Alright Then

I have decided to begin my journey January 9th (or maybe the tenth?). It is the day I return to my normal "life," which makes it an appropriate day to begin my deviation. So, I have two weeks remaining to go hiking, read and learn about things that interest me, relax, and enjoy the simple things. Then comes everyday life, and the chaos that comes from truly living in it.

In the meantime, a few notes to tide you over.

So, this school I'm talking about. It's a boarding school with 50 students (full enrollment is 60) set on the rural, cornstalk-infested plains of Iowa. The number of (underpaid) staff members varies, but hovers around 25. It is a college-prep school with a work load match, and boasts of its rarely visited (but highly functional) farm, and a glorious view of interstate 80. Students are not allowed to have cars on campus. This, plus eating, sleeping, going to class, and spending almost every waking moment with (or at least near) the same 70 or so people can certainly get tiring, and lead to a great deal of animosity. The workload, especially for upperclassmen, is incredibly stressful, and there is little choice in what classes one takes. However, it is also a great experience. Most people are there because they want to be, and while it is very challenging, you get to see a side of people that is not often seen. I have taken classes that have changed the way I look at the world, and these several teachers have become my mentors and friends. You learn to resolve conflicts out of necessity, to be honest out of genuine caring, and to overcome challenges not encountered by many teens. Like it or not, everyone here becomes your family. Yeah, there are certainly flaws. Major flaws. In fact, these are much of the reason I feel the need to add this bit of craziness into my daily life (ironically enough, this craziness is what will stop me from going completely crazy). However, as much as I dislike many aspects of this place, I respect the lessons I've learned here (more outside of the classroom than in), and the relationships I've developed. If I were to do it over again, I would choose to be here, as painful as it can be sometimes.

P.S. If you haven't already read my post "This Blog," (under "Pages") you should- you will be much less confused if you do.