<p>Sorry for double-posting but I need to make up mind ohhh last week . . . This seems to be the place with the most readers.</p>
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<p>I am in a panic now becasue I have been all set to go to Macalester but now I am not sure. The main thing is that it is really far away from home (Atlanta) and I am not sure it is worth it. My mom says my doubts are just pre-homesick but my dad has always wanted me to stay closer to home anyway so I think I am just caught up in their issues but maybe I would be happier if I could come home more. I have spent every summer since sixth grade at summer camp which I love so I have been away from home before but not like college where I will be much more alone.</p>
<p>So why did I want to go to Macalester? I want to work in international relations and Macalester seems like such a cool place with people from all over the world. But now I think that mgiht be a little out of my comfort zone in Minnesota. And I do not like that so many people at Rhodes are in sororities and fraternities. Would I be able to find quirky, off-beat people to be friends with? </p>
<p>I visited both places but Macalester only during the summer so maybe it is not as full of friendly people as I think. I guess I am just sad about leaving my friends here and worried that I will not find people to be friends with at college. Or which place would be better for fitting in. </p>
<p>AmyLou, all I can tell you is that of all the schools my son visited, he was probably more favorably impressed with Macalester – the campus, its location, the people, the academics, the fact that it was #1 on one of the Princeton Review lists of “happiest” college students – than with any other school besides Chicago. (We visited both on the same trip.) And we certainly got the impression that that there were lots of friendly, quirky, offbeat people (like my son!). If he hadn’t gotten into Chicago, he would seriously have considered going there. </p>
<p>But it is far away, and it does get awfully cold up there in winter, so those are things to consider too. </p>
<p>You will find friends!!! You will be in the same boat as all the other new students - all of you open and eager to finding new friends, and all of you living in close proximity in the dorms. It’ll be lots of fun. Really We loved Macalester when we visited several years ago, and the international emphasis is wonderful.</p>
<p>AmyLou,
I hope that curmudgeon weighs in here. His D is a student at Rhodes and I believe that she is quite happy there, and she had some fabulous schools to choose from. Perhaps you might try sending him a PM and asking him some specific questions about the type of student you are likely to find at Rhodes.</p>
<p>It is possible to be just as homesick in Memphis as in St. Paul. Remember: no matter where you go there will be days when you feel out of your element. That is just part of college life. Go where you feel you will fit in best, because that will do a lot to help you overcome homesickness. </p>
<p>Sometimes you have to take a chance in life and get outside of your comfort zone in order to grow the most.</p>
<p>AmyLou - Go where you feel you’ll fit best, regardless of location. Carolyn is right about homesickness and distance. [My neighbor’s D comes home every weekend and her school is less than an hour away!]</p>
<p>Amy Lou, I wasn’t going to respond, because I don’t really know know either school, although my D considered both briefly. But I did want to comment on the homesickness thing. I live in metro-Atlanta, too. My D goes to school in Ohio. She loves the snow, loves the cold. (I was worried about her reaction - no fear, she loves it.) </p>
<p>As far as I’m concerned, if she’d gone to Memphis, she would be nearly as far – too far to come home every weekend! But I am so glad she is far from home. She is growing up so much, making decisions, living life, without us. She knew absolutely not a soul at school - which meant she has made bunches of new friends. She told me the other night on the phone that she is going to miss school and her friends this summer. She pointed out that there are only a couple kids she is still close to from HS. She doesn’t get homesick at school because school IS her home.</p>
<p>No matter where you go, or what you decide, I hope you’ll make the choice to make school your home. You’ll be happier, more bonded, more ready to move forward, if you allow yourself to make a break.</p>
<p>I think you chose Macalester for the right reasons, and “buyer’s remorse” is normal.</p>
<p>Could the weather be a factor for someone from Georgia? Cold and grey weather are a pretty bad combination for someone who is a bit afraid of feeling lonely. This said, I’d take cold and rain over the toxicity of an overbearing Greek life any day of the year. </p>
<p>Of course, Kofi did get used to the frigid tundras of Minn. :)</p>
<p>Mac is such a friendly place! I know nothing about Rhodes except what I’ve read here, but it sounds like a really good place too. My niece graduated from Mac and LOVED it. My son applied and loved it but picked Grinnell instead–very similar schools. The Mac international focus is tremendous. It is a lovely and quirky place. It is cold in the winter, but the students have fun with that and play in the snow. You would get to know local kids and could go home with them sometimes. These are both great schools, so you can’t go wrong. When we visited Mac our tour guide told us about Mac Soup, a Friday night activity where kids would get together and make soup and serve it to other students. It just sounded so cozy! A friend’s D is there now and she loves it! Free bagpipe lessons–Highland dancing–great school! The student center is beautiful and I loved how they divided it into North, South, East, West and served food from all over the world. Whenever we visited we heard people speaking different languages, saw international flags flying and heard music from all over the globe.</p>
<p>A big advantage when they have discussions in a poli-sci or IR class is that they have so many international students to inform the discussion. These cold Midwestern schools may be some of the warmest places you could ever hope for.</p>
<p>Mac is a wonderful place! And there is so much to do. All the different colleges in the area,close to different cities! You will definitely find quirky and off beat places and people as well as main stream. Great neighborhood restaurants. It’s all right there for a great college experience…wish D2 would look…just too close to home for her!;)</p>
<p>AmyLou: Are you making the right choice in choosing between Mac and Rhodes? Absolutely. Whichever way you go will be right. You’re choosing between two very special places that are outstanding in their own right, and whichever way you choose, a year from now you won’t believe that you ever doubted that choice. That said, Memphis is 550 miles from Atlanta. It’s not close at all, and if you’re going to be 500 miles away, you might as well be 1,000.</p>
We loved Macalester when we visited several years ago, and the international emphasis is wonderful.</p>