One of the very first things that drew me to DePauw was the concept of a Winter Term.
The idea of having an allotted time to do just about anything I wanted for three weeks as a break from academic rigor, seemed like the perfect concept.
While it was not the reason I ultimately picked this university, it was something I looked forward to upon my arrival.
My first year at DePauw, I chose to stay on campus, like much of the rest of my class, and picked an economics course with Professor Field. I enjoyed it because it was unlike traditional class where you often listen to lectures and take notes. Instead, we focused on individually presenting about current economic events throughout the month. It gave some application to what I had learned earlier that year.
My second Winter Term set the precedent for the future of my DePauw experience. I was lucky enough to be able to go on the Winter Term in Service course to Costa Rica. Service had been a huge part of my high school career and this opportunity let me get back to doing it again, after bypassing it for a year. Being able to experience such a different culture, live with host families and share the experience with other DePauw students is something I will never forget.
After my sophomore Winter Term, I made the decision that I wanted to lead a trip back to Costa Rica, if given the chance. During my junior year, that wasn't able to happen, but I was able to do the service trip to El Salvador. Known as one of the more difficult and testing trips, we lived with host families the great majority of the trip, and I developed a great appreciation for my Winter Term experience.
Finally, my senior year, everything came together, and DePauw offered another Costa Rica in-service trip. I was lucky enough to get picked to be the reflections leader, and it brought my Winter Term experience full-circle. I felt at home in Costa Rica, but the experience was very much different. Walking at 6:30 a.m., 40 minutes to start work for the day was an experience that I will never forget, and the connections made with the "Ticos" and "Ticas" of Costa Rica are something that will go far past the artificial friend request on Facebook.
Winter Term has given me the opportunity to make real-world applications with my Economics and Spanish majors, dive into other cultures head on and have amazing leadership opportunities. While I do not know what the changes are that could affect future Winter Term goers, I feel strongly against altering the current system. I am not going to be naïve and say that nobody drinks too much while on campus during Winter Term. That definitely happens, but it is a select few that ultimately take the Winter Term challenge seriously. This drinking binge is more about the drinking culture of DePauw and less about Winter Term. Many students gain highly valuable experiences, whether it be from having a short internship, taking leadership opportunities within the faculty-led off campus programs, or taking an on-campus course. Although I will not be going on any more Winter Terms, I sincerely hope that DePauw doesn't ruin of one of its best assets.
-Winkler is a Senior Economics and Spanish double major from Birmingham, Mich.