It was an only-at-Stanford moment that became a tradition: a group of students gathered in a spacious bathroom in Outdoor House to hear three of their classmates play George Michael’s “Careless Whisper” on their saxophones from the shower stall.
Turning the space into a mini jazz club on the first Wednesday of winter quarter has become a “cherished highlight of dorm life, a testament to the creativity and camaraderie that flourishes in unexpected places,” writes senior Emma Barrosa, adding that Stanford’s true magic lives, “… in the spontaneous Tuesday afternoon decisions to create something wonderfully weird with a few friends.”
It’s one of the many insights that graduating seniors and recent alumni shared in Notes from the Farm, a compilation of stories about student life written for newly admitted first-year students.
“The book ultimately has two goals; to pass down traditions and to increase a sense of belonging,” said senior Lucy Duckworth, noting that more than 950 members of the Class of 2029 have already signed up to receive a copy.
Duckworth and fellow graduating seniors Stella Li, Evelyn Hur, and Kenji Zaharchuk created the book with recent alumna Annie Reller, ’24. The idea first came to Reller a year ago when she was about to graduate. This past January, the students revived the concept, which became their senior capstone project.
“It kind of evolved into something way cooler than what I initially imagined,” said Reller.
The book has eight chapters with titles including “Hidden Stanford,” “Finding My Friends,” “Flops and Failures,” and “Finding My Community.” It features 51 short stories from students and recent alumni, each around 300-400 words and written in the first person. The book includes a mix of archival and modern photos taken by the team and other students, giving it what Reller described as a “scrapbooky feel.”
The team solicited stories from current Stanford undergrads and alums through campus newsletters, flyers, and mailing lists and received a wide range of submissions, touching on themes such as relationships, resiliency, and failure.
The contributions recount obstacles – everything from sustaining athletic injuries to receiving poor grades to the initial difficulty of making friends – and how students learned to handle and overcome those setbacks. They also share insider tips on the Stanford student experience, including the best places on campus to see the sunset and a glossary of student traditions.
Graduating seniors Kenji Zaharchuk, Stella Li, Lucy Duckworth, Evelyn Hur collaborated on a book for incoming students with anecdotes and lessons about life at Stanford. | Courtesy Lucy Duckworth
“A lot of the stories acknowledge that college life can be hard and that you’ll struggle when you’re here. But a lot of people struggle. And our book is letting new students know that that’s okay and that’s normal,” Reller said.
The book is partly inspired by Stanford psychology Professor Greg Walton’s research that found adaptive mindsets about belonging can help incoming students succeed.
The choice to print the 150-page, pocket-sized book was made to distinguish it from the many digital materials new students receive before arriving on campus, and because its creators hoped a physical book would feel more personal. “We wanted to make it a tactile experience that new students could read and hold on to,” said Duckworth.
Reller, Duckworth, Li, Hur, and Zaharchuk each oversaw different aspects of production, including design and layout, copy editing, publishing, fundraising, and recruiting writers. They also met with many Stanford faculty members for advice on the project and received financial support from alumnus David Hornik, who is a lecturer at Stanford Law School and Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Duckworth is currently recruiting rising seniors to pick up the project for next year and create an updated version for the class of 2030.
“The idea is that this will continue for future classes and a new edition gets published each year with stories authored mostly by seniors,” said Duckworth. “It can also be something nostalgic that graduating seniors can look forward to.”
The book and shipping are free of charge to all verified members of the Class of 2029, who can sign up for a copy online.
“Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies 8,180 acres, among the largest in the United States, and enrols over 17,000 students.”
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