<p>so of course I'm going through a bit of a honeymoon period with reed now, but I know that will end when I end up on campus in august. So, current students and former students, are there any negatives about Reed that I should consider when I make my college decision? I don't want to be surprised in the fall.</p>
<p>Congratulations on your acceptance! Why do you feel it’ll end? I’ve been on my honeymoon for very long now-it does make me very happy, and people long invested in the marriage, tell me it gets even better once Fall comes along. Reed is not perfect, I’m sure, but is there anything specific you’re worried about? Have you joined the Facebook group? That might be a slightly better way to get questions addressed.</p>
<p>Speaking as a current Reedie who is transferring, I have a few grievances. When you come here, school is your life. You are surrounded by these people day in and day out. It’s difficult to get out into Portland and so Reed can be very suffocating. I feel pressured to go to grad school, to go into academia.</p>
<p>My other “negative” is that people at Reed are extremely privileged and honestly, pretty immature. So many freshmen spend all their money on weed and have to call their parents to get extra money for textbooks. People constantly question why I have to work 20 hours a week. They have no conception of what the real world is like.</p>
<p>So it may work for you, but sadly, Reed is not the best place for jaded first-gens as myself.</p>
<p>omgmari, may i ask where you’re transferring to?
did you visit reed beforehand? and are you in the subfree dorms by any chance?</p>
<p>I don’t want to be surprised in the fall.</p>
<p>Hold your breath when you go through the library during finals & carry a big bottle of febrezze. Many students- including my daughter- slept in the library- studies taking precedence over needing to go back to their room to do things like * shower- or wash their clothes*.
:p</p>
<p>Im sorry to hear that omgmari, my daughter was first gen. She had a mentor freshman year, and was a mentor herself for the rest of her time there- plus she still is in contact with them.</p>
<p>I visited Reed beforehand, yes, but a weekend can’t tell you that much.</p>
<p>I am not subfree/in the subfree dorms, but I have heard great things about them and their community.</p>
<p>I have a great suggestion if you want to know about possible negatives. Go head over to the ReedLJ Livejournal community and just read for a while – the posts, the comments. There are great discussions, but there are also threads that deal with things that make people crazy – noise parades when they’re studying, setting fire to things, disputes over the rights of chickens (not kidding) and the like. Even better, check out reedkonfederacy at LJ – it’s sort of the sekrit super snarky community that makes fun of the goings on elsewhere. You can get a sense for what the hot buttons are on campus by what’s being ridiculed or parodied there.</p>
<p>or just even damnportlanders for a peek outside the bubble.</p>