Maggie
Canton, Ohio
DEFINITION
“We are not defined by ourselves or even by those who surround us, we are defined by our actions.”
QUESTIONS
Why did you choose Mercersburg?
Everybody in my neighborhood seemed the same—same clothes, same hair, same interests. I was into politics and international affairs. I was afraid that if I went to school at home, the pressure to conform would be too great and I’d stop being who I was, so I wanted to go away. But I didn’t want the typical East Coast, super-structured, super-traditional boarding school thing either. That would have felt to me like trading one kind of conformity for another. Then my soccer coach told me about Mercersburg. My mom and I checked it out and it was the perfect fit.
What were you most looking forward to?
I couldn’t wait to get into the Burgin Center. I’d always wanted to explore theatre and art, and there are so many amazing things you can do in that building. But my eighth grade class had 10 kids in it, so mostly I was looking forward to making a whole bunch of new friends with all different kinds of people.
What was the biggest surprise?
Making friends with seniors. Mercersburg is known for its sense of community—everybody talks to everybody else. Of course, all my senior friends graduate on me, but then there are new friends in the next year’s freshman class. Other places might be thinking “fresh meat.” Here we’re thinking “new friends.” “New cool people.”
What’s the most fun you’ve had at Mercersburg?
Irving-Marshall Week. The entire school divides into two “societies,” either Irving or Marshall, and you compete in everything from Ping-Pong and pool to swimming and basketball. Only you can’t compete in your own sport, so you’ve got soccer players swimming and basketball players playing lacrosse. There are chants and songs and people paint themselves in Irving or Marshall colors. It ends with declamation. Each society has five declaimers who present short monologues. I declaimed for Irving with a short story called “The Speech” by Laurie Notaro.
What have been your favorite classes?
History and English have always been my favorite subjects, but this year my love for them has increased with the amount of discussion in the classroom. In History, we were asked to compare modern and ancient cultures, and their issues, which gave a new and interesting perspective to the material and gave me a richer understanding than I thought I’d ever have.
In English, we analyzed main characters from the books we were reading and looked at their relationships, and how those relationships influenced the central themes of the book.
Biology was another favorite. I walked into class as a kid who didn't particularly enjoy science, but I found that I liked the hands-on aspect of biology, and I also found genetics to be very interesting.
What was the class you're glad you took but never want to take again?
French 20H. With all the intense grammar we studied, this was my most difficult class. But I’m glad I took it, because now I can express myself more eloquently in French, and I can use a myriad of adjectives and tenses.
What are your favorite places on campus?
The Burgin Center for the Arts is one of my favorite places on campus. It has a quiet environment, so I go there when the dorm gets a little noisy and do homework in the practice room. I also go there during exam week to paint or draw (though not well), just to relax and take a break from studying.
Another favorite place is the Boy's Garden, a peaceful spot between Burgin and Traylor. In the spring, the Boy's Garden is filled with blossoming flowers—it’s gorgeous. I also like Spider Field, the ideal place for a game of Ultimate Frisbee, or to kick around a soccer ball, or simply just hang around with friends.
What's been your proudest moment at Mercersburg?
My friend Marielle and I organized a t-shirt day for the organization Invisible Children. As we were spray painting t-shirts outside of Tippetts, people were walking by, asking why we were painting all of these t-shirts. When we answered "Invisible Children,” everyone knew what we were talking about. But if you had visited campus two months before that, a very limited number of students would have known about the organization and the crisis in Northern Uganda.
What's been your most embarrassing moment at Mercersburg?
Dropping a plate in the dining hall, when it was crowded.
If you could offer one piece of advice to an incoming student, what would it be?
Stay organized, and get involved. The more you do, the more organized you have to be, and the better you learn to manage your time. Also, join sports, dance or theater, or a campus club—it’s a great way to meet people at the beginning of the year.
LISTS
Activities:
- Stony Batter
- Class President
- Page Editor for Mercersburg News
- Model UN
- Co-president and founder of Voices for Justice
“Braided Hair” by Speech
“I'll Follow You Into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie
“All These Things That I've Done” by The Killers
“All Along the Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix
“For What It's Worth” by Creedence Clearwater Revival
Favorite books you've read at Mercersburg?
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
