Philadelphia Bound!

In 18 hours I’ll be meeting my cohort at El Cerrito High to soon board a plane to Philadelphia!  Since the end of school last Friday I have been anticipating this moment; reminiscing on all the preparation that was required to get to this day.  All the memorable events, between the rigorous application process, luxurious dinner, and orientation (all while dealing with the demands of junior year) have been stepping-stones to tomorrow’s departure. 

Yesterday I finished the remainder of my shopping and will spend the day checking, double-checking, and then triple-checking my packed belongings as to be 100% sure I have everything.  A friend of mine and current participant of the ILC made the greatest suggestion of creating a Excel spreadsheet listing each item I will be packing and where (main, carry-on, pocket) it is located, something I found to be extremely useful, just to have a checklist while traveling and to insure I do not forget anything while moving from place-to-place. 

My largest current concern: waking up on time.  Today I woke up at 7:30, early for summer standards but still a mediocre attempt for “practicing” for tomorrow, but I have my alarm placed strategically on the other side of my bedroom notched on the highest volume and coffee already set-aside in the kitchen to insure a smooth early-morning transition (yeah right…).

Philadelphia will be our first stop, where we will establish a home base while visiting UPenn, Princeton, and Columbia.  Being one who generally needs a lot of sleep, the fast-paced long days, in addition to the 3-hour time difference, will be a challenge at first.  I have never explored the city and really don’t know what to expect but I am thrilled nonetheless to see the sights of a metropolis with such a rich history.

As for Cornell I really do not know what to expect aside from the input of past ILCers, alumni, and ILC administration.  Though reading Princeton Readings in Political Thought may sound intimidating, it has given me greater insight to what the class is about and what I can expect to learn.  Though some sections may be incomprehensible to say the least, part of the experience will be to understand and analyze these philosophies.   

I thought the stress was supposed to end with the conclusion of the school year, but it was only the beginning.  Nevertheless, I cannot express in words my excitement without posting some sort of elated facial expression, but I don’t know if the inclusion of such a picture would be appropriate for the blog.  The sad part is this is most likely the final blog I will write from the comfort of my own home until the end of the trip, but I am so ready for the journey to begin all the same.  During the school year I promised myself that I would have a productive summer, and I think the opportunities that lay in this trip go up and beyond those standards that I had in mind.