i also wonder why rick perlstein seemed to use his own idea of college as the sole example of what a college was like back then. i guess, maybe, he used more examples and it’s been awhile since i read it. but, i bet back then there were really ambitious people who had in mind what they wanted to be and followed it in a straight continuum from high school to working life.

also, in response to: “College as an opportunity to go out and find out what you’re
interested in, or to find and spend time with others like you, is no
more”

i still think it’s kind of true. i mean, sure, there’s internet exploration, but i think there’s something about being physical, and not just virtual, friends with people with varying interests and learning through that.

b/c i guess, say, in your socialization, you go on the internet to look for likeminded ppl with likeminded interests. then you learn about that realm and not really like other realms unless you really go looking for it. i guess in real life, you meet ppl with all varying sorts of interests, ppl in the dorms are varied.. and sort of in an unwitting fashion, where you had little say of who you’ll be living next to on your floor (at least first year, if not other years too). Rather, i guess on the internet, it’s so wide and vast, that the easiest means of meeting others is to go and look for message boards that reflect interests you already have.

so i guess in a sense, it’s exploration in a smaller bounds. and i think college it opens it way much more.

ne?