Alone in the Crowd
It turns out I can't do Hillside this semester after all, as the actual sessions at the school are at a time when I have class. On the other hand, a new project has started at Olin that has attracted my interest. One of the new faculty members acquired some vehicles that they wished to modify for the DARPA Grand Challenge, and within a week a lab had been converted to become Olin's autonomous vehicle lab, approval given, funding provided, and teams assembled.
This evening I wen't to a formal dinner at the home of Olin's president, Richard Miller, with a group of other freshman. It's an Olin tradition, and a good way for the students to get to know the college's president and vice versa. The food was good, and the dinner was a lot of fun.
I love this school, but I've been feeling increasingly confused and lonely, lately. I get along well with everyone, but I don't have the kind of group of close friends that I did in high school. Because people here are so similar in many ways, and because the school is so small, there is no social fragmentation of that sort. I feel like I am expected to know everyone, which is overwhelming, and I end up feeling like I know nobody, even though everyone is nice to me. And it seems that the people I most want to spend time with are too busy to spend time with me. It all makes me feel very confused...
This evening I wen't to a formal dinner at the home of Olin's president, Richard Miller, with a group of other freshman. It's an Olin tradition, and a good way for the students to get to know the college's president and vice versa. The food was good, and the dinner was a lot of fun.
I love this school, but I've been feeling increasingly confused and lonely, lately. I get along well with everyone, but I don't have the kind of group of close friends that I did in high school. Because people here are so similar in many ways, and because the school is so small, there is no social fragmentation of that sort. I feel like I am expected to know everyone, which is overwhelming, and I end up feeling like I know nobody, even though everyone is nice to me. And it seems that the people I most want to spend time with are too busy to spend time with me. It all makes me feel very confused...
