After an extensive and utterly relaxing break, I leaped full-front into college life. It took me by surprise a bit, and I saw everything in a new perspective again. Even though Swarthmore is a small school, I see the campus completely different. My college experience has changed because my schedule is different. The environment of Sharples, our main dining hall, completely changes depending on the timing. Because of my schedule, I go to Sharples at peak hours and it’s so crowded and loud.
This semester is different academically as well, because I am taking mostly humanities courses. This means that I have hundreds of pages of reading each week instead of mind-numbing problem sets. The reading can be mind-numbing sometimes. But what keeps me motivated is that I am reading the actual work of the great thinkers of history, and I can create my own opinions and interpretations of them. These books have always been in the bookstores before and though I tried to read them, there is a wall of ignorance separating me from the texts. Now that we have discussions, the “essence” of nature of the philosophy is being revealed.
The virtues of Swarthmore only becomes more apparent as a student more than the appeal for a prospective student. For example, I think the publications say that we promote “ethical intelligence” and I bet few knows exactly what that means. It just sounds impressive, yeah? I think I might have better understood the “essence” of the philosophy behind that concept through my phil class. My philosophy class is meant to be rather inter-discplinary and apply Plato’s philosophy to other courses. In this light, something that my professor said resonated. He commented that Swarthmore doesn’t “empower” us because power isn’t really the end pursuit of knowledge. Collegiate institutions should not just provide us with power, even if its power of knowledge. Plato would say, if my interpretation is on target, that the power must be modified by wisdom: the understanding of how to use the power of knowledge wisely. That’s what ethical intelligence really means, I think?
Besides reading Plato, Keirkagaard, and Willa Cather…haha, I do have a life! A group of us went to Philadelphia last weekend for an event called Phillyfest. It was an unofficial outing with the Deshi club, the south asian group on campus, and I had a really good time! A few Indian dance groups from around the country preformed and competed. Yay for Philly! Xiaoxia, Tiffany and I are going to Olde City this Friday because its shopping week or something? But its also restaurant week, where we get a 3 course meal for $30. I’m excited. And I promised Matt some sushi, so maybe Chinatown Saturday night if I’m totally free. My friday is already getting filled with an Ourstory editorial meeting at 5, dance practice for Deshi at 8, coffee with a friend in the afternoon and shadowing a tour guide too! I’m pumped.
I regret not updating earlier because there’s so much to write! It has finally snowed. Wonderful, really, though I hope for my ML friends that the shuttle keeps running. Add/Drop period ends this week, so if my books come from Amazon in time, then I might return one book to the bookstore. I changed my mind about two classes this semester, haha, but luckily I was good in keeping up with the material. I’ve finally discovered the beauty of Trotter Hall. Isabel, my roomie, had her politics seminar in there, I think. (Speaking of roomies, there we are in the picture.) The seminar rooms are simply gorgeous, the lights are like the lights from heaven. Then again, I have my religion seminar in there.
So I have a Hindu Club meeting soon. We’re attempting to revive it this semester…let’s see how that goes. Adieu!
