My son and I are on day three of our ten day journey checking out colleges in the Great Pacific Northwest. So far we have seen three completely different institutions in Washington, each varied in location, attitude and academics. For the first day we started with Seattle University which is run by Jesuit Priests. It is a highly academic, service oriented university smack dab in one of Seattle's hippest neighborhoods. The following day we drove to Tacoma and visited the University of Puget Sound. With its diverse course offerings and extensive travel abroad opportunities, it seems like a great school. Today we drove down to Olympia, Washington and saw Evergreen State College, and booyah... it’s a wonderful fit! I really didn't think we would hit the jackpot this early. The college has so much to offer in terms of creative exploration and freedom and it's situated on countless acres of gorgeous green land. I am completely excited about this school. It is perfect!
For me.
The only hitch is, I'm not the one looking. My son is, but never mind him. Seattle may be the home of Nirvana, but I have found paradise at Evergreen State in Olympia, Washington.
When we drove up to the information booth I felt like we were going to get directions to our campsite. I kept waiting for them to tell me when the firewood truck made its rounds. The place is gorgeous. There are mature trees everywhere. As if planned, (and maybe it was) we saw three deer lazily munching leaves a few feet away. They seemed totally unaffected by our arrival and definitely had the aura of upperclassmen.
The tour started with an informal sit-down with an admissions officer. A recent Evergreen graduate, she enthusiastically took us through the unique class structure that makes Evergreen different from any college you will ever visit. "Instead of taking four or five separate, unrelated classes each quarter, you will take one program that unifies these classes around a central theme." For example, one quarter she took a block of classes called, (I paraphrase here because this is where I was hit by the lightning bolt of college love), Madness, Creativity and Other Stuff. Did she say a full quarter of all things mad and creative? And I get college credit for this?? Or you can choose from endless combinations of wild and interesting topics. Try a quarter of, "Animal Morphology, Motion and Mind", or "Me and the Mirror - Dance and Scenic Design", or "Taking Things Apart". And don't worry about those irritating letter or number grades. At Evergreen, they will not follow the Neanderthal-like ritual that reduce you and your work to an arbitrary number. Instead, there will be detailed assessments written by professors and by the students themselves. I get to grade myself! And, I will get to read thoughtful and provocative evaluations written about an extremely fascinating topic. ME!
The campus buildings are LEED Certified architecture masterpieces. They are tastefully designed to fit perfectly in the natural setting and are built using cutting edge materials. There are studies showing that students do better when they look out at green space. So each classroom is graced with large windows affording a magnificent view that beckons you to space out to your heart’s content. I will do this often.
Boring classes like, Math 101? Fa-get-da-bout-it! Instead they have a wide variety of expressive art classes that can be grouped with geographical studies, scientific inquiries or environmental concerns. There is an organic garden where you can grow vegetables and then you can sell your produce at the farmers market on campus. Basically, if you have an interest, they can, and will, put together a block of classes to accommodate that passion. I have many interests and I am excited about combining my love of rocket science with my passion for floral arrangements and dentistry. There is also an independent study contract where you can go off for a year and meditate with Shaolin Monks, engage in competitive sushi consumption, or play golf with Walt Disney. How you ask? You dream it…you can do it. All you have to do is Skype your daily observations to your instructor back in the forest.
I am very excited about joining this community. I want to apply immediately. However, I do not have a passion for filling out paperwork. Oh, and I still have to find a school for my son.
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