I never once regretted my decision to go to Charter, although I was fairly miserable for the first few months (truth is, I still am...but I've learned to tolerate it--the crap days are as ritual as breathing now, just need to keep my head up!). Yet time after time, acts of unity really draw me back to the core of the school. Yes, we're a huge group of nerds; yes, we overemphasize academics; yes, we have "no social life"; but yes, we are passionate; yes, we're one of the top 50 best schools in the entire United States (and not even 20 years old); yes, we have character.
Simply: I love my school.
Where else could I find a Muggle Quidditch match? Where else are physics jokes cracked in art class? Where else is Facebook massively used for organizing study groups? Where else can I find this strange, twisted sense of comfort that comes from being around others who are equally if not more dedicated to schoolwork and success than me?
I'm glad this was my first choice, and I'm glad I was given the opportunity to go. Seeing how admissions works now, I'm not sure I would be accepted if I had tried out last year or in future years, but I'm ever-thankful for this opportunity to experience something so unique and so exciting, though I've sacrificed many a night of sleep to adequately study for an exam.
I know that I still haven't gotten back on track with the 30-day challenge, but I thought that this was something important to mention. I love unity; I loved seeing the school today on the football field's bleachers, wrecked and all, pumped and cheering for a fictional game morphed into reality. I loved it.
And now for my nine-day break...so convenient. Things are going to happen during this break. Things are going to change. I can feel it.
(What better way to start the weekend than a few extra hours at school sipping Butterbeer and chatting with friends while pointing fingers and the painfully-fast Cross Country runners playing Snitch, then stressfully preparing for the evening youth group program only to find that everything I was overwhelmed about melted away after a few more hours of genuine happiness and fun worshipping and learning and discussing more about God? :) Though I need to sleep early...tomorrow's Princeton! Another college visit [before I even get to talk about Columbia or Pratt!], here I come!)
