It is the beginning of the school year; I am nearing my second weekend for weekend college, the first quadrivium question has been sent out by Bev Thurber and I'm finally getting to know some of the first years. They are a large and varied group. Some are very loud and some seem to lose their voices around latter year students.
I find myself missing Weekday for a variety of reasons, one being that since I no longer live in the dorms, it is near impossible to get to know the first-years. One I have met is SaraLouise (definitively not Sara), and if she's representative of the rest of the new bunch, prospects are looking high.
SaraLouise Dawson is from Corrales, New Mexico (close to Santa Fe, a small village outside of Albuquerque), has been home schooled her whole life and enjoys swing dancing, roller derby, books, laughter and fake meat.
Staple question: Why Shimer?
Well, it's a great books school, which is the program I decided was for me. Because I was homeschooled my whole life, I wasn't good at sitting and being talked at. I took a couple of classes at the community college in Albuquerque and learned quickly that I didn't want to go to a public university or college. I like that at Shimer, we don't just accept things to be true because someone says they are, but we ask WHY and HOW we know. :)
Favorite class so far, and why?
Natural Sciences 1. I think so far I like it because it feels more concrete, like the things we're discussing have a practical application and help me understand things more. My other classes are getting there... but I think we're still getting our footing. Plus Jim Donovan is really excellent. He was my facilitator for my Montaigne discussion and also my sample class.
Ice cream or frozen yogurt?
Ice Cream. Fun Fact: I can't eat chocolate ice cream without getting it ALL OVER my face. Always cool.
What'd you write your entrance essay on?
My experience as a regional officer in my youth group. I was elected with three other high school seniors to serve a body of over 200 high-schoolers and adults by organizing and facilitating two of the three events out of the year. It took up a lot of my time, and I loved it. I got to serve, and that was (and is!) very important to me.
Why'd you decide not to live at the dorms?
Because it was too expensive. Although Shimer has been extraordinarily helpful to me, covering all expenses but my room and board, I'm paying for my education out of my own pocket and mostly have been since about eighth grade. So when I looked at the cost for room and board on campus, it was just not doable at my current rate of income.
Thoughts on Monty Python?
J'aime le Monty Python. I've only seen a couple of sketches and Monty Python and the Holy Grail, but I like that something that came out several decades ago is a source of constant reference to my generation. (Kind of like the books at Shimer.... heyyyy.)
First book on your bookshelf?
Well, if it wasn't on the dining room table being read when I am procrastinating, it would be His Majesty's Dragon, by Naomi Novik. It's about the Napoleonic war between France and England... but with DRAGONS. It's a great great series.
HOWEVER:
The most valuable book on my bookshelf (not including Shimer books, because those are still in a box by my bed) is my copy of Looking For Alaska, by John Green, because I drove 8 hours up to Boulder, CO and back (BY MYSELF) in the space of 36 hours and met him so he could sign it.
AND he spelled my name right. (:
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