Ratner Athletics Center, Mansueto Library, and Dorm Food

This is my last day before school starts, since for me junior year starts right after this program ends, so I’m trying to have a relaxing day.

I woke up at 8 AM (had a decent 7 hour sleep!) and got ready with my roommate, Kaitlyn. We went to the Dining Commons with someone Kaitlyn met, Lila. Surprisingly, barely anyone was eating breakfast or using the bathroom. I had expected mornings to be really busy.

Cathey Dining Commons

After breakfast, Kaitlyn and I went exploring around the dorm and basement of the dorm. We saw really creepy things on the walls of the basement as well as all the different places we could go to study or watch movies on other floors.

We then went to the Health Services presentation, which only took about 10 minutes to finish. It’s nice to know there’s somewhere I can run if I get really sick on this trip.

Soon afterwards, my roommate I decided to go to the library to get Biotech books for class tomorrow. After hearing our plans, the rest of the cohort, Lila, and some other people Lila introduced us to (Jordan from Rochester, also taking Biotech, Michael from Philly taking poetry and philosophy, and a girl from Brazil) decided to join us.

Gerald Ratner Athletics Center

We went to the Ratner gym on campus before visiting the Joe and Rika Mansueto library. The Ratner gym is really nice—it has multiple treadmills in a complete circle on the second floor with mini TVs attached to them (like the ones we have at CCC, but newer and better). They also have a basketball court and personal fitness room that look really well-maintained.

On the way to the library, I talked to Michael (a boy who walked with us) about UPenn, since he comes from Philadelphia. I knew that whatever he said would probably be trustworthy since he’s a local. He told me how people there are pretentious (which disappointingly isn’t the first time I’ve heard that), and that he wouldn’t want to go there since a lot of people from his high school attend UPenn and because he feels it's too close to home (I totally understand both reasons).

The Mansueto Library

At the library, we found out books couldn’t be checked out unless requested for in advance. We were discussing places to eat when a man named Romulus approached us and asked if we would like a tour of the library. Of course, we said yes.

The crane

He showed us how they take books from the reserve shelter to the book elevator, where they can then check the books out. Romulus also showed us the enormous basement, where the books are kept. He showed us how the cranes that retrieve books work, which was really cool to watch. Apparently the whole library took $80 million to create, which surprised me, though I really shouldn’t be that surprised considering the cranes, book reserve technology, three kinds of glass needed to make the ceiling of the library, and all the desks, chairs, shelves, lights, and more in the library.

I thought that was a nice thing Romulus did for us. I don’t think many people would take time out of their day to do that for a bunch of high school teens.

After going to lunch (which was a salad I made! I haven’t gotten tired of the food yet so far), we went to the Residential Services and Safety Meeting and learned more about the emergency blue lights and how the police are willing to trail us in their patrol cars if ever we feel unsafe. Again, hearing that kind of information makes me feel really safe on campus.

For the rest of the day Oyin, Jimmy, Alexa, and I ate dinner at the Dining Commons instead of going out to eat with other Insight students (where I ate mac-n-cheese and chicken nuggets). After dinner Oyin, Alexa, and I hung out until getting our blogs done.

I was really nervous for my Biotech class tomorrow, but I checked my teacher’s evaluations and found out that there is a lot of new material he gives us. I was worried other students’ education might have been more in-depth, but I’m not as anxious anymore. I can’t wait for tomorrow!