November 2014
Two Saturdays ago, I went on an adventure with my Dad. We went to the Lazy J Tree Farm to buy a crate of apples, and we got some leeks while we were there. My dad is friends with the farmer who owns Lazy J, Steve. He was his first boss when he moved here, and he said he was around the age of one of his older brothers so they formed a special bond and have been friends ever since. Every year we go to Lazy J to self-cut our Christmas Tree and my favorite memory was getting hot apple cider in the barn afterwards. We asked Steve if we could see his cabin. Steve had started building this cabin on his property when he was about my age but put it on the back burner when other things came up in his life. And now, forty years later, he picked up where he left off.
This cabin was incredible. I have gained an interest in architecture lately, being especially fascinated by the Tiny House Movement. I've been reading A Place of My Own by my favorite author, Micheal Pollan. I've already been obsessing on floor plans and things, and even have a rough sketch of what I want in Tiny House. It's the way to go for college students because it is a financially sound option, and there need only be enough space for one person. My goal is to have it built by the time I'm a junior in college.
Steve could totally help me build my Tiny House. He obviously knows a lot about construction, and so does my dad. They can help me so much. So could my friend Lynley and her husband who are building a Tiny House right now and will be ready to move in by February(http://agnewtinyhouse.blogspot.com/) . I realized lately that this whole time during my senior year, I have been networking, but I didn't know it. I read that word on collegeboard.org once and it felt overwhelming. But it is fun! It's actually kind of easy, maintaining connections that could be beneficial to me in the future.
After Lazy J, Dad and I went to Nash's Farm Store, Dunguness Valley Creamery, and the Sunny Farms Store. That night he made potato and leek soup with the ingredients we bought. While I was relaxing on the couch, he handed me some mail. One was a brochure from Whitman College, my former dream college until I realized that none of their majors were appealing to me (and I didn't want to drown in student dept from a private school for the rest of my life). But the other content of the mail pile was a package from The Evergreen State College. I don't think my dad realized that this was probably my letter telling me if I'd gotten in or not because I've been so bombarded with mail from colleges for the last several months that we don't really give mail a second look anymore. But my heart was pounding as I opened this bulky envelope. I've thought about it a lot and I know Evergreen is the perfect place for me. Every aspect is perfect: the academics, the learning philosophy, the location, the price, the size.... I even wrote an extensive blog page (Me in 3064 Words) about it after an overwhelming and terrifying tour of campus last summer.
Evergreen has a 96% acceptance rate, and I'm an honors student with a long list of extracurricular accomplishments (and the admissions recruiter, Erin, loves me; no big deal), so I had no doubt that I was going to be accepted. I just wanted to be able to have that comfort and security of knowing for sure where I am going to be in a year from now.
The first word I read on the letter was "congratulations," and I just started balling.
The words that followed went something like "It is my honor to offer you admission to The Evergreen State College!" At the end it said "I hope you choose to accept this offer of admission." For once, someone wants me, instead of just putting up with my presence. So far most people are indifferent if they don't hate me, and there are few who actually want me. I also read that they want to award me with a $600 academic achievement scholarship. And that's before applying for financial aid.
I took a few moments to read and cry happily, and then my dad came in the room and I stood up and pranced around to him while saying, "I'm going to Evergreen!" Then I hugged him, and I can't remember the last time I hugged my dad like that.
That was a good day. Yeah, I would say that was a day well lived.