Hampshire College Supplement
Why Hampshire?
Attending a performing arts high school for the past four years, I have been walking a thin tightrope, attempting to balance my variety of academic interests with my artistic passions. I consider myself a singer/songwriter so it would be natural to simply “major” in music, however, I also love reading Judith Butler and hope to study feminist theory. As a slam poet I certainly plan on taking creative writing classes, but, I also know that I want to take courses in world religions after reading a fascinating book on Zen Buddhism. I am a theatre major at my school and hope to take classes in acting, but after completing a recent AP US History project on post-holocaust Jewish identity I know I want to take courses in Jewish Studies. CONDENSE IDEA ex. Singer/songwriter – could major in music, poetry slam artist could easily major in creative writing, theatre major at my school could also major in theatre. People tell me : just pick one! Then talk about how although I love the arts if I major in just creative writing, music, or theatre I will be missing a crucial part of being an artist – not just learning the craft of art – but why it exists in the first place? Those types of “majors” are meant to prepare people for the job market – to learn a skill and be marketable. I ask the question: Why do I have to pick one thing? Who said that I could only learn one thing? I go to college to learn. I hope at Hampshire I can use all my artistic abilities to enact social change. And further study social change.
During my junior year of high school, I had been