Experiences Outside of the Classroom

Brandon's perspective

"Instead of studying for a final, I baked cakes as dorm birthday fairy. Instead of spending time in the library, I holed myself up in MemAud rehearsing musicals." 
 - Brandon, '14

What made your undergraduate experience meaningful?

"In my four years at Stanford, what I was being perpetually surprised by was how much there was to learn and experience outside the classroom. In a sea of advice about how to explore different majors and sample interesting courses, I found myself being most rewarded by engaging in the larger non-academic Stanford community. Instead of studying for a final, I baked cakes as dorm birthday fairy. Instead of spending time in the library, I holed myself up in MemAud rehearsing musicals. It is through of these non-academic pursuits that I feel I benefited from a true education at Stanford. I had the opportunity to lead production teams and mentor freshmen, and those are the things that have prepared me for life beyond Stanford. I should mention that I loved my English major dearly, particularly the creative writing workshops that shaped much of my artistic sensibilities. The energy I devoted to reading Chaucer and writing papers on Toni Morrison was, indeed, fulfilling and educational. Nevertheless, I continue to be astounded by what I gained simply from showing up to an open mic night or submitting an application to stage manage a play. The fellow students I encountered through spontaneous friendships and partnerships and collaborations are what I will remember from my time at Stanford."

Brandon Powell

English
Class of 2014

If you have a Stanford Story you would like to share, contact melissas@stanford.edu.