Sincerest of apologies for my week-long hiatus from the Daily Routine. I was in the process of transporting myself and just over 100 pounds of my possessions across the country and moving into a new apartment. After four days, three, thirty-mile treks to Ikea and a very productive Costco run, the new room has taken shape. And I can now consider myself an expert in the assembly of flat-packed furniture and space management. But while exploring the blue and gold Swedish home goods paradise is entertaining, there is work to be done on the Daily Routine. So without further ado, here is today's Daily Topic: COLLEGE TOURS
While the coming academic year approaches for most college students, a vastly more ominous year is ahead for most high school seniors. Over the next few months they must choose, examine, research, visit and apply to college.
And there is perhaps no better way (at least that you can remember) to get a feel for a college than the traditional tour around the campus. And while applying to a school is difficult and stressful, so is being a tour guide. They are challenged with the task of remembering and reciting hundreds of facts, answering tough questions from over-protective mothers, and doing it all while walking backwards.
But some schools have decided that this might just be asking too much from their students. Several colleges and universities have attempted to overhaul their tours, requiring less knowledge of dates and history and, of course, having their guides walk forwards.
A recent New York Times article highlighted Hendrix College in Arkansas as one of the schools that has attempted such a restructuring of its program. Senior Katie Rice admitted that she had no idea when the school was founded. "I just tell my groups it was a long time ago [1876]." And then there is that whole pesky walking-in-reverse business. "Look at these shoes. They are very basic sandals. I fall just walking forwards."
Now, call me old-fashioned, but if I operated a university, I might select ambassadors to represent the school that had at least some general knowledge and were capable of performing simple everyday tasks such as, say, walking. And what if the tour guide isn't able to tell me exactly how many blue-light emergency phones are on the campus and their exact locations?
Unacceptable.
And what will happen when the tour guide can't make an introductory ice-breaking joke about falling backwards over any number of objects on the campus? Tours will be condemned to forward marches of awkward silence, only exacerbated by the fact that you won't be able to hear anything a forward-walking tour guide will say.
So, prospective students, don't be fooled by the shallow ploys of these colleges to appear "hip" and "more friendly." Demand the best and don't settle for a school where the tour guide isn't able to tell you the exact number of volumes in the library, or the total tonnage of the weights in the gym, or do it while walking backwards in a perfectly straight line. You're better than that.
-ROF
Daily Activity: Blogging
Daily Song: Invisible Touch - Genesis
Daily Attire: Nantucket Tank Top
Daily News Everyone Should Care About: Iran Says it is Ready For Nuclear Talks
Daily Life Goal: Eat, Sleep
Daily Complaint: No One Else Lives Here Yet
Daily Drink: André
Daily Television: WeedsDaily Movie: American Psycho
Daily Book: Spectrum of Terror - R. Hrair Dekmejian
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