<p>The best part of being at Bennington has changed for me over the last 3 years (I am a Junior). Initially, I liked the small size, it felt cozy, I liked knowing a lot of people, the beautiful campus, vermont!! The social scene here is very supportive and friendly. Then last year I think the freedom of the academics became the best thing, for me, about being here. And of course the Field Work Term. FWT is really one of Bennington's big strengths. I feel like I have had so many great experiences and that I really do have a resume to graduate with. This year it feels like home. All my best friends are here, I am involved with many things on campus, and I feel very engaged in my work. I have always absolutely loved the houses we live in too. When I go visit friends at other schools I am always so thankful to come back to a real house. </p>
<p>The worst is also part of the best: the small size. I still like knowing a lot of people and the campus is still very beautiful to me, but at times I have wished for more classes, more people, and mostly---more men!! I have many good male friends, but romantic relationships can be somewhat problematic. It can be awkward, on such a small campus, after a breakup. FWT helps with this too, though, in terms of meeting people.</p>
<p>It's hard to say what my favorite class has been. There are some really great professors here and when you find them you take whatever they have to offer. Some of my favorites have been a surprise to me, not even in my field, because of the strength of the teaching.</p>
<p>Some favorite teachers: April Bernard, Dan Hofstadter, Mansour Farhang, Mac Maharaj, among many others. The professors here are really amazing.</p>
<p>Some of the traditions are the midnight breakfast during finals, when a firetruck from the town comes on campus at midnight, to let us know this is the night, and everyone heads up to the dining commons. It is a blast. There is rollerama, a roller skating party on one of the big dance floors. and Sunfest, a day of music when bands come and play all day. Bennington is also known for its crazy theme parties.</p>
<p>one change (already mentioned): more men, maybe closer to a city like Boston or NY. Albany is not that exciting. Though Bennington does not feel as isolated as Bard, there are many towns of varying sizes very close by. There are stores, restaurants, outlets, movies, etc. And Williams and Marlboro colleges are 20 minutes away, Amherst and Northampton (a really cool town where a lot of people go to visit friends at the 5 colleges) 90 minutes.</p>
<p>I think I will be prepared for the real world when I graduate. Maybe not as well armed as say, a business, or education, major, but I am actually pretty practical and have thought all along about how to turn my interests in to a career of some sort. Some of my friends who are purely fine artists are a little bit nervous, but that is the plight of the artist, and not really specific to Bennington. In fact, I think because the professors here are also practitioners, many artists get to see that a life can be made of it. Many people also go on to graduate school from here, or become famous writers, or entrepreneurs (or so the statistics say :-).</p>
<p>It is hard to say how Bennington has changed me. I mean, I think I have matured, but that would be true anywhere, I would hope. I am independent, go after what I want, take risks. All of these things serve me well at Bennington, but I also came in with some of that. I can't really answer that question, I guess, because this is my only experience.</p>
<p>I hope some of that is helpful, and I hope some other people answer this thread also. You are right, there is not enough about Bennington on CC!!</p>
<p>Good luck in your search.</p>