Unparalleled Passion

This morning we awoke early to insure that we had sufficient time to enjoy every aspect of out incredibly packed first day in New York. After a quick breakfast at a nearby diner, we hopped on the subway and headed to Times Square. Even in the daytime, the ginormous billboards with moving pictures and the endless flow of people was overwhelming. Thankfully, we were able to spend an entire hour soaking in all the hustle and bustle of this iconic urban area. Still, I feel as though it would take years to feel bored of Times Square.

Next we descended beneath the city and into the subway. We headed towards Grand Central Station. When we arrived, I could already sense a difference between this station and the others. The waiting space was far larger and the ventilation was better. I could sense that there was something special above us.

Orion's Belt 

When we walked up to the main concourse, I was shocked by its grandeur. We were met by a gigantic open space with marble floors and walls. After a bit of observation, I realized that on the ceiling, there were intricate paintings of the most famous constellations. There were holes for each space where a star would be. The movement of the sun throughout the day allows for each constellation to have it’s own time to shine.

Our hour in Grand Central Station was spent trying to capture the full grandeur of the area in a picture. Unfortunately, the combination of the lighting, my photography skills, and my small point and shoot camera prevented me from taking the perfect picture. Still, it was fun trying. I am sure that the lack of a perfect picture will not prevent me from remembering Grand Central Station in its true glory. It really is an unforgettable landmark.

At Grand Central Station, I ate some of the best Indian food of my life. I must say it was much better than my favorite Indian food place back home, House of Curries. My only disappointment with Grand Central Station was that we were unable to find any recycling. I was forced to throw away all the recyclable materials of my lunch. Both Simon and I agreed that this would not fly in Berkeley.

We departed from Grand Central Station and took the 30-minute Amtrak ride to Bronxville. From there, we rode on taxis to Sara Lawrence College. When we arrived, the landscaping immediately intrigued me. All of the plants on campus complemented one another perfectly and the dogwood trees in full bloom were a gorgeous site. In addition to the natural beauty, the architecture of brick and stone buildings further enhanced the beauty of the campus.

We entered into the admissions building where dark hardwood floors and craftsman style furnishings gave the building an antique feel. We were warmly greeted by everyone inside and sat down for an informative and intriguing information session. While flipping through pamphlets waiting for the information session to start, I looked up and noticed someone I went to middle school with. Running into her definitely made me realize what a small world we live in. Even if someone is all the way across the country, they are likely to see a familiar face.

The information session was extremely informative. I learned about their impressive 9:1 student to faculty ratio as well as their lecture and conference style classes. The maximum class size at Sara Lawrence is 30 people and students are likely to have classes with 14 or less. Another unique aspect of Sara Lawrence is that there are no majors. Students instead mold their own curriculum, enabling them to focus on what interests them most. With a wide range of diverse classes, choosing what to take may seem overwhelming. Fortunately, every student is paired with an academic don who guides students throughout their time at Sara Lawrence. An intriguing information session left me excited for the tour to see what else the campus had to offer.

Shelby, our tour guide, led the most thorough, informative, and enthusiastic tour that I had ever been on. We spent almost two hours walking around the campus while Shelby told us humorous and passionate stories about her time at the college. The most impressive fact that Shelly told us was that Sara Lawrence professors spend 50 percent more of their time with their students that any other school! Sara Lawrence is definitely a unique place and I look forward to learning more about it in the months ahead.

Largest class at Sara Lawrence 

Our next major event of the day was a fancy dinner with Yale Alums. When we arrived back at the hotel, I was exhausted. The prospect of going out to a dinner and speaking in a coherent, let alone articulate, way was daunting. When we arrived at the restaurant and were greeted by the alums, my exhaustion faded away and I started the dinner with renewed energy and excitement. I first sat with a friendly and approachable Yale alum named Tracy Ober. As our conversation progressed, I began to wonder what Tracy hadn’t done in the world. She is a journalist, editor, singer, and leader of non-profit organizations. Somehow, she has managed to travel to what seemed like every major spot on the globe and make a positive impression in every location. She started one of the first acapella groups at Yale and now is a leader of the alumni-singing group. The list of her accomplishments goes on and on and I wished I had hours to listen to her amazing life story. By the way, she applied to Yale the night before the application was due and, of course, was accepted.

Next, I had the great privilege to sit next to Chad, the most articulate man I have ever met. His intense passion for seemingly endless topics was beyond intriguing. I could literally listen to him speak for hours and I would not be bored for a second. In addition to his unparalleled speaking skills, Chad is also an exemplary listener. He seemed genuinely intrigued by everything I had to say and provided excellent feedback to my views. Although we spent four hours at the dinner, I could have spent ten. The passion of the conversations was practically tangible. I feel so lucky to have had the privilege to meet such exceptional people. The dinner was a huge success.