I’m a Maryland girl, born and raised in the Old Line State. When I told people that I wanted to go to school in Rome, Georgia at a school called Berry College I got a lot of weird looks. “Why would you want to do that?” and “How did you even find that place?” were popular questions. Yes, moving south to this school no one back home had heard of in a place foreign to me seemed a bit outlandish to a lot of my friends, but I knew it was the right choice.
Berry has something most schools back home don’t—spirit. I’m not talking about school pride or ghosts—both of which Berry does have—but rather, I am talking about that feeling you get when you’re here. From the first time I visited Berry I felt at home. I felt welcome, happy, and like I belonged. Berry has this warm hospitable vibe that resonates from everything it touches.
I’ve thought about it a lot and I think a big part of Berry’s homey feel has to do with its location. The world of “Southern Hospitality” is a bit of a culture shock to me. People hold doors, say “hi” to you even if you’re a stranger, and in general have a really friendly demeanor. Everything just seems better in the South.
One other thing that attracted me to Berry was the campus. I don’t think anyone could visit the campus and not be awestruck by its beauty. Aesthetically, Berry has every college campus I’ve ever visited beat. With its sprawling hills, green grass, gorgeous architecture, and Georgia sun, every day spent on campus is a day spent in paradise. The view never gets old.
Where I get to live!
One of the many Gothic-inspired archways and Henry, our outdoor “dorm cat” (Named after Henry Ford who built the Ford Complex)
For example, I live up at the Ford complex, half a mile from the main campus. The idea of walking down to eat breakfast every morning seemed a bit tedious when I first got here but after a couple of days I discovered that I really enjoy it. (Plus I get to live in a castle so I can’t complain!) Walking from Ford to the dining hall, or D-Hall as us Vikings call it, is a daily pleasure. I walk out of my dorm past glittering fountains and the crystal clear reflection pool, under the Gothic inspired arches of the “castle”, onto a super-wide sidewalk down a tree-lined boulevard with fields of cows and green grass to my left and rolling hills, mountains, and herds of deer to my right. It’s quiet and serene with a gentle breeze that softly cools your face…. I couldn’t think of a better way to start my morning.
The view while walking to class in the morning.
Even on rainy days the campus is gorgeous!
But there is so much more to Berry than just the campus and the students. The professors are excellent, all heavily invested in your success and acquisition of knowledge. They are friendly and understanding and overall just lovely people. The staff is kind and generous and always manages to put a smile on my face (yes I’m talking about you Linda from D-Hall!). The facilities are state of the art and kept in excellent condition—everything shines. Plus, there’s the student work program—the best in the country. Every student on campus is guaranteed a job, which looks awesome on resumes and graduate school applications. Plus you get to work with other students and wonderful supervisors which makes work a lot more enjoyable and helps to build a network of people you can trust and rely on.
My work name tag!
Where I like to eat lunch!
Berry is the ultimate package, unrivaled by any other institution in the world…at least in my eyes. The sense of community is stronger, the atmosphere for learning is better, the campus is superior, the people are kinder, and the professors are better…everything about Berry is unique and unparalleled. So when my friends and family ask me why on earth I’d want to move to this little town, at a school unknown to many where I’m from, I’m at a loss for words—there’s just too much to say. Berry is everything a college should be and so much more. I can’t imagine being anywhere else.