Why I Chose Hillsdale – Colby Clark
Written by Colby Clark
It was not a pure act of reason that led me to Hilldale. Rather, when the chaos of leaving home, moving into a dorm, and starting classes subsided, the full weight of my decision finally bore down upon me. Like a disoriented sleepwalker, I awoke to the confusion of not knowing where I was or how I got there.
Why did I choose Hillsdale?
In my penultimate semester here, I find myself asking the same question but with an appreciation and a sense of reverence I never could have foreseen. I hope that in answering this question, I will be driven to truly savor my remaining time in this wonderful place that has become my home.
The reason for my first visit to campus to Hillsdale was quite unremarkable. Perhaps my parents had read an issue of Imprimis or heard an advertisement on the radio. Whatever the case, I found myself on the road with my dad, off to learn about this Hillsdale College with very few expectations.
To be sure, Hillsdale met all my explicit prerequisites of what a “good” college should have: rigorous academics, opportunities to pursue artistic and athletic endeavors, and a political philosophy sympathetic to the convictions I held at the time. But after my visit, these definable strengths became secondary to the intangibles. The enduring memory I have of my visit is that of a feeling. A nebulous hint of being in the right place. I could really see myself here.
And so I completed an application, received an acceptance letter, and carried on with my senior year, relieved that one major uncertainty in my life had been resolved.
But when I began my first semester I wondered if I had made a mistake. Classes were as rigorous and difficult as had been warned. It really did require exertion of will to stay on top of things. In those early weeks, I was worried that writing out the reasons I should stay at Hillsdale would leave me with a very short list. But just when my lurking doubts were on the brink of bubbling over, I came to a profound realization: even when the exact reasons were lacking, I still felt like I was in a place that would push me to become the strongest version of myself. And that became more than enough for me.
The feeling that a small shred of truth is only just beyond my reach, the hope that beauty exists and can be experienced, and the belief that true friendships are begging to be cultivated—all my hopeful feelings have been realized as my time at Hillsdale has unfolded. If ever a day comes when I look at the world and truly wonder at everything in it, I will owe this moment to the brilliant people I have met here who have pointed me toward a wonderful reality.
Why did I choose Hillsdale? In a way, it was a leap of faith.
Colby Clark, ‘18, is a psychology major from Stevensville, MI. He loves playing drum set, and loves playing air drums on his trek to class. His daily schedule is always accompanied by the perfect soundtrack. On breaks, he enjoys hiking through national parks and traveling the country (as much as possible on a college kid budget). He ends most days sprawled out in a comfy armchair with his slippers on, reading by candlelight.