First impressions of Williams

So far, Williams College is even better than I could have wished for. I doubted a bit whether we'd make it in time due to Irene, but after a several hour detour from the Albany airport (which is one of the best, easiest to navigate, and friendliest airports in the US) my parents and I made it to Williams. It hasn't been a typical New England fall weather-wise, but as I'm writing this we're in the middle of a full week of sun, a first in the last month or more. Ski training remains of good quality, with regular weight sessions and roller skis twice per day.
The workload class wise is relatively large, but not impossible to handle. Africana studies 211, Race and the Environment, continues to be one of my favorite classes. The discussions are invigorating, stimulating, and are of a much higher level thought-wise than any class I've had before. Though I miss my HP notebook a bit, the switch to a Macbook has been nice, as no one looks weird staying up writing with one at 2 am.
So far I've made it to Stratton, VT and some small organic and dairy farms (as part of Art History 201). My hope is to head into Boston and New York in the next few months, and maybe go back to Seattle for two weeks at Christmas.

Graduation and future plans

A month ago, on June 14th, I graduated as valedictorian from Garfield High School in Seattle. Though an eight mile trek across the city every day might seem crazy for high school, it was in all ways worth the long bike ride. Yes, I may have at times been frustrated with the lack of classes, sub-par teaching in some cases, and administrative difficulties. But my classmates, teachers, teammates, and friends made up for any shortfalls. There is nowhere with the diversity, community, and kindness that most Garfield students and teachers exhibit. Of all the other schools I've visited, none have displayed the same level of student involvement, investment, and dedication to others. Thanks Garfield, for four great years. For those others who are moving on, its been awesome working with you. Have fun at UW Ms. Martin!

Desert School

On Saturday I'll be in Dry Falls for Desert School, our school's annual freshman trip. I've spent several weeks at Desert School over the years for marine biology and POST, and this year will be leaving a lasting impact by attempting to bolt the rock climbing area. I'll miss the sunny days, freshmen friends, and unlimited otter pops. Swing by Sun Lakes State Park and you'll see why Desert School is looked forward to for years.

If you're lucky, you may see my tent perched atop the coulee. It's a Mountain Hardwear Spire four season tent, water resistant by itself and bulletproof with the fly. A home away from home, a respite from the raccoons, bats, and rattlers.

Favorite piece of gear for the week- North Face Hotshot

With a bit more time on my hands, I'd like to share a few of my daily favorites. My North Face Hotshot pack isn't the most waterproof backpack in the world, but its lasted over 3 years of daily commuting and lugging stuff around school. The back panel and shoulder straps are some of the most comfortable ever, and haven't even begun to show wear. Fabric is pretty tough, and once a few modifications were made the Hotshot (or in my case Vostok) is the perfect pack. I cut off the bottom compression straps, changed buckles on the side compression straps, and created my own quick release buckle so I can just twist the strap and release the buckle without pinching. Contact me if you'd like one of these awesome buckles for your pack, and I'll see what I can do about making more speed release buckles. I love them for the convenience and ease of use when you just want to throw your backpack off when you walk into a class and get to work.

Time for an update

Now that things have settled down a bit, I'm pleased to announce that I'll be attending Williams College in Williamstown, MA next fall. I had a difficult time deciding between Williams and Yale, but in the end decided that 4 years of skiing, mountain running, and great teachers were worth not going to a research university. I'm a valedictorian at Garfield High School and will be graduating soon after an awesome four years. Over the summer I'll be blogging a bit more regularly as I train for the ski season, make a bit of money (if you have any cool job opps, feel free to contact me), and hopefully travel to a number of new places before heading out east.