<p>Wow, I really enjoyed reading your post, Hekau, and I don’t think I can follow it up that well. </p>
<p>Your son sounds to me what I hope is the “typical” Chicago experience: you arrive, we beat you around a bit, you start filling out transfer applications to schools that show students sipping margaritas on the beach in their promotional material, and before you finish completing them you realize that you’re in the best place in the world.</p>
<p>I also would follow up that students here do love to complain. Somehow this concept that we might be harder than other schools gets to our heads a little bit, and while we have our “If I wanted an A, I would have gone to Harvard” t-shirts and the like, but I like to look at syllabi posted online from other schools. (Yes, when I’m not procrasting on CC and talking about school, I’m procrastinating by reading about it). I’ve seen syllabi posted from schools like Barnard, Williams, and Bryn Mawr, and at least from what I’ve seen, some of their courses look every bit as nasty and grueling-- sometimes more nasty and grueling-- than a course I’ve taken at Chicago.</p>
<p>Students also complain that there’s nothing to do in Hyde Park, despite bookstores, bars, mom-and-pop places, and a few amazing and cheap restaurants.</p>
<p>Another few things:</p>
<p>–You can find a bazillion and one things to study here, and bazillion and one people interested in studying exactly what you are studying. I’m an English major who was toying with Comp Lit, and I only have the best things to say about the classes I’ve had so far.</p>
<p>– How hard you end up working is often a function of how much you want to prepare for class. I’m a slacker on the Chicago end of things, meaning I get a good night of sleep and I’ll put aside my work to go watch TV, talk to friends, see a movie, go to a club presentation or do something else. While my life is very balanced between work and play (and “balanced” in the way that a Northwestern person would call NU “balanced”), I’m also not getting A’s. That is not a “sacrifice” to me, as my grades aren’t important to me. But it might be to somebody who is so used to getting straight A’s to start being satisfied with a B+.</p>
<p>– I’ve found making friends really easy here. Chicago kids can be kind of like the kids in “The Breakfast Club” – a lot of us are very different from each other, but we all respect academics (even if we don’t end up working as much as we probably should), and we all disliked the social hierarchy of high school. I wish you knew me, so I could point out how funny it is to me that a good portion of my friends are in sororities and were cheerleaders and prom queens in high school.</p>
<p>– I understand how somebody visiting the school sees us as hipsters and nerds, but of course, like anything, these titles are only useful in describing somebody’s physical appearance. I don’t think of my housemates in these categories, and I would not define myself as either a hipster or a nerd. I don’t spend enough time or energy on clothing to be a hipster, and I spend too much time and energy on clothing to be a nerd.</p>
<p>And, most importantly:</p>
<p>– This is a decision the friend’s daughter should make herself. The fact that you like Chicago and that everybody thus far also points towards it does not help her make the best decision for herself.</p>
) Seriously, my son is having the time of his life. Does he complain? Yes.(The hallmark of Chicago students is that they complain… alot) He’ll complain that he’s had a boring, dull weekend. You’ll remind him gently that he’s pregamed in friend’s room, went out for sushi, came back for not so secret hilarious fighting match amongst two housemates, pregamed some more, frat party and then hung out in room with friends till 3 am. You’ll remind him that he’s been in the city twice this past week. He’ll grumble and then want to get going because everyone is going…somewhere.</p>