Northfield Mount Hermon - Review #7

I think NMH excels in Diversity and I don't just mean in race or religion-- I mean in all aspects of a person. NMH encourages students to be themselves, to open up and show the world who they are without fear of judgment. There are students from many countries, states, and towns who all have different backgrounds but share one common thread--they are all young scholars with a drive to learn. I spent my days at NMH with pink and orange hair but was a Varsity athlete. Nobody fits one mold and that was always my favorite part of attending school there. I could be whoever I wanted and fulfill all of my goals whether on the field or the stage. Musicians were athletes and athletes were volunteers. Everyone was an individual which gave them the strength to reach out and learn about someone different.

Boarding School made me grow-up in the best sense of the word. I entered NMH a shy girl lacking confidence. I was challenged both academically and personally. The relationships I shared with peers and adults are still ones that I talk about. They had a great impact on who I am now, a strong, confident woman who always has her eyes towards the prize. At NMH I learned I can not succeed if I do not try. And that is a lesson I will never lose.

Be open to change! It is scary and different but the more open you are to the new and exciting the easier it will be to find where you fit in!

The people I met. I met so many different places, with different stories and hopes and aspirations. They are what changed me and caused me to see the world in a different light. NMH gave me a diverse community to learn about myself in. I couldn't ask for more.

You MUST get a grilled bagel with cream cheese at the Snack Bar. Go to the first dance of the year. Lay in the grass! When it gets cold out you'll wish you had! Try Ultimate Frisbee, it's really big here! Sit on the hill by the chapel, it offers the best view on campus!***I did not submit a full schedule because it has changed since my time at NMH***

NMH has very rigorous academic expectations. You are certainly pushed to your limits but not without support. Instructors become mentors through their constant care and attention. Someone is always free to talk to if you seek them out and extra help is always available. Every instructor has their own style of teaching, from the formal to the informal, but all of them are there to help you succeed and spend plenty of time inside and outside the classroom helping.Education is rarely competitive at NMH, students tutor one another, work in groups inside and outside the classroom and are generally supportive of one another's endeavors. I had countless friendships formed around class work and study periods.The diversity of classes is amazing. I was able to fulfill my requirements for college but I was also able to dabble in Painting, Playwriting, Ceramics, and Creative Writing.

Physical Education is required every semester but you are given a broad choice of specific classes to fulfill this requirement. Over my years I experienced Yoga, Personal Fitness, Badminton and Tennis. When playing sports you are not required a PE class.There are numerous sports offered every semester. Even the rarely known; for example, I played Softball for three years which I loved very much. My senior year, however, a Girl's Varsity Ultimate Frisbee team was finally recognized as a sport and I was able to flourish on a completely different field. It was exhilarating and new.

I was highly involved (and highly in love) with the Art program at NMH. I performed in theatre productions and sang in choir. Both are rigorous and the instructors expect a lot from you but it is the most fun I had in any program while at NMH. Rehearsals and performances are planned carefully around one another and around sporting events so students are able to experience all facets.The theatre program puts on one play (if not multiple) a semester to the public. Auditions are very friendly and no preparation is necessary! As for general choir no audition is needed but there are more select ensembles if you so choose. Our Select Women's Ensemble or SWE was featured on NPR recently.The visual arts department is not something I know a whole lot about but I was able to experience two classes - ceramics and painting - because I wanted to. Now in college I am restricted from practicing these because they are not my major. NMH allowed me to try out new things are all times and these visual arts classes were part of that.

There are so many possibilities! Every one is involved in every thing! There are cultural, religious, volunteer, skill, and interest based extra-curricular activities. I had friends who rode horses for the farm or who volunteered at battered woman's shelter. I personally was highly involved in the Literary Magazine.

I was a day student during my time at NMH but I was VERY appreciative of the "at home" feel of the school. I spent more time there than at my own home! Each dorm became its own little family. Students are allowed to order food to be delivered and frequently dorm heads will bake for their residents. The dorms range in size from the tiny to the large and students are very carefully placed into a dorm that suits them.

The food at NMH is incredible and I have never eaten so well!!!! The dining hall is always open for snacks between meals and the meals are delicious! There is something for every one, including vegetarians and those with allergies. Students sit wherever they like and eat as much as they like.

The surrounding towns are small, it is a very rural area. The campus is gorgeous and offers beautiful views and hiking trails. The school realizes the seclusion of the campus and so offers trips off campus all the time!

Like I mentioned before it is very diverse. I had friends of all kinds and we found a lot to do by just hanging out. With that said, there are activities and trips every weekend to suit everyone's taste including arts and crafts, trips to Boston and NYC, athletic competitions, movies, dances, and LOTS of food. My favorite was always the fairs which they brought in carnival food (like cotton candy, hot dogs, popcorn, ice cream) and great big blow up toys and activities. The blast music across campus and everyone has a good time!