When we were first years, before even stepping into our first class at a women’s college, we are warned about you. Our senior friends prepared us in hushed tones for “that girl.” We’re not sure how we will recognize you, the fabled and exuberant peer who will dominate class discussions and stop at no lengths in her quest for complete mastery of her course material. But when we do meet you, we know and we marvel at your class participation as if we’re watching a spectator sport, a hockey game that is at times shocking but, overwhelmingly, inspiring.
You, the “that girl,” get a bad rap because of your enthusiasm for your studies is initially jarring. We’re taken aback by your reflexes. Your hand shoots up in the air whenever the professor asks a question. Once the professor calls on you, you demonstrate to all of us that you’ve done exactly the extra reading required to incorporate relevant sources into our discussion. Sometimes your supporting arguments veer into your personal experience, stories which are mostly riveting but can double as humblebrags. When you ask our professor a question, your inquiry shows a level of reflection we never would have believed possible in these few minutes after the professor introduced the topic. We are in awe of you.
You bring us back to a time when learning was thrilling. We've all had moments of clarity where learning was laced with passion. We would volunteer to analyze flowery poetry in English class, or derail our physics professor with questions about galaxies and infinities. We would lose track of time and want to learn everything there was to know. We got into colleges where we could let that passion loose with like-minded, intelligent peers. "That girl" thrived and took advantage of her professors' expertise and availability and studied and rose to the top. What happened for the rest of us that we needed to label these ambitious students to justify our own lack of ambition?
It's never too late to regain control of our strengths and our spirit for learning. The "that girl" and the other students around us that have accomplished so much do not have to discourage us. Their accomplishments should push us to take a deeper look into what we love about college, the classes and professors that should outweigh the parties and popularity, two phenomena us nerds may not have known in high school. Be curious in class, come with an open mind and soak in the insight of your classmates to advance your own.
