Hello everyone!
Today began with a great, late start. It was a bit sad that it was our last morning at the Beacon and we were in such a rush to get out to go to brunch at Beacon with Yale's Norcal admissions officer Mr. Alex Richardson. Although we only spent a little over an hour with him, I learned a lot by listening to him answer all of our questions, ranging from the general admissions process to his major in astrophysics. For instance, I learned that he does not toss any application, even if it falls below par. Instead, he typically speeds through the rest of a "bad" application, and slows down to read more carefully through a "good" application. I've always thought that if the admission officer didn't like an application, he'd toss it before getting to the end. Hopefully other admission officers are just like him! Also, Mr. Richardson told us that he is the ONLY Yale reader for Northern California. He will be coming to visit El Cerrito High School sometime in the Fall to give a college writing workshop if anyone wants to meet him!
After brunch, we rushed back to the hotel to pick up our luggage to head down to Columbia University. And we took a cab instead of the subway! It was interesting that taking a cab is, in this case, less expensive than riding a crowded subway train while hauling luggage bags.
Check-in was really quick and simple, and it went much smoother than I had expected. I am rooming in Hartley Hall in a combined 2-floor suite. Unlike last summer at Cornell when I had a double with my friend from New Jersey, this year I have a single. While there are ups and downs about rooming alone, I think it's a good experience, to try a double and to try a single. Moreover, we are living in suites, so even if we're roomed in singles, we can always walk down the hall and mingle. And one more thing, I won't need to worry about having a roommate whom I can't get along with.
All in all, the first official day at Columbia has gone smoothly. I am quite ready for bed. Must gear up for class tomorrow morning and we'll be up for an early start. Goodnight everyone!
Yueming,
ReplyDeleteYou need to experience both a single and a double--and even a triple--before you can accurately make comparisons At least now you can compare life in a single agains life in a double.
And like you wrote, living in a single gives you the freedom you wouldn't have with a roomie. Ask William Chong at Brown about what can happen when you're paired with a roomie not to your liking. AT least they're only paired for three weeks and not for none months.