Seguinland Institute: The Good Life Gap Year

Why choose Seguinland Institute: The Good Life Gap Year?

Three-Time Winner of Award for Best Overall Gap Year Provider by GoOverseas (2020, 2022, 2023)! We create immersive, experiential programs for gap year and college students. Located on a 60-acre homestead peninsula in the coastal woodlands of Maine, our programs combine spacious reflection on questions of The Good Life, immersion in nature, mindfulness practice, the creative arts and a back-to-the-land ethos.

Students taking courses at Seguinland Institute receive college credit through the University of Maine at Farmington. Our grapplings with the big questions are honed by reading good books, paddling sturdy canoes, engaging in discussion, being grasped by awe and wonder, and getting our hands dirty in the garden.

We are a non-profit organization (501c3) founded in 2009.

Website

www.seguinlandinstitute.org

Founded

2009

Connect with us

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Community Photos

Pyramid on the last night of the program

Creating an installation with local Maine artist

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Diversity & Inclusion

At Seguinland Institute, we are intentional about creating positive and respectful educational opportunities within a growth-oriented environment. As a student, you can expect an inclusive learning environment that is free from discrimination or favoritism. You are entitled to freedom from physical or verbal harassment of any shape or form. We agree with Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's idea of "the danger of the single story." We thus create a multi-perspective, multi-narrative approach to all discussions.

Reviews

After finishing my freshman year of college, I felt very stuck. I was questioning my decision about the college I had picked, not doing a gap year, and many other personal things. Deciding to drop the summer classes I had planned on taking and instead doing Seguinland's May Term Program turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. The connections that I made, the self-discovery and self-reflection that I had, and the pure amount of joy in a relatively short program was incredible.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?

As a vegetarian, the most unfamiliar thing I ate was meat! During the program, we had opportunities to engage with such local and direct connections with the food we were preparing and eating, that even as a fairly strict vegetarian I felt compelled to sample the oysters we watched get harvested and helped to shuck and the lobster that was caught by peers on my program, and of course, a multitude of great veggie options too, like some classic Maine fiddlehead ferns!

Pros

Beautiful location right on the Maine coastal estuaries on Georgetown Island
Amazing connections with peers and staff!
Frequent sauna & cold plunge experiences

Cons

Only three weeks long
A little buggy

For me, Seguiland acted as an atmosphere that allowed for peace and deepened my connection to myself, others, and nature. I have never felt more alive, engaged, inspired, and amused then at my time at Seguinland. The classes were deeply impactful for me and the lessons I learned continuously act as guideposts for all that is to come in my life. My experience at Seguinland acted as an outlet for self-reflection, memories, food, laughter, and friendships that will forever be an integral part of my growth and identity. My gratitude for this experience is life-long because this experience encouraged me to try new things and understanding what my dreams and goals are.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Be present for as much of the program as you can! Your time and experiences are invaluable. Each day at Seguinland is precious so try to live there fully as best as you can.

Pros

Supportive and community lead environment and staff
Impactful experiences in nature
Friendships and knowledge that will serve you for years to come

I chose to take a gap year very late in the summer of 2024, and in the midst of confusion and panic about what to do with myself, I found Seguinland Institute. I have been ever grateful to have been offered the opportunity to join in the wonderful, living and breathing community that makes up that small area of Georgetown and reaches out across the world.

Seguinland Institute gave me the pause, reflection and rejuvenation that I desperately needed. I cannot express how free I felt—within myself, with those I spent time with, and in the natural world. The blended aspects of the program: good food, conversation, conservation, good books and community are all so vital, and I found childlike wonder in a new way every single day.

I cannot recommend this program enough. If you are someone who likes to garden, someone who likes to cook, someone who plays instruments or likes to climb trees—truly, whoever you are, you will be welcomed and loved in Maine. I can only hope that many more students exploring on a gap year can experience Seguinland!

Pros

Lifelong friends
Deep conversation
Hands-on work

In May 2023, I felt grateful to be welcomed into Seguinland's program as a less-traditional college student and at present I continue to feel gratitude for all the positive ripple effects upon my life and career since. I felt thoroughly supported both while preparing for and engaging in the May Term, but also had the freedom and space to process the program's content and experiences on my own. The beautiful campus was a perfect setting for reading and reflection, and during classes big discussions and intense workshops on life's important questions were handled with care, curiosity, and real depth. The responsive and co-created nature of Seguin's programming makes it difficult to describe to a prospective student, since instruction is somewhat adapted to the needs of each cohort - but be assured that it is a safe and worthy space to explore your wonderings, values and goals at any point in your journey.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Enter with a "beginner's mind" and be ready to meet new sides of yourself!

Pros