Dartmouth

Oh my goshness. You will not believe who I saw at Dartmouth. Actually, on second thought, you totally will. On my list of people who would be looking at colleges right now, he's one of the top ones. Anyways, I'll give the rundown of the tour first, and you can wonder about who he is until I reach him.

First thing this morning, the whole family piled into the car and we drove about forty minutes to the campus, then Mom took the car and parked and the rest of us went looking for the admissions center. We found it fairly easily, and I, of course, immediately went looking for the bathroom. As I went looking, three different people pointed me in the right direction without me even having to ask. It was so nice and friendly (dontcha know). Then we went up the stairs and went into a room for the orientation/talking part. A Chinese woman (and I say she was Chinese because she said that she majored in Chinese, not just using Chinese as a euphemism for Asian. I suppose, for all I know, she could have actually not been Chinese, and just studied it, but most likely...) who looked a bit like Bette gave this whole talk about how Dartmouth works, with the classes after Sophomore year taking place during the summer, and four ten-week terms during the year, of which each student takes three, and study abroad programs for credit, and internships for students, and faculty availability, and on and on and on about all of this awesome awesome stuff. Shelby was bored out of her mind, but I thought it was all fascinating.

Then we went outside and formed tour guide groups. Two girls and two guys introduced themselves. The first one was a neuroscience major, the next was also a neuroscience major, and he was on the ski team. The other guy was majoring in Geography, and then the last girl said she studied math and computer science and played piano in a chamber group. When they told us to break into groups, Mom poked me. "Where to?"

"Math major!" I said, walking over there. The geography major called after us, "where are you going? You don't want to join my tour?"

"I let her pick," said my Mom, and that was that.

The tour guide began by asking us to warn her before she walked into anything, which she often does, and I pretty much liked her from there. She talked more about the school, and the classes, and the good food, and the diverse political leanings of the student body, and that New Hampshire is a swing state, so political candidates come through, and there are GRAND PIANOS (OMG) in practice rooms for whoever wants them, pretty much, and the science facilities are great, and undergrads participate in research, and performances at the art center, and so much else. The one thing I don't like is that 55% of the population is involved in the Greek system, and she said that during fall of sophomore year, when that 55% is rushing, it sure can feel like a lot, but one you remember that there are plenty of other people who aren't involved, and that all Greek events are open to the public, it's really not that bad. Anyways, I know it's freezing all winter, and the social scene may not be perfect, but I love it. The whole school. Right now, I want to go there rather badly. I hope I don't fall in love with every school I visit, because I feel like that would be a bit of a problem.

Oh, anyways, after the tour, as I was leaving, I saw Boris. "Tea!" he said.

"Boris!" I responded.

"Tea was in my math and science research class last year," he said, slowly, as usual. Then our parents talked for a bit, (Boris was a rowing camp! And we just had to stop by!) his mom seemed nice, but he spent the entire time inching away towards the door. Maybe this means he'll stop trying to talk to me. After he was out of earshot, I said to Mom. "That's the guy who talks really slow."

"Oh!" said Genie, "I remember him."

"He seemed like he wanted to get away," said Mom.

"Yeah. Pretty much. It's funny, cause we're generally pretty friendly, I just don't like him very much."

"You don't?"

"He's irritating."

So anyways, I saw Boris, and I still find him irritating, and I saw Dartmouth, and I loved it.