Good Luck at the Potluck

From the very moment I woke up this morning, I was a nervous wreck. Today was of the Brown/Columbia potluck--the day that I finally meet all of my cohorts in person. I spent the whole day before worrying over everything and making sure that nothing about goes the potluck goes wrong with the food, my ride, or with sister, who would be accompanying me to the potluck--I didn't want to risk any sort of embarrassment due to my lack of preparation. 

I had brought Chow Mein to the potluck--but, unfortunately, so did two other people!

Because of my endless fussing, everything turns out as well as I had hoped. Or almost everything. Since my sister, the food, and my niece all had to be picked up before I was able to be dropped off. Needless to say, I was late when I finally arrived at my destination--El Cerrito High. It was about 6:45 PM then, and the potluck was supposed to start at 6:30 PM, meaning that I was 15 minutes late. I was starting to feel nervous again, and began to suspect the worst. The last time the Ivy League had a meeting,we were warned that those late the would locked out of the room.  Although no one ended up being locked out last time, I wasn't willing to risk the chance and began to rush towards the room where the potluck was being held. Luckily, I'm somewhat familiar with with El Cerrito High's campus since both my preliminary Ivy League Interviews were held there.  

My plate. All of the food was really delicious!

It only takes a few minutes to find everyone, and I'm glad to see that although I'm one of the last cohorts to arrive, I haven't been locked out. I walk in and I'm greeted by Ms. Kaplan, the Brown chaperone, and Ms. L, my own chaperone who will be overseeing the rest of my cohorts and I during our stay at Columbia. I quickly grab a name tag, and make my way to set down the food that I had brought with me--Chow Mein. As I walk towards the table, I notice a few familiar faces--Taylor, a classmate apart of the Brown group, and Adrianne, a girl I recognize from my interviews and a fellow Columbia member. I began to settle down a bit; seeing the familiar faces helps my nerves calm down. I quickly grab a plate and my food, and sit down to join my fellow cohorts.

Ms. Kaplan (left) and Ms. L (right)

After everyone had arrived and finish eating, Ms Kaplan and Ms. L go over some general information before splitting us up into two groups, according to our respective colleges. After we introduce ourselves, Ms. L goes into detail on what is to come including upcoming dates and dinners, our dorm and classes, as well as what sorts of activities and sight-seeing we'll be able to do in our free time.

I find all of the new information really exciting! Nearly everything is a new experience--we're talking about seeing fireworks, going on boat rides, living in dorms, partaking in fancy dinners. At that's only the things we have planned! Ms. L said that if we have the time, permission, and supervision we can go out to other places as well! And of course I can't forget what must be the most exciting part of it all; I'll taking classes at one of the best colleges in the world, that just so happens to be in one of the most famous cities in the world. It finally sinks in that I'm not going to be spending my summer at home, but in New York, a place I never imagined myself going before.

Soon, the potluck was over and it was time to go home. But before we left, we took a group photo, which I was unable to capture on my own camera, unfortunately. Overall, I think the potluck was very fun and a really great experience. I was able to get to know my fellow cohorts a little better as well as get a better idea of what to expect next--and I expect everything to be even more amazing than the potluck from now on.