 Jack Milligan |
Saguaro High School, Class of 2008
Scottsdale, Arizona
You know, everything's funnier when you're tired. Something you might have given a smile or perhaps even a snort to at noon, now, at 3:00 A.M., seems like tried-and-true comedy. Personally, I think it's because of the amount of effort it takes to string together a sentence at that hour--you've got to cut the humorist a bit of slack. While at the College Discovery program in Boston at Northeastern University this summer, I enjoyed the slap-happiness of the chronically sleep-deprived pretty much 24/7. The program allowed us to act as true college students in that, firstly, there were no real guidelines on sleep. As our SAT training teacher told us numerous times, "It's actually less of an SAT prep course than a college simulation."
Indeed, I feel completely equipped for average college life now. I've learned that coffee provides a quick, reliable boost, tea provides a long, annoying buzz, while soda provides weight gain and a feeling that one's eyes will burst from yoursockets. I've found that tape is the only way to go when trying to keep your bed's fitted sheet from coming off the corners of the bed in the middle of the night. I've discovered that the best method to avoid getting in trouble for oversleeping is to storm into the class and blame it on something arbitrary and un-checkable. I now understand that, although the fire alarm is screeching at 4:00 in the morning, you should always check to see if it's raining outside before dashing out half-naked.
This, of course, isn't to say that I didn't learn anything concrete while in Boston. I learned a great deal while in the course, and my scores increased drastically. But I can tell you that the focus of the course was not on book learning, but instead on learning how to cope in an adult environment without the help of parents or siblings. For me, the toughest part of the experience was learning to cope with my roommate. We had drastically different habits, different personalities, and (most annoyingly) different bed-times. I had to learn to speak up when he was doing something I didn't like, as opposed to the more relaxed position I have come to inhabit. After all, I was living with him all day, all night. If I was mad at my roommate about using my bar of soap, I couldn't just leave the argument alone and hope it would blow over.
As a student, I was required to buy all my food, wash all my clothes, maintain my room, do my homework, fly both to and from Arizona unaccompanied and unaided, pack and unpack my luggage, and make the correct decisions while on the streets of Boston. The only times we were accompanied by a guardian or counselor were during class, college visits, and classes. For the rest of the day, we were completely on our own. In my opinion, I gained an invaluable amount of independence on that trip. Coming from life in which nearly all of my needs were provided for, I grew up very quickly. Still, though, I still see that there's room for improvement--I'm still annoyed that my roommate took my soap.
Editor's note: A number of universities offer College Discovery programs during the summer. Search college websites and check with your school counselor about programs available at the colleges of your interest.