<p>Hey! I applied for the Brown Leadership Institute at Brown for the summer. Can you tell me what usually happens during the two weeks and is it worth it? Also, can you tell me about the social aspects, like is it easy to make friends? because I’m not the most outgoing person and I’m not going to know anybody at the program… was it awkward for the first couple of days and how did you make friends? Should I definitely rent a fan? Also, I will be 15 and a rising sophmore by the time the program starts. Would I feel left out because of my age?</p>
<p>I can’t answer most of your questions, since I never did <a href=“mailto:Summer@Brown”>Summer@Brown</a>. However, having had friends who worked the RA jobs, I can help out with a few of them.</p>
<p>Rent a fan: not a bad idea - it gets hot and humid in Providence over the summer. Probably depends where you’re from and what you’re used to.</p>
<p>Age: they arrange the dorms by age group, so you’ll be living with people your same age. You may be on the younger side for S@B in general, but you’ll be fine.</p>
<p>ok so i attended summer@brown once. i wasnt in the leadership program but i knew some guys who were.
firstly - yes rent a fan. or rent 2 in fact. maybe 3. i used to pour cold water on myself just to get to sleep (and im a guy before u start with those mental images)
it is easy to make friends but u have to make a lil bit of an effort. i mean if ur holed up in ur room (one guy in our floor was) ur not gonna make new friends. usually they start by arranging some stuff for u on the first night. attend them. not knowing anybody will work to ur benefit. trust me. u dont want some guy / girl u already know sticking with u 24x7.
my first couple days? well they arranged some sort of social gathering for us on the first night so i made around 30-40 friends first night. friends were never a problem. i think i was alone maybe for one hour (not counting sleeping times and arrival and departure times) in the whole 2 weeks.
take a laptop. u will have a common room. spend time there. ull make ur closest friends there. group projects will help. try not to do those with ppl from ur building.
the age thing depends on if ur a guy or a girl. most guys were 16-17 and well frankly 15 year olds were a lil quiet for us. if ur a girl no problems ull blend right in!
definitely worth it. it was pretty exciting (except for the classes - i had econ. and it was boring). </p>
<p>ps - if ur there during the 4th of july. definitely go see the fireworks. u will bond with a lot of ppl and the show isnt exactly bad! best of luck!</p>
<p>I was in the regular summer@brown and I met one guy in the leadership institute after the end of his classes (LOL)… he showed me around the leadership institute, the common room the dorms etc. … it is SO small compared to the main campus, kinda remote like 5-10 minutes walk that feels like going to another country… You’re going to be enclosed in the same building, taking classes most of the day with the same people… I guess you just have to be nice to everyone and you won’t find difficulties to make friends…
Or just go to the main campus with 1/2 friends meet some other guys ! honestly, I think that’s the best bet, there are some many different people there that you WILL find people you can relate to…
There was a lot of borderline rule-breaking and partying and fun on my side of the camp, but I couldn’t really tell you what it’s like in the leadership…
have fun though ! don’t think too much while you’re there, it’s summer, just try to have fun!</p>
<p>Yeah Perkins Hall wasn’t the best… </p>