Summer Reading: Getting back in shape, kinda

IU doesn’t have nearly as intense summer work as many other schools.  Our only summer reading per se was a two page pamphlet about Herman B. Wells, a former president of IU who is credited by Wikipedia with the “development of Indiana University into a world class institution of higher learning.”  We were told the reading would be discussed during our summer orientation program. It turned out that more than half of the kids in my group hadn’t done the reading, so the ensuing discussion was hardly thought provoking.

I actually think required readings such as yours, although tedious, are a good idea.  Students going to places like Dartmouth are coming from all corners of the globe and have varying academic backgrounds.  The summer reading gives everyone something in common to complain talk about.

Other than the reading, IU has had me take a few online courses and tests. About three hours of time went into each a financial literacy course and a drugs/alcohol/sexual health course.  I actually found the financial literacy modules really interesting and informative.  In contrast, the wellness course was quite boring in that it was just a slightly more provocative version of high school health class. I also had to take both a math and a world language placement test (I took Spanish) online before Orientation.  I found the math test quite challenging but persevered through.  I was disappointed that the score I received actually counted for nothing as we took our real (much, much easier) placement test during Orientation.  It makes sense that the real test was in-person as it eliminates the chance of cheating and equalizes conditions for everyone.  I don’t understand why we took the online version, though. I guess it helped me get back in shape mentally.

Questionably sized fish in a little pond full of big ones: Dartmouth College

As you stated, going to IU will allow you to stay close with old friends while having an unending pool of fish from which to choose your new victi–I mean, friends. I have to say that I envy you in that respect. (Have I ever said that before?) Meeting with a West Side alum will be just a matter of walking to another dorm building for you.

I, on the other hand, will have virtually no one from West Side attending with me at Dartmouth, with the exception of one senior who will be graduating soon anyway. The closest West Siders will be at least a two hour bus ride away for me, though I’m not sure whether Harvardists and Princetonians will have time for a Dartmouth student (jk).

Thankfully, I was able to make a couple close friends during Dimensions, Dartmouth’s program in April for prospective students. The weekend featured nonstop activities, food, and presentations that were. (SPOILER! SKIP TO NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED AT DIMENSIONS) A real surprise came when the upperclassmen gave a final show/musical for us ‘prospies’, or prospective freshman. In the middle of the rewritten “Hit Me Baby One More Time,” a bunch of prospies stood up from the audience and started singing along. Turns out that these thirty or so people that we befriended during the weekend were actually sophomores pretending to be upcoming freshman. MIND = BLOWN. So I think the point of the story is that I have to make friends but luckily I have some made? I don’t have a 40,000 people pond to choose from like you, though; Dartmouth has about 4500 total undergraduates.

On another note, I’ve been lazily getting back into reading grind, which, thanks to AP English, is all too familiar. This year, Dartmouth has given us a summer reading list of one book, which consists of The River Why by David James Duncan. I’m only a third of the way into the novel, but so far it’s rubbing off as a slightly more introspective yet crude version Moby Dick, missing in cast only the lunatic that’s chasing after a demon whale, though the search for knowledge and meaning of life is still ever present and just as elusive. Sadly, after AP English, I can’t just read a book for the sake of reading it and I either find myself not reading it at all or trying to extract the true meaning out of every page. It’s very daunting to say the least.