Digital Managing Editor Natalie Schliekelman (first on the left) poses with her friends, fellow Communicative Arts majors at the Governor’s Honors Programs at Berry College in Rome, Ga. on July 17. At GHP, Schliekelman engaged in a rigorous curriculum, but her connections with other students are what she most hopes to take away. Photo courtesy of Natalie Schliekelman
Digital Managing Editor Natalie Schliekelman recounts her experience at the 2021 Governor’s Honors Program, where she formed strong friendships with other Communicative Arts majors.
The best evenings of my summer were spent as a Communicative Arts major at the Governor’s Honors Program at Berry College in Rome, Ga in a circle of lawn chairs with my friends, playing Uno with a soundtrack of Phoebe Bridgers’ melancholy melodies.
My friends, other Communicative Arts majors, and I, all students with a passion for words, writing and media, laughed and told stories, debated and discussed the duality of our favorite literature and movies, and worked to finish up readings or writing for our classes, which included subjects such as writing, literary analysis, movie discussion, journalism, comedy, play-writing and even surrealism.
Even after only a month, the friendships I formed are ones that will hopefully last a lifetime.
It all started on the first day of GHP, when I was introduced to a revolving door of 81 other Communicative Arts students and 634 total GHP attendees: all amazing people who I desperately wanted to befriend. It was overwhelming, and I spent my first few days at GHP eating meals by myself and stressing about missing out on the experience I had given up half my summer for.
During the class “Challenging the Canon,” where we discussed the problems with the literary canon and with traditional English class curriculums, I met some of the people who would go on to become my best friends at GHP.
We made plans to explore the Berry College Memorial Library after class, and at the library, a spontaneous decision to watch “Pride and Prejudice” (2005) spawned what would be the beginning of my friend group.
From inside jokes, shared meals and movie nights to spontaneous slam poetry and an epidemic of snapping, my friends and the other Communicative Arts majors made GHP the profound, amazing experience it was.
Every day in class, Monday through Saturday from 8:30 to 1:00, I listened to students from all over Georgia share their perspectives and personal experiences, read profound writing by my peers, and participated in in-depth discussions about media, literature, social issues, and so much more.
With open-minded curriculum, engaging discussions, passionate participants and incredible teachers, GHP was a glimpse into a utopian version of a public school education — an experience I want to bring back to my own school in any small way I can.
GHP was a glimpse into a utopian version of a public school education — an experience I want to bring back to my own school in any small way I can.
Whether it’s bringing discussions about representative literature back to my English classes, pushing harder to encourage my classmates to participate in class, or even just bringing a little bit of extra friendliness and open-mindedness to class every day, I don’t want the lessons I learned at GHP to go away.
At GHP, I found the sense of kinship and fulfillment that I’d always seen main characters of high school books and movies discover, but never thought could be a reality. I discovered a community of incredible, passionate people, who I can’t wait to cheer on as they go on to change the world.
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