What-to-Know Wednesday : The Importance of Getting Off-Campus

As many of you probably already know, whether you're a current student or a prospective one, St. Michael's College is big on community. We are a smaller school, residential all four years, with a campus removed and independent from the bustle of Burlington, unlike UVM and Champlain. Everything we need is in our immediate reach- from the library, to the academic buildings, to the dining hall, to the campus store. Physical setup of the school aside, the people here carry that sense of community into both the social and academic experience of St. Mike's. Everyone here works hard to maintain that community, ensuring that each student has an equal chance to thrive on its opportunity.

That said, I cannot stress the importance of making the most of your on-campus St. Mike's experience. Go see the speakers, attend the events and shows, utilize the many resources made available to you, and involve yourself to the best of your ability. These will be the experiences you remember when you look back on going to college.

However, just as important as being part of the on campus community is developing and furthering your own independent St. Michael's experience off campus.

As a senior Media Studies, Journalism & Digital Arts major, I'm no stranger to professors urging and often requiring us to get off campus- whether to explore favorite Vermont spots in Adventure and Environmental Film, to obtain interviews for our Senior Seminar projects, or even to engage with people from a country across the world for Global Communications and Culture. While the St. Mike's community is one that has welcomed us and provided us with limitless opportunity, it is also one that has prepared us not only to get out into the world around us, but also to look at it with new eyes.

Whether you're pursuing an off-campus internship or making a post-hike visit to a roadside pie shack, partaking in local events or strolling through the Burlington Farmer's Market, you will make memories not just of St. Mike's, but also of the way St. Mike's provided you the opportunity to make memories of Vermont.

So get out there, and make your St. Mike's experience the fullest one you can!

Stay tuned for the next Sum-It-Up Sunday on the 5th!



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E-mail: ccavanaugh2@mail.smcvt.edu