be like? It doesn’t matter if you’re a freshman or senior, high school students have many questions about college. Now, to you seniors out there, maybe you’ve toured a few colleges. Maybe you have even chosen the college right for you. But where do freshmen fit into the whole college scene?

Aspirations Day on Friday, November 14, 2008 at Bowdoin College gave selected high school freshmen students from Lisbon, Morse, Mt. Ararat, Gardiner, Edward Little, and Lewiston High the opportunity to explore the college life. The goal for the day at the college was “to inspire and provide (the student) information and confidence to work towards a college degree after high school and to show (the student) the wide range of exciting opportunities available at the college” according to the college hand-out “Aspirations in Maine: A Taste of the College Experience.” My goal as a student was to see if I could picture myself in this life style.

When students arrived they received a folder with information about the college and t-shirt. After brief introductions of college personnel, students were paired with a college student and another freshman from another school. The great thing about the tour of the college was you got to choose where you went during the tour.

Despite the downpours and miserable weather, everyone ventured out to explore and learn about what Bowdoin College has to offer. My tour with my partner included the library, art studio, a college dorm, the lab, the Student Union, and the Chapel. With every new place I visited, there was so much more than I expected. The library was floors high and the Union was massive, with multiple work-out rooms, a cafe, grille, and superior sitting areas. The college dorms were nice, but yes, they were a bit small. The lab tour was so interesting to me because I have always loved science. Probably the most artistic and amazing thing I saw at the college was the Chapel. There are no words to describe its beauty. At the end of our tour we heard a performance by an Acappela group which was amazing. The individualized tours lasted about three hours. Then it was lunch time.

When I walked into the cafeteria there was an overwhelming burst of each of my senses. I could smell the spicy and sweet and sour aromas and felt the calming around the room. I could hear the elevating sounds from the students and faculty with every step I took into the sitting area. My eyes went wide with the surprise of the size of the gathering. I sat down and ate my tasty, spicy sandwich. After lunch we all headed over to the Schwartz Outdoor Leadership Center to talk with the Dean and to visit with a panel of students from Maine who attends the College. Topics of discussion included financial aid to the numerous classes the College offers. The day was filled with memories to last a life time.

I personally never thought freshmen would have an opportunity to get such an inspirational experience. When one typically thinks of college tours they don’t think of freshmen high school students. I want to thank the faculty, staff and students at Bowdoin College for giving so many students the opportunities to explore college life. My hope is that this program will continue to grow in order to allow more students to get the opportunity to see what college is about.