In June 1933, eight young women, who are close friends and members of the upper-class group at South Tower College, to graduate and sta rt their adult lives. The film documents the years between their graduation and the beginning of the Second World War in Europe, and shows, in a serialized style, their romances and marriages, their searches for careers or meaning in their lives, their highs and their lows. The lives of a group of eight friends, who are seen as the aesthetes of the Vassar class of 1933, are presented from their graduation, when their lives held so much promise despite the Depression, to the start of WWII. Ambitious theater major Kay, somewhat the outsider of the group, decides to get married immediately and support her struggling playwright husband Harald by getting a job at Macy's than pursue her own theater directing career. Kay, who takes everything personally, needs to be in control, which becomes more difficult as problems emerge in the marriage and as world events occur around her. The only one who may be more ambitious is English major Libby, who wants a job in publishing and whose bravada hides her insecurities when not getting what she wants. The exact opposite is Dottie, an inexperienced proper Bostonian who may settle for second best much as she strove for what she really wanted despite she coming to the understanding that she was less than second best. Chemistry major Polly, who wanted to be a doctor but becomes a medical technician, deals with people with real or perceived psychological problems, both at work and in her personal life. Politically involved Priss knows that love and politics may not mesh, but doesn't like feeling like a science experiment as a replacement to love. Artist Helena, who plans on becoming a nursery school teacher, is the communicator who reports the goings-on of her friends to their other classmates. Wealthy Pokey can afford a life of leisure in marriage, for which she strives. And beautiful art history major Lakey, who can get any man she wants, heads to Europe following graduation to further her art history experience, but her trip may be as much to get away from her Vassar life and head for freedom.
