I am sad a slightly embarrassed to say that I did not go to campus once during my first year, so my first time going to the Harper Center as a Boothie occurred on the first day of class this year. It is not hyperbolic to say that Monday, September 27th was one of the best days of my life.
As soon as I could figure out how to fab my way into the front door, I entered a Winter Garden bursting with energy. Around 1000 students overjoyed to be together. Between running into friends, seeing familiar faces (from the mask up), decoding the classroom numbering system, and getting distracted by the 500+ pieces of contemporary art, navigating my way through Harper to class took longer than anticipated! However, the class that ensued was electric, packed with incredibly interesting material and discussion flying around the room. It felt as though I rediscovered how talented my professors and classmates really are, along with the diverse array of knowledge and experiences they have to share. It is amazing how much all of us will learn this year and how grateful everyone is for that.
After class, I ran into more friends! We decided to grab lunch at Kovler Café, eating outside and enjoying the weather in Harper’s Summer Garden. The chicken curry was a 7/10 (generously) but the vibes were a 10/10. To work off lunch, we set off to explore the UChicago campus. The vine-covered gothic buildings are incredibly beautiful, lining quads filled with young college students possessing so much potential. To be immersed in a campus emitting such character and rich history was surreal. While it was likely in our best interest to head home and get started on our homework, we decided to commemorate our excellent first day by purchasing memberships and a pint of beer at the infamous Pub – $16 well spent.
If you couldn’t tell, I had the best first day of school. I’m humbled to be a part of this group and this amazing program. I am beyond excited for the rest of this year – the relationships, experiences, and knowledge it brings. Great things await upon graduation, but this is amazing and I don’t want it to end.
