But it's Dahhhhtmouth, dahling

It was never a question as to whether or not I'd go to college. College is a must. A definite.

Aside from aiming for Stuy, I didn't really have to aim for another school. It was apparent from Day 1 at Stuy that college follows rather naturally after graduation. The principal made it clear at the freshman assembly in the first week that aside from always using the overpass bridge so we don't break all our limbs crossing the West Side Highway (true story...he said that), our v e r y l i v e l i h o o d in the four years of high school is devoted to getting into a good college. Not college. A good college. No. A GREAT college. Everything matters.

So when it came time to pick a college, there were really only two colleges on my list and one of them seemed like a far fetched dream.

I visited Dartmouth one summer (junior summer, I'm guessing. I have a terrible memory and I'm no good with time) and fell in love with it. It was just an overnight trip that Dartmouth sent me some info and an app for. We had to apply with a transcript and everything for this trip. So I went and enjoyed myself a lot. A bunch of us from Stuy met some kids from other hoity toity ::cough::Exeter::cough:: schools and went out in search of the golf course to look at the stars. Shooting star season. I don't know where we ended up (never figured that out in the years I spent at Dartmouth) but it wasn't the golf course. We did stay up to watch for shooting stars. I saw a bunch but I really just marveled at the fact that I can see stars at ALL. It was awesome. I even figured out the Big Dipper and Orion all by myself. They look exactly like the pictures in books (except much more brilliant in real life). We stayed up pretty late and we all chose one class to attend the next day. I promptly fell asleep in class (and I was told the professor even put his hand on my shoulder as he lectured up and down the isles...didn't even register in my mind), something I'd do pretty often once I enrolled. We spoke to some students doing the summer there. Everyone was nice and welcoming. We hung out on the Green, which is surrounded by trees. It wasn't sweltering even though it was the middle of August.

I fell in love with Dartmouth.

It was a logical love. I fell in love with Dartmouth because it was everything NYC was not. I needed to know that if I am indeed a city girl, I know that I am one because I've tried other things and didn't like it. I needed a school that was far enough away from home so that I can have free reign to be who I wanted to be. It's an Ivy League school that uses the common app. I'm lazy and I'm sold!

I had thought about Yale, too. But it's YALE. I didn't stand a chance. Maybe I should have applied anyway but I was really set on Dartmouth at that point. Plus, they accepted my app to come on that summer visit. I figured my chances were decent. So, I applied early! The instant I received my acceptance in my email, I started crying. I WAS SO OVERJOYED!!! (I had to wait to get home to check. I didn't want an embarrassing situation in the school library in case I didn't get in.) My mom came home from work and I was still shaking from the excitement. I told her, and she asked when I was going to apply to other schools.

Wow. What a buzzkill. I can understand though. Of all the Ivies, I pick the one that no Asian parent knows. Hell, a LOT of people wouldn't be able to list Dartmouth among the Ancient Eight. It's that last thing on the list that bugs the hell out of people when they can't think of it.

But, I stuck with my choice. Mostly because I was legally bound to attend Dartmouth by then. I had the time of my life there. Lots of ups and plenty of downs. I can't say that I wouldn't have had a better time elsewhere but I definitely appreciated my time at Dartmouth and the people that I've met.

Has it gotten me anywhere yet? Not really. Although my current boss decided to give me an interview upon seeing my resume that included the Dartmouth name. WOOT!

(Real Ivy is Green. GO DARTMOUTH!)