Happy Endings, Happy Beginnings

Approximately seven months ago, I applied to Brown's pre-college summer program through the ILC. Columbia, Yale, and Cornell were the other three prestigous universities offering remarkable programs for high school students. I chose Brown over the others to apply because I was interested in Brown's cirriculum. Columbia and Cornell may be in New York, Yale may be one of the most well known, but Brown was still my choice of school.

Seven months of interviews, meetings, formal dinners, emails, phone calls, and applications have gone by. In fact, our three week program at Brown has gone by as well -- all too quickly. It seems as if yesterday was the day I had dinner with alumni at Jardinieres. Time flew by too quickly here at Brown. Getting through the firsr week of minimal sleep and the intense heat seemed like a success. Feeling the pressure of the workload and overcoming it on the second week was another success. Yet, connecting with friends, learning about the school, and thriving in this atmosphere at last was the ultimate success.

Saying goodbye to some of the greatest and brightest people I have met today made me realize that three weeks is enough time to meet someone, get to know them, and more importantly, care about them. Meeting people from Brazil, Greece, Korea, Shanghai, Taiwan, Dubai and Costa Rica gave me the best feeling ever. It made me realize that teens just like me are on the same path and share the same common interests. Our lives may be a little different, some wealthier, some less fortunate, but at the end we are all one of a kind. Everyone's sweetness and curiousity to learn more about each other added to the richness of the 3A program.

Regardless of where you decide to travel, you will always know that people are there for you. You may not know it, but everyone is the same one way or another. We are all high-achieving students ready to attend the best fitting college. We want to find a college that fits like a glove, one that fits perfectly. Whether in the north or south pole, there are thousands of colleges that are seek-worthy. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, Roger Williams is my new school to explore and learn more about. RW definitely deserves the same respect as Brown. Although I studied at Brown, it doesn't mean I have to be committed to this school. I have to consider it and look at it from different perspectives. Brown allowed me to expand my horizons and open my eyes to what college is like. Brown taught me how to become fully independent and how to survive and thrive in a hard-working campus. Brown gave me the opportunity to make new friends, narrow down my questions, and explore colleges on a unique level. Dorming at Brown and eating at the dining hall truly gave me the closest if not best idea of what college life is like. Brown's summer program changed my life because now I know what to look for, what to do, and what not to do.