<p>it seems ridiculous to me that they are spending not one, but TWO days on this. can anybody tell me what the small group discussions are like?</p>
<p>Really, really ridiculous. I seriously love everything about Cornell, but the summer reading meetings are beyond pointless. When we discussed Things Fall Apart, my floor was split into guys and girls, and we basically sat in silence for an hour. (People either had no opinion, didn't read the book, or were too embarassed to talk in front of 50 new hallmates.) I didn't have a freshman writing seminar until second semester, so there was no mention of the book in any of my classes.</p>
<p>Just use the time as an opportunity to learn everybody's names again. Or maybe you'll luck out and an actual discussion will get going.</p>
<p>you know books could teach a lot about life without getting our hand dirty</p>
<p>The meetings are short, but very boring. However, you don't really ever have to say anything if you don't want to.</p>
<p>" an oportunity to learn everybody's names again" haha great! I'm really bad at names :(</p>
<p>Is it really 2 days though? I assumed that if you went to one, you wouldn't have to go to the other?</p>
<p>one is a panel discussion, where several scholars will sit on stage in barton hall - the REALLY big hall that houses everyone, and at the time, the <em>entire</em> freshman class (because, really, who would want to miss something as compelling as a panel discussion in a really hot and big room?) - and the second is a 'small group discussion' of your hall. i agree that it's a good time to maybe learn some new names or meet someone new on the way to barton, and your small group discussion may even have a really well-known professor or someone from the top of Cornell (provost, etc.. even Rawlings was said to do one last year) leading it. I would check out the large discussion and try to listen and glean some insight (as painful as it is), and go to your small group discussion maybe with one idea to spur a conversation. It's probably the least desirable thing of orientation, but it's pretty quick. :)</p>