DB 2: Why Am I Here?

People often ask me, "What exactly is Plan II?" I answer them with something along the lines of, "It's basically a Liberal Arts Honors that prepares me to do just about whatever I want to do. It's kind of like high school where you take classes from different subjects." Of course, I don't really know what I'm talking about. I bs it because I don't want to look dumb.

Plan II students are full of ____. :)

Instead of stopping with the questions, they proceed with, "What do you do with it?" I don't really know the answer, so I tell them, "It prepares you for graduate schools."

Then they ask the final question, "Why did you do it?" My answer varies from time to time. Sometimes I'd say, "because I want to go to graduate school eventually," other times I just tell them, "because it is prestigious, and there are only 150 of us in the program." Do I believe the things I say? I don't know. Nevertheless, the question "why" lingers in my head. Why did I choose Plan II? Why did I choose U.T.? Why bother going to a university altogether? Yes, indeed, why am I here? I often ponder upon those questions, and, even now, I wonder if I really made the right choice in terms of choosing the right place for me.

Honestly, I never pictured myself at U.T. Now that I think about it, I was really cocky. Before college decisions came out, I really thought I had it in me to go somewhere East Coast. I mean I had done as many if not more things than a lot of my classmates at St. Mark's. I had similar if not better grades as the ones that went to IVY League schools. Even to this day, I regret not disobeying my parents and applying to UPenn early decision (7 out of 7 kids who applied early got in from my school). Tough luck. I'll get over it someday. Nevertheless, last year's college admission process was not kind to many people, and especially for an international student like me, it was even worse.

random fact: Both Acho's in the football team are from my school! I'm so proud!

Nevertheless, I had some good choices. I read reviews-college prowlers are so FUNNY and informative- and personally visited most of the colleges. I was surprised that I really, REALLY liked what I saw found at U.T. I liked many things about U.T., but most of all, I liked the student environment. I like the big student body that lets you meet many people and avoid those you want to avoid. More than anything, I just disliked the vibe I got from the other schools.

*cough* what?

When I was applying to U.T., I did not even think about attending here. It offered in state tuition and pretty much guaranteed admission, so I decided to apply. While I was at it, I applied for Plan II just for the hell of it. In all honesty, I do not know how I got into Plan II. My application for Plan II was the worst piece of crap I have ever written. The application deadline was near, and I just needed to write something to finish the application process. I ended up with some political piece about Korean politics. I proofread it once and turned it in barely on time.

Week later, I got into my backup major at U.T. Afterward, I checked e-mails and the website daily to see if I got something from Plan II, but I got nothing for months. Then, one day, my mom called me while I was out to grab dinner to tell me that I got into Plan II. When I heard it over the phone from my mom, it was so anti-climactic for me that I didn't know how to react. I just yelled half-assed, "yay..." and hung up.

she ruined my surprise!!!

Even though Plan II was not my top choice when I applied, it became my #1 choice when the time came to decide. As I said earlier, among the choices I had, Plan II at U.T. seemed like the best choice for me.

Why did I even bother going to a university? I don't know. I never deeply thought about it. For me, going to college seemed like a natural process of education. Ever since I was a kid, I wondered about which college to go to, not whether I should go to college. I suppose I just want to learn more, or maybe I want to experience being a college student. Perhaps, I am afraid to face the real world and want to stay in school. Or my motivation is simply calculative and want to earn more money when I get a job. Whatever my subliminal motives may be, one thing is for sure: my fellow students and I are in college to "learn to respect, to consult, to aid each other" (166). These skills are the most basic skills one need to survive in the real world. If not anything, one should at least learn those essential skills.

Now, why U.T. and Plan II? For me, the process went more in terms of, "I should go to U.T. because I want to be in Plan II," not "I should do Plan II if I go to U.T." I wanted to be in Plan II mostly because I had no idea what I wanted to do in the future. Well, that is a lie. I sort of have a plan, but I do not know if that is the right path for me. Hence, I wanted to study different subjects as an undergraduate and find out where my passion lies. Plan II offered what I wanted from a university: Liberal Arts Education. While I did not know the true meaning of liberal arts education and Plan II program, I just liked the sound of them.

So far, Plan II has been what I imagined it to be and maybe more. I imagined it to be a lot of interactive discussion classes and a lot of reading. While my expectations mostly came true, I found out Plan II is more than just that. Plan II promises, "A baccalaureate education that lays the foundation for a future of self-education -- and feeds its graduates' curiosity so well that most of them will make learning an essential part of their life-plans" (173I). I was especially pleased with my World Literature course. I expected it to be focused more on scholarly discussions over the readings (similar to the environment I was exposed to at St. Mark's). However, I found it to be more than just scholarly discussions. Professor Bump asked us to find out WHO we are. So far, it has been a meaningful journey to find out more about myself.

I especially enjoy the experiential learning Plan II promotes. This active learning is offered in both World Literature and Modes of Reasoning courses. I agree that "while you are participating, you are paying more attention" (184). The things I did outside of class for extra credit and self inquiry stick to my head more than the lectures I heard in classes. Furthermore, I like the use of multimedia in our essays. Pictures stimulate the right side of the brain, and "because both sides of the brain and many intelligences are engaged active involvement results in processing of information deeper than mere memorization" (184). I am actively learning things, and this is why I enjoy my Plan II classes.

are these pictures stimulating YOU?

If you ask me, "Do you think you made the right choice by coming to U.T.?" I will answer, "I don't know if I made the right choice." In fact, I will never know. The fact is, I am comfortable with where I am, and that is all that matters.