<p>Hey there Reedies! I just got my acceptance and I'm obviously super excited, but there are a few things that have been nagging at me so I thought I'd ask a few questions to prospective/current/former Reed students. Thanks for your help!</p>
<p>1) I know that Reed really emphasizes discussion, but I've always been quieter when it comes to discussing topics in class. Not because I'm shy or not interested, but because I tend to take a bit more time to formulate my thoughts. My papers tend to be pretty well thought out, though. Just how hard of a time do quieter (not in terms of sociability but more along the lines of in-class discussion) students have at Reed?</p>
<p>2) This question is a bit silly but I don't know where else to ask it. When I visited Reed I fell in love with it, but I was a bit worried that I'm not weird enough for Reed. Now that I think about it, I don't really know where this question is going. I guess I'm asking if there are "normal" people at Reed? Sorry about the stupidity/vagueness of this question guys.</p>
<p>3) I'm really worried that I'll be absolutely blown away by the workload if I do decide to attend. Is there anything I can do to prepare myself?</p>
<p>The fact that you make a distinction between the “weird” people you met at Reed and the “normal” people you’re worried about finding tells me Reed may not be the best place for you.</p>
<p>It’s not a question of weird vs. normal, which is a very problematic dichotomy anyway, as much as it is about accepting people’s personalities freely and not worrying about how similar/different they are to you. Will you find people without dyed hair, tattoos, drug habits, militant anti-establishment convictions, etc. at Reed? Yes. Do these people think of themselves as normal and of their peers as weird? No, or at least I really hope not.</p>
<p>As for class discussion, you can’t make it through Reed without participating in class, but your peers and professors will help you get there.</p>
<p>I agree with Ghostt &take into consideration that Reed students may design opportunities to “shock” prospies(or at least their parents) on visit days.</p>
<p>For example, when D & I visited, we ran into a group of young men in suit jackets & boxer shorts holding what were supposed to be martinis. I grew up in the 70’s, those kids would have a long way to go before they could shock me. ;)</p>
<p>Now I would say, that some students before coming to Reed may consider themselves weird or at least out of the mainstream of their high school. But living away from home,in an environment that respects differences, soon gets them to realize that they can test out different parts of themselves & not be considered anything but “human”.</p>
<p>To be fair, this is the general attitude of society. The dichotomy of normal vs. weird is one we’re indoctrinated with from an early age. So, the fact that one makes that distinction isn’t an issue to me–rather, it’s whether one learns to deconstruct and dissolve that binary. I think living in an environment like Reed will help rid students of these preconceived notions (after all, you don’t come into Reed as a Reedie, right?).</p>
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<p>Yes.</p>
<p>But I wouldn’t worry about whether you’re “weird enough” for Reed: there’s really no such thing. There’s a wide variety of students here in terms of philosophy, interests, hobbies, etc., and even if you don’t immediately find someone interested in the same things as you, Reedies would love to learn about what you’re interested in!</p>
<p>As for workload, freshman year it’s fine, really. You usually take 3 classes your first semester–super manageable–and 4 your second. However, by that point, you’re acclimated to a 3-course schedule, and 4 seems like a smaller leap (it’s noticeably harder, but I’m not floundering or anything). Plus, there are academic services Reed offers like the Dorothy Johansen House (the DoJo), where you get one hour of free tutoring for every hour of class you have. You also have your adviser and professors, who would be more than happy to talk with you about the class if you’re having problems :)</p>
<p>Ghostt and emeraldkity4, thanks for making me realize just how stupid my second question was. To clarify, though, when I said “weird”, I meant it as a huge compliment-- “interesting” would probably have been a better word to use. I wasn’t afraid of the so-called “weird” people, I was actually worried that I’d be too boring to fit in. Still, it was more me voicing my insecurities than asking a legitimate question, so thanks for setting me straight! I’m pretty embarrassed at myself for posting that question.</p>
<p>And Francaisalamatt, thanks for your help with both of my questions, I feel much better about both of them!</p>
<p>If anyone has any more general advice, I’d be happy to listen!</p>
<p>eskimohunting, your question was not stupid. I visited a number of schools with my “child”, private and public, not-famous-at-all to ivy leagues, and none of them left on me an impression of the student body as Reed did. I cannot quite put my finger on it, but almost every other person there was trying to make an impression and for that reason none was making a particular entrance. It reminded me a little of the subway in London, where I thought, collectively, there was a problem. If this bothers you, think twice. I personally would not go there, though I also grew up in the 70’s and am not easily impressed.</p>
<p>Yeah, I don’t go there, but one of my buddies does and I stayed over night and hung out. Really the only time I’ve seen the campus in full swing. I took a tour one summer before I was rejected and I liked it, though that is probably the worst time to visit since you don’t get to see much other than the landscape. </p>
<p>Your second question isn’t stupid. To me there is a huge irony that all they emphasize in the information sessions is individuality, yet the students there really get off on being called Reedies. I know without a doubt that most of the people there are highly intelligent, despite being weird. I was surprised when I got to see the student body in its entirety, with the whole scrounge table thing and high percentage of smokers. My friend says he regularly sees naked people. There didn’t seem to ever be any one person doing something weird – meaning that most things are done in groups. A lot of the people are pretty loud and imposing. Imagine the “theater kids” of many different high schools all packed into one place. </p>
<p>Given the lack of contiguity in my thoughts, you can probably tell that it’s hard to describe what it’s like, but I think all that matters is that it is a good school. I would have gone there without question if I had been accepted. I feel like I could have written a better Why Reed essay now that I know what college is really like. After all, how can you actually know what makes Reed stand out from other colleges if you only have brochures and maybe a couple tours to compare it to?</p>
<p>My friend is a really serious, proper guy, and he isn’t exactly the big man on campus. However, he repeatedly tells me that he wholeheartedly enjoys the school. When I was there, I felt like Woody Allen in that scene of Hannah and Her Sisters where he gets dragged into a date at a little punk show venue, and I know that I could have done well there. My verdict: studying hard and making the most out of the academic resources should be your highest, if not only, priority. You’re not paying to act like a freak.</p>