Program Reviews

When I picked out a gap year program, I had one primary goal: avoid burnout. So I perused the programs available and narrowed them down until I found one that spoke to me. I love the East coast, and I love nature, so Maine just made sense. I went in ready for ten weeks of frolicking in the forest, which I got, but I left with a little more than that. I left with a whole lot of awesome, and I mean AWE-some memories, the kinds of memories that I’ll keep remembering maybe forever. I left with a new appreciation for nature and healthy living, and dare I say, a renewed respect for education. And at the risk of being a massive cheese-ball, I left with some really great friends. Obviously, your experience isn’t going to be like mine. You’ll probably do some of the same stuff, but why spoil it? Have your own experience, make your own memories, and leave your own online review. Go get ‘em, tiger!

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Seguinland is a truly magical place, harboring the kindest, most vibrant community in a true haven of natural beauty.

It was such a great joy to spend the fall '24 semester living on the Back River, supported so thoughtfully by the amazing staff of Seguinland and a wonderful group of dedicated, engaged, and compassionate peers. The community was a hallmark of the Seguinland experience-- together we made a one-of-a-kind bond that I am so grateful I got the chance to experience in my lifetime.

The fluid experimental learning experiences crafted at Seguinland brought joy and wonder back into my academic life and artistic passions. Overall, Seguinland has completely changed my life, bringing so much light and curiosity with it. I could never hope to have found a more compassionate, open, and loving group of people to enter this new stage of life with than the community Seguinland fostered.

I could not recommend this program highly enough to anyone interested in community-building, the outdoors, and the pursuit of awe and wonder in small kindnesses and the great forests and waters of Maine.

May term of 2024 was my second experience at Seguinland and, as much as I thought it couldn't get better, it did. There is something unique about sharing such an isolated experience with 19 other people that creates long lasting, deep bonds in even 4 weeks. There is no better way, in my opinion, to take a step back from the hustle and bustle of college life and academics to remember what really matters, which is the depth and quality of your relationships. Cooking together, getting through a stomach bug together, traveling, gardening, creating, paddling, and singing together are all things I will remember for the rest of my life with this group. Forever grateful for my Seguinland family :)

I was a little anxious about going to the Wintering program because writing in school had always been stressful for me. I didn't expect that I would come to enjoy writing and genuinely look forward to our class sessions each day. Jenny, Hallie, and all the other staff and students created an incredibly supportive environment that encouraged me to step outside of my comfort zone, explore my interests, and enjoy the process of writing. Learning and being creative really bonded the group together, and I made incredible lasting friendships. I will never forget the adventures we went on together, including ice fishing, cross country skiing, dogsledding, and cold plunging, but for me, the everyday moments are my favorite to look back on. Yoga and mindfulness overlooking the icy salt marsh, writing and sipping hot chocolate by the fire place during a snowstorm, cozy group dinners in the cookhouse, and looking for animal tracks in the deep snow in the woods each day are some of my favorite memories.

Finishing out my (discontinuous) year at Seguinland, the May term was the perfect way to start my last summer before college. The focus was community building, and an eagerness to get to know each other was in the air the moment we all gathered on the lawn. I will never forget the first night, when a group of us (as many as we could comfortably fit in our cottage) gathered together and shared our, at times quite dramatic, life stories. Despite a brief illness going around in the first week, which the staff expertly handled, we all formed great bonds. From farm work, to murder mysteries, to the first annual pond productions, May term was filled with unforgettable moments. Getting to bring to life our cohort's Mad Farmer Award ceremony was an amazing display of how our unique talents can be used to celebrate our local community.
Despite this program being the end of my time at Seguinland, the connections I made allowed me to plan a trip, stopping to visit friends I made during my time there, all the way down home to Florida. Having built friendships that will last well beyond the end of my gap year is absolutely priceless to me, and I'm incredibly grateful for every student, faculty and staff member that joins Seguinland and makes the courageous decision to bring their whole self into every experience.

As a self-proclaimed hater of snow, I was anxious to experience winter in Maine. Thankfully, with the support of the incredible staff and the strong friendships made, I learned that I could not only survive, but thrive, in the snowy outdoors. Sharing warm meals, laughs while piecing together puzzles, and story-worthy night walks made daily highlights. One of my favorite moments was walking into my room on the first day only to hear my roommate playing a song that had been stuck in my head for a week.
From dog sledding, to ice fishing, to writing by the fire with a mug of hot cocoa in hand, every moment of Wintering felt unique and unforgettable. Despite all the exciting activities we had, like skiing at Sugarloaf, the part of the program I cherished most was getting to see my cohort open up and grow through their writing. Hearing everyone's unique voice and getting to see the world through their eyes, for just a brief moment, was truly the essence of Wintering for me.

This experience found a balance between teaching me everyday independent life skills and still keeping support. It was very fun and easy to feel comfortable and part of a community. I also experienced a lot of new things such as snow, dog sledding, poetry, writing, philosophy and a lot more plus I met a lot of new friends. I find that the Seguinland campus is also incredible and full of life and opportunities to explore. While the activities keep it fresh and fun while still living meaningful lessons.

If you'd like to get out of your shell, meet genuine people, and experience the beauty of nature, then Seguinland is your place! I did the May 2023 term and came back in January 2024 for the Wintering program. Don't let the idea of winter deter you from this term, It was truly one of the best three weeks of my life. The outdoor activities were just as fun as the indoor ones. Our cohort bonded through some amazing trips. We got to dog sled, go ice fishing, and skiing. We built a fire in the snow, ate incredible meals prepared by staff and students, and even had a dance party on the last day. Before I came here I had never shared my writing with anyone, but the guidance and support I received was truly a gift. It gave me the confidence to call myself a writer, and the mindset to love and enjoy my cohort's writing as well. Everyone's experience at Seguinland is different, but I can confidently say that everyone leaves this place with a new outlook on life.

To say the Seguinland institute is a special place is an understatement. This place is truly one an unparalleled experience that cannot be replicated. At Seguinland, the forces of creativity, friendship, exploration, and nature meet to create an unforgettable experience. All thanks to the incredible staff who are truly dedicated to making the best possible experience for every student. The staff are uniquely passionate about what they do and facilitate a genuine and strong community. The experimental academics were thought provoking, engaging, had lots of amazing guest speakers, and real world learning experiences. I am so thankful that I chose to come to seguinland as it was an incredible experience I won’t be forgetting.

Over a year after my program at Seguinland ended, it’s still rare for a day to pass that I don’t think about it. It was, undoubtedly, the best choice I could’ve made for where to spend my gap year.

Starting with the housing, I fell in love with my cottage. Despite being one of the smaller ones it felt like there was always enough space to have guests or to find a place to be alone for a bit.

The activities were always engaging, even as somebody with pretty bad ADHD. We covered plenty of ground in my program, both figuratively and literally. There’s a great blend of physical activity, meditation, and literary studies, as well as plenty of opportunities for creative expression.

The most important and profound aspect of it all, however, was the community, and I cannot praise the staff enough for their part in shaping that community. If I had met my entire cohort through a high school class I don’t know for sure if I would be friends with any of them, but thanks to the ways a community is built and encouraged at Seguinland, I consider myself friends with everyone in our group of 20. To this day, we still have monthly zoom calls and many of us talk to each other even more often, with even a couple relationships that started during our program still going strong.

If you are considering going to Seguinland even slightly, I cannot recommend it enough.