Far Above Cayuga's Waters

Introduction
If you want a world-class education and aren't afraid to work very, very hard, then Cornell might be for you. The first time I visited the campus I immediately felt at home- and I really do love it here. The opportunities that Cornell offers are endless. But as I said, it is a lot of work. To truly be successful and get the most out of your four years you will need to put in some serious effort. Cornell isn't for the faint of heart, and if you are just looking for the Ivy name on your diploma, then you are in the wrong place.

Campus Life and Social Life
Greek life dominates the social scene at Cornell. A lot of people go out on the weekends, typically to frats (freshmen!) or house parties in Collegetown. There are definitely dry social options too, but the general philosophy is work hard, play hard. We're a pretty social bunch. Hockey rules at Cornell, and the Harvard game (we won this year!) isn't to be missed. A well-known tradition of the Lynah Faithful is that of throwing fish on the ice at the Havard game. There is also an extensive intramural sports program- just a small part of the some 700 clubs and student organizations that you can join on campus. Advertisement
Academics
The workload can be daunting- but most Cornell students are excellent at multitasking. Cornell students are serious about academics - the 24-hour libraries always have people in them. All of Cornell's departments are great. You can really study anything here (there are over 4,000 courses to choose from!) from engineering to architecture to agriculture to philosophy. The university's motto is "any person, any study". Professors are nearly always world-renowned experts in their fields. As a general rule, TAs are PhD candidates. They lead sections of 15 students or less, so even huge classes get broken down into smaller groups where you can ask questions and have interesting discussions. Professors are usually great- but you have to put yourself out there and approach them. The resources are all there at Cornell - the professors, the libraries, etc. - but no one is going to spoon-feed you here.

Student Body
Ah, the (stereo)"typical" student is white, Jewish, wealthy, and from Long Island or Westchester. But there's really a lot more of us than that. There is a considerable Asian population and a lot of Jews, but Cornellians hail from all religions, all 50 states, and all over the world. We are even more diverse when you consider our interests- academic and otherwise. There is room for anyone here, and everyone can find their own niche.

In Closing...
Cornell is a beautiful, amazing place. Every opportunity to grow intellectually and socially is right there at your fingertips. I have met some of the smartest, most interesting, most dedicated, and hard-working people here (both faculty and students) that I ever have in my life. I do not regret my decision for a moment (except maybe at 4 am in Uris Library during an all-nighter) and am having the time of my life here. Hail all, hail Cornell!