ESPN on Georgia Tech
The latest installment of ESPN's recent sport series on American football in the US discusses the sport at Georgia Tech. Sorta. The article is more about how few students at Tech (in particular undergrads) care about football because they are simply too busy doing their work to goof off.
From my experience, the article is largely accurate. I think the overall intelligence of the students is a bit overstated. There are quite a few geniuses, but Tech was largely populated by mere mortals like me. The overwhelming volume of nerdiness, though, was perfectly conveyed by the article.
From my time there, I feel Georgia Tech presents a relatively unique college experience. Most people I talk to speak of the "good times" in college, the parties, the excessive drinking, and what not. I don't drink, I'm not very good at parties, and I really wanted to get something out of college rather than watch it pass by in a chemically induced stupor. (Most of my four years were indeed spent in a stupor, but caused from lack of sleep and stress rather than raucous partying.) Still, people talk about all the random things they did in college, all the fun they had, and I try to look like I know what they're talking about.
The Georgia Tech experience to me was somewhere between a boot camp and the third ring of Hell. The oppressive amounts of work, professors that seemed more willing to punish you for your lack of knowledge than willing to go out of their way to teach you, and a student body with the collective mindset of "every man for himself." I think if the ancient Greeks saw Georgia Tech, they'd think it was some sort of prison instead of a learning institution.
The only good memories I have of college all involve my then girlfriend, now wife, Bessie. My favorite involves blowing off studying for a final the next day to go walk hand in hand in the falling snow.
I left Tech with three good things: a wonderful woman, a decent education, and a firm conviction that the worst parts of my life had already passed.
From my experience, the article is largely accurate. I think the overall intelligence of the students is a bit overstated. There are quite a few geniuses, but Tech was largely populated by mere mortals like me. The overwhelming volume of nerdiness, though, was perfectly conveyed by the article.
From my time there, I feel Georgia Tech presents a relatively unique college experience. Most people I talk to speak of the "good times" in college, the parties, the excessive drinking, and what not. I don't drink, I'm not very good at parties, and I really wanted to get something out of college rather than watch it pass by in a chemically induced stupor. (Most of my four years were indeed spent in a stupor, but caused from lack of sleep and stress rather than raucous partying.) Still, people talk about all the random things they did in college, all the fun they had, and I try to look like I know what they're talking about.
The Georgia Tech experience to me was somewhere between a boot camp and the third ring of Hell. The oppressive amounts of work, professors that seemed more willing to punish you for your lack of knowledge than willing to go out of their way to teach you, and a student body with the collective mindset of "every man for himself." I think if the ancient Greeks saw Georgia Tech, they'd think it was some sort of prison instead of a learning institution.
The only good memories I have of college all involve my then girlfriend, now wife, Bessie. My favorite involves blowing off studying for a final the next day to go walk hand in hand in the falling snow.
I left Tech with three good things: a wonderful woman, a decent education, and a firm conviction that the worst parts of my life had already passed.
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