The beginning of my sophomore year was exciting with a sense of the possibilities yet to be realized. As much as I love my home on MV, I was ecstatic to reunite with my friends. All my trepidations evaporated. I looked forward to my audition for advanced voice. This class only accepts four students that apply. After my audition I was granted the opportunity to work one on one with my instructors in a class that usually has two or three students. This individualized attention and care offered by the unbelievably knowledgeable Bennington staff is what made a difference. I was gladly challenged by the level of difficulty involved in the Italian opera and 1920s French pop songs I was assigned. I cultivated relationships with both students and staff that have opened my eyes to new possibilities. Later this past semester I engaged in what’s called the plan process, starting to solidify the next few years of my college career. The plan process allows students to submit a free form idea for a course of study to a small group of relevant teachers instead of a traditional major system. In addition to meeting with their advisors, each student explains in an essay how they want to pursue their interests as well as how they will contribute to the institution. Unfortunately my struggles with epilepsy have persisted, to the extent that I felt it was necessary and unavoidable for me to pause and re-calibrate my next steps. During my plan meeting, I explained to my advisers that it is difficult to continue the courses I have set out for myself while having tonic clonic seizures almost daily. My time at Bennington is too valuable for me not to be at my best. Through self care and medication I will get my condition under control within my hiatus. I’m looking forward to rejoining the classmates and staff for the second half of my sophomore year in February 2021. With my deepest gratitude, please wish me luck.