Sanskriti Shrestha

Why did you choose to study at Bard College Berlin?

Bard College Berlin's commitment to a liberal arts education deeply resonated with my academic goals. As an art student, I was fascinated with the idea that I would be able to overlap other disciplines like philosophy, literature, and humanities for the interdisciplinary approach that allows me to explore a diverse range of subjects, fostering a well-rounded intellectual development and future career options.

How would you describe our community in a nutshell?

BCB’s community is highly international and inclusive. The campus is comprised of students from various cultural backgrounds, providing a rich and dynamic environment for cultural exchange and global perspectives. Nevertheless, the emphasis on small class sizes and close faculty-student interactions is something highly unique to BCB. This creates a supportive, inclusive, and active learning environment, which allows me, as an art student, to explore and express creative ideas and projects very freely.

Where is your favorite place to study on campus?

Other than my own apartment, where I feel like home to be comfortable as well as productive, I find the libraries at BCB to be a very inspiring place for its immense number of varieties of books. Because of easy access to kitchens on each floor, I can easily make some tea and get going with my studies. Apart from that, the Learning Commons provides a well-lit and cozy atmosphere to study, where studying happens not just through books, but also collective discussions and group works with peers and mentors.
As an art student, I also find myself spending the most amount of time in the Factory, which is an art studio space and a creative haven for me to work on my art projects.

Are you involved in any student clubs or organizations? If so, which ones?

Each semester during the involvement fair, you get to mingle around with club representatives and explore what clubs are available to join. I end up signing up for a lot of clubs during this time and enjoy keeping myself busy throughout the semester with these clubs.
With the environmental club, we have organized vegan picnics, hiking, and activities to bring ourselves closer to nature. With the knitting club, we spent time in the evenings at the W15 Cafe to relax and learn a new skill. With the ceramics club, we spend tons of time at the factory making cute handmade gifts for ourselves and our friends. I myself started my own yoga club, which regularly organizes yoga and de-stress sessions, something everyone treasures especially at that peak time of the semester when exams and assignment deadlines are around!

Favorite book you read in a class, and why?

My favorite book that I've read so far for a class was the Three Plays by Elfriede Jelinek, which is comprised of three long plays by a post-dramatic playwright. Since the course was about post-dramatic theater making, with Jelinek an inspiration and our reference, I truly enjoyed reading this very different genre of theater text.

Write briefly about one of your courses that left a lasting impression on you.

At BCB, we use the entire city of Berlin as a backdrop for our education and studies, using the vast number of cultural and academic opportunities provided by the city. In Prof. Dr. Dorothea von Hantelmann's art history class called “Museum as Rituals,” we launched a theoretical discussion of how museums as a mode of modern ritual is problematic and what its alternatives could be. For the class, we got to visit a number of museums and exhibitions in the city, and got to analyze them with an anthropological lens. For the rich amount of knowledge I've gained in this class, it has made a lasting impression on me by far.

What surprised you the most about BCB?

BCB deviates from the kind of image I have in mind of typical undergraduate universities, where students attend lectures in big numbers in big halls. At BCB, I was surprised and immensely pleased to see how its academic environment emphasizes a more intimate and engaged learning experience. We benefit from smaller class sizes, which are ‘seminars’ rather than ‘lectures,’ fostering interactive two-way discussions and close connections with professors and classmates. Additionally, BCB’s commitment to collaborative learning goes beyond the campus community, as we connect with the larger OSUN and Erasmus networks.

Your favorite thing to do in Berlin on the weekends?

It is pleasing to see how rich Berlin is in artistic as well as natural landscapes. On weekends, I seek to find a good balance between finding serenity in Berlin’s big, green parks and inspiring the soul with Berlin's creative and artistic culture of flea markets, exhibitions, theater shows, and operas.

What are your plans for after BCB?

After BCB, I want to stay in Berlin and use its artistic collaborative network to develop my art career. I want to work in the field of film and theater, and explore more in my interests of artistic production and performance.
Additionally, as a freelance yoga teacher, I want to delve deeper into the exotic spiritual scene of Berlin and keep working in a number of yoga studios across the city as my secondary job.

What does a liberal arts education mean to you?

A liberal arts education, to me, represents a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to learning that goes beyond the confines of specialized fields. It is a philosophy that encourages intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a broad understanding of various subjects. Here, I'm educating myself not just about these various fields of philosophy, humanities, literature, etc., but really teaching myself about life and society itself and what it means to be an individual who can think critically, communicate effectively, and adapt to different situations. This approach values the interconnectedness of knowledge and promotes the idea that insights from various disciplines contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the world, promoting active engagement and stimulating curiosity and a lifelong love of learning.