Arkansas native Will Bryant ’25 has come to know Kenyon as a second home through his four years, seeing it through many different lenses: as a student, a summer research scholar, an employee at the bookstore (where he is a founder of the weekly Tiny Rug student band showcases), and this year, as senior class president. He took some time before Thanksgiving break to express gratitude — for the people who have made his time at the College special, for its unique classes, and, of course, for Peircegiving.
Besides Gambier, where is your favorite place to be?
Back home in Little Rock, where all the things I grew up with are. There is a way people act in Arkansas that is different, the Southern hospitality. And I miss cheese dip — we actually invented cheese dip in Little Rock!
Why did you decide to come to Kenyon?
The first time I heard about Kenyon was through a YouTube video of someone opening his college acceptances. I was like, “This place seems great!” During the college admissions process, I just kept comparing Kenyon to every place, and Kenyon always came out on top.
Fill in the blank: My Kenyon experience would not be the same without ____.
The people. The people are so unique, I feel like I’ve never met a group of people like anyone I’ve met at Kenyon, and they make this place so incredible.
What is your favorite Kenyon tradition?
Peircegiving. My friends and I always go hard for it. We save a table at 8 a.m. and make sure someone is always at the table throughout the day, and are booked and ready in line for the 5 o’clock opening.
What Kenyon class would you love to take again or for the first time?
For the first time: the environmental studies Galapagos class (ENVS 291) — for obvious reasons. They are going to the Galapagos Islands! I would take “American Monsters” (AMST 191) again. I took it the fall of freshman year, and it brought together a group of STEM, social science and humanities people that were all really funny — and we are all still friends today. It was also a very different class than any class I’ve taken here. We looked at how ideas of monsters are created in fiction and the ways that these ideas are influenced by fears of society at the time.
If there was a soundtrack to your Kenyon experience, what song would be on repeat?
I think “Boogie Shoes” by KC and The Sunshine Band. It’s such a fun song and feels representative of my time at Kenyon.
Where do you find satisfaction outside of your academic work?
My friends and I usually have some project going on, whether it be making a movie or planning some overly elaborate murder mystery party. These things bring people together and allow us to just act silly!
What is something interesting that you’ve read recently?
I recently read “So Late in the Day” by Claire Keegan. It’s a book of short stories that explores concepts of women and men in love. It inspired me to read “Antarctica,” also by her. Antarctica is a really cool place and has been the focus of my science research, which there is an exhibit on in the Bulmash Exhibit Hall in Chalmers Library, so I really enjoyed that read.
What is a skill you’d love to learn?
I still can’t whistle, so I’d love to learn that. But a more realistic one would be learning a new language, like Polish, something not many people speak.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
YOLO. Especially at this time in my life when things are coming to an end and I am having a lot of my “lasts.” It’s good to remember that you do only live once; it puts into perspective what matters and all the things that also really don’t matter.
The Kenyon Ten is an occasional question-and-answer feature that highlights students, faculty and staff.
