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Is the verb tense weird? it's present throughout, though talking about past things
I am facing Butler Library in person for the first time, completely enamored. I read the chiseled names: Homer. Plato. Aristotle. Vergil. Names that make the beat of my excited heart reverberate through my whole body.
Later, I ask an upperclassman if she knows of any complaints about Columbia. She thinks carefully and says that some think Core classes are wastes of time. I gape because of the irony: Among the incredible opportunities Columbia offers, the greatest privilege of all is being able to take part in the Core Curriculum.
I can see that to some, the Core is a set of requirements, or learning about "old dead white men". But nothing entices me more than being able to "discuss the most difficult questions about human experience" and to build sound foundations of classical knowledge. The intimate learning environment that I have sought for so long will help me develop into the well-rounded intellectual I long to be.
My visit affirmed my instincts: Columbia and I are educational philosophy soul mates. Of course Columbia fulfills my every other desire to smallest whim: From a school spirit that's education-centered, to a diverse student body that will challenge my opinions and shape my world view, to a declaration of major in the 2nd year, to a single dorm option-but that's for a 10,000 word essay.
Most importantly, her last words struck me: she couldn't envision herself anywhere else. Even as a high school student, I feel the same way.
