Seguinland Institute: The Good Life Gap Year

May term of 2024 was my second experience at Seguinland and, as much as I thought it couldn't get better, it did. There is something unique about sharing such an isolated experience with 19 other people that creates long lasting, deep bonds in even 4 weeks. There is no better way, in my opinion, to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of college life and academics to remember what really matters, which is the depth and quality of your relationships. Cooking together, getting through a stomach bug together, traveling, gardening, creating, paddling, and singing together are all things I will remember for the rest of my life with this group. Forever grateful for my Seguinland family :)

I was a little anxious about going to the Wintering program because writing in school had always been stressful for me. I didn't expect that I would come to enjoy writing and genuinely look forward to our class sessions each day. Jenny, Hallie, and all the other staff and students created an incredibly supportive environment that encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, explore my interests, and enjoy the process of writing. Learning and being creative really bonded the group together, and I made incredible lasting friendships. I will never forget the adventures we went on together, including ice fishing, cross country skiing, dogsledding, and cold plunging, but for me, the everyday moments are my favorite to look back on. Yoga and mindfulness overlooking the icy salt marsh, writing and sipping hot chocolate by the fire place during a snowstorm, cozy group dinners in the cookhouse, and looking for animal tracks in the deep snow in the woods each day are some of my favorite memories.

Finishing out my (discontinuous) year at Seguinland, the May term was the perfect way to start my last summer before college. The focus was community building, and an eagerness to get to know each other was in the air the moment we all gathered on the lawn. I will never forget the first night, when a group of us (as many as we could comfortably fit in our cottage) gathered together and shared our, at times quite dramatic, life stories. Despite a brief illness going around in the first week, which the staff expertly handled, we all formed great bonds. From farm work, to murder mysteries, to the first annual pond productions, May term was filled with unforgettable moments. Getting to bring to life our cohort's Mad Farmer Award ceremony was an amazing display of how our unique talents can be used to celebrate our local community.
Despite this program being the end of my time at Seguinland, the connections I made allowed me to plan a trip, stopping to visit friends I made during my time there, all the way down home to Florida. Having built friendships that will last well beyond the end of my gap year is absolutely priceless to me, and I'm incredibly grateful for every student, faculty and staff member that joins Seguinland and makes the courageous decision to bring their whole self into every experience.

As a self-proclaimed hater of snow, I was anxious to experience winter in Maine. Thankfully, with the support of the incredible staff and the strong friendships made, I learned that I could not only survive, but thrive, in the snowy outdoors. Sharing warm meals, laughs while piecing together puzzles, and story-worthy night walks made daily highlights. One of my favorite moments was walking into my room on the first day only to hear my roommate playing a song that had been stuck in my head for a week.
From dog sledding, to ice fishing, to writing by the fire with a mug of hot cocoa in hand, every moment of Wintering felt unique and unforgettable. Despite all the exciting activities we had, like skiing at Sugarloaf, the part of the program I cherished most was getting to see my cohort open up and grow through their writing. Hearing everyone's unique voice and getting to see the world through their eyes, for just a brief moment, was truly the essence of Wintering for me.

This experience found a balance between teaching me everyday independent life skills and still keeping support. It was very fun and easy to feel comfortable and part of a community. I also experienced a lot of new things such as snow, dog sledding, poetry, writing, philosophy and a lot more plus I met a lot of new friends. I find that the Seguinland campus is also incredible and full of life and opportunities to explore. While the activities keep it fresh and fun while still living meaningful lessons.