<p>Hi everybody,
I was recently accepted into the boys state MA program. I had a question regarding the recreational time. What is it like? For example, what kinds of activities are available, and are they forced on u, and how physically demanding are they?
Thanks guys.</p>
<p>To add to what iluvbooks said, in Florida, the process was completely different. Each city (there were twelve, which corresponded to different parts of the dorm we stayed in) elected one girl for the Outstanding Citizen Award. Then the staff chose two girls from those twelve, plus two alternates, in a private meeting. I won the award and wasn’t even aware I was being considered until awards night. I didn’t get chosen.</p>
<p>The whole process was very strange. Neither of the girls who were chosen had a major office; one was in the Senate and one in the House. The Senator was a committee chair and clearly very smart and qualified. I had never even heard of the girl from the House and I have no idea why she was chosen. If your state is similar to this, my advice would be to not think about Girls Nation and focus on making the most of Girls State, because you can’t control that process.</p>
<p>I’m applying for the Samsung Scholarship and I was wondering if there is any other aspect to the application process other than the physical application. Is there a speech or anything else involved?</p>
<p>^no. Nothing else</p>
<p>Hey there! this is kind of late but I wanted to throw in my two cents. I attended Girls State in 2011 and then continued on to Girls Nation. This summer I’ll be a counselor at both programs. The program is really what you make of it. If you go in with a sour attitude, you’ll be miserable. If you go after all of your opportunities, make friends, and be yourself then you’ll be successful, enjoy yourself, and learn a lot! Don’t scheme to get elected to a high position or to get nominated/elected to go on to Nation. You’ll only make yourself miserable if things don’t work out. Instead, pursue whatever opportunities interest you and you’ll shine the way that you’re supposed to! Overall, its a fantastic program and I’d recommend that anyone interested attend!</p>
<p>I just attended Boys’ State 2013. Frankly, I was less than excited to attend. I expected it to be a land of future West Pointers of conservative homogeneity, exemplifying what Nietzsche described as the “God-intoxicated man.”</p>
<p>At my State, there were about 180 people. I was one of probably 3-5 liberals there. I voiced my opinion frequently at State-wide debates, and tried not to sound grandiloquent; however, I was iconoclastic when it came to marching. </p>
<p>During the first two days, you are under a dictatorship, and it is excruciating. You just want to leave so badly, and dread the upcoming days. However, they do that on purpose to expose you to the malevolence of a dictatorship, and subsequently show you the joys of a democracy.</p>
<p>Of the nine appointed positions, I ran for (and won) State comptroller (being that I was the only math nerd there.) I had to give numerous speeches in front of approximately 200 people, and answer questions, all in anticipation for voting day.</p>
<p>After the Boys’ State info session, I was reluctant to attend at all. However, once it was over, my boys and I (somehow, they managed to put all of us who didn’t really want to be there in one pod) created a Facebook page, we keep in touch, and I’ve already met up with a friend I met while there.</p>
<p>My advice is to go. You may dislike it, and I would have if I didn’t have the roommates that I did. However, if you dislike it, it’s only a week and it’s a decent accolade (especially if you obtain a position of leadership.) Most people like it, and it really helps you realize that you’re not the only high GPA, high test scoring, extracurricular involving, tri-athlete in the state.</p>
<p>^Thanks for the anecdote, it is really helpful!</p>
<p>For anyone who may be reading this later on, I just want to say that I did not enjoy my expirence at Girls State. I heard that Boys State in my state is a lot more fun and enjoyable, but I think that Girls State was way too serious and intense. We had to wake up at 6am every day and weren’t allowed to go to bed until after 11pm. There was absolutely no free time other than meal times, which many girls opted to skip out on in favor of taking a quick nap. It was literally meetings all day! The counselors were all really cool, but the sheer amount of work and complete lack of fun made the whole expirence unenjoyable and most of the girls I talked to agreed they would not recommend attending to future delegates from their school.</p>
<p>^I always thought it was like Boy Scouts.</p>
<p>Either you were already okay with some of the weird things [the diversity of an albino goat population on Mt.Everest, a.k.a white] or you weren’t</p>