Maia Garrison

What’s your favorite class? Why?

Communication vs Creation (FREN 330) with Issabelle DeMarte. The class was about epistolary novels in French. We talked a lot about how letters are a combination of writing to someone else and yourself at the same time. We also talked about how letters work as a method of communication. They have a very typical form, which you don’t see in most other forms of communication. Seeing the letters in a literary manner, as well as having the opportunity to create my own, was extremely interesting. On top of that, the class only had 10 students. Being able to have that small of a group made it easier to be able to share my thoughts on the novels we read and to put a lot more effort into my own project.

What made you want to come to Lewis & Clark?

I was attracted to Lewis & Clark because of the gorgeous campus, the small class sizes, and the study abroad opportunities.

What do you like or find most interesting about your major?

My major, world languages and literatures (WLL), is really fun for me. I didn’t really know what I wanted to study before I got here, so I ended up just taking language classes. My advisor told me that there was, in fact, a major for that, so now I can get a degree just for taking classes I’m interested in.

Tell us about your support systems and social outlets on campus: people, activities, clubs, res halls, etc.

Having such a small campus and such small classes (I think my biggest class over four semesters has been less than 30 people) gives you an opportunity to meet so many different people. People at this school are pretty friendly, and you can kinda just start a conversation with someone. I made friends with a couple of students on the bus 2 weeks ago, and now we hang out sometimes because I just started talking to them.

If you have studied or will study overseas while at Lewis & Clark, how did you choose your program? What did your overseas study add to your L&C experience?

The WLL major actually requires you to study abroad, so my choice to go overseas was already made for me! I chose Paris over the other two locations because, despite having been to France multiple times, I’ve never been to Paris. I want to spend as much time as I can getting to know the city and visiting as many museums, parks, and monuments as I can while I’m there.

How has Lewis & Clark changed you? I've become more comfortable with who I am, and I've become more confident.

I’ve become more comfortable with who I am, and I’ve become more confident. The people I’ve met here have been so good to me, and have helped me understand myself better than I could’ve ever hoped to.

What advice do you have for incoming students?

Don’t worry if the friend group you make in the first month of school falls apart; you’ll find your people. The people you meet in your first semester probably aren’t going to be your permanent friends, and that’s totally okay.

Did you visit campus before deciding to come to L&C? How did your visit influence your decision to attend?

My tour was actually canceled due to snow, but when I got on campus to look around, a student was giving a tour to her younger sister. They invited me to tour around with them, and I think they gave me a very accurate impression of what Lewis & Clark was like. The students here want the best for each other, even if they don’t know each other.

If you went on a New Student Trip with College Outdoors, how did it shape your experience as an incoming student?

I went on the rafting trip! It was a group of 12, and we got fairly close to each other. It was nice to be able to have a group of people to spend a lot of time with for the first couple of semesters before we met people with whom we shared more common interests. During the first semester, a decent number of us would eat dinner together most nights. It was nice to have a group of friends to hang out with while I ate, and it made the transition to college feel a lot less lonely. We don’t talk that often anymore, but I still consider us friends.

What’s one of the best spots on campus?

I’m a really big fan of going to the lawn near the bee garden on South Campus! It’s fairly quiet and pretty.

What’s one of your best Lewis & Clark memories so far?

My friends and I watched Mamma Mia in the common room and just had a blast laughing with each other, singing along, and eating Girl Scout cookies.

World Languages and Literatures