<p>I am definitely an introvert. While I didn’t have many male friends while at Smith (though I did meet people during summer internships and kept in touch with people from high school, and hung out with the boyfriends and friends of my Smith friends), I also didn’t really make any sort of effort (I think I only went to UMass 2 or 3 times in my 4 years at Smith, usually for blood drives, and I didn’t hang out at Amherst or Hampshire, though I did take classes there).</p>
<p>So, was I doomed to a nunnery upon graduation? Do I get freaked out talking to men? NO. I have friends who are guys, my boss is male, and I did just fine in a competitive grad school where 55% of my class were men. What Smith did give me is a tight network of female friends, both my own age (I understand why people like the TV show Sex & The City so much…it’s really fun to go out for a drink and chat with ‘the girls’) and alumnae from decades and generations past. Last Friday, the Smith Club in my town went out for dinner and to see Julie & Julia. We ranged from the class of 1954 to the class of 2008, and we talked about our jobs, grad school, kids, boyfriends, movies we liked, cooking, etc. It’s amazing to have the opportunity to get to know women who’ve done so many interesting things and are at so many different stages in their lives. Smith gave me a lot in the 4 years I spent there, but the connections to women are something that will last a lifetime. And they don’t preclude forming strong relationships with men.</p>