Cherubs get acquainted on the first day
By Kim Kirschenbaum
Asia Mayfield, a cherub from Las Vegas, entered Jones Residential College hauling two pink suitcases. She walked into The Great Room and was greeted by the Medill staff.
After getting her room assignment and having her picture taken, she dragged her suitcases out of the room and promptly tripped over them in front of her fellow cherubs.
“It was so embarrassing,” Mayfield said. “I fell flat on my face. But everyone was really nice and we can all look back now and laugh about it.”
The first day of the program began with cherubs checking in from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Instructors distributed dorm keys and took photos of cherubs for a face-book. Many parents came to help their children unpack.
“My mom went up to a group of the guys here and asked them to help bring my suitcases up three flights of stairs,” said Carley Lake, a cherub from Studio City, Calif. “I can’t even imagine what they thought of that on our first day here.”
After walking into their respective dorm rooms, roommates met one another.
“It was really nice walking into my room and seeing my roommate in there unpacking her stuff,” said Hilary Soloff, a cherub from Santa Monica, Calif. “Both of us seemed pretty nervous, so I felt a lot better getting to know someone right away.”
While most cherubs were assigned to a double room, some cherubs had single rooms.
“When I first found out I didn’t have a roommate, I was pretty upset,” said Elisabeth Dion, a cherub from Midland, Mich. “I really wanted someone who I could become friends with. But two days later, I was unbelievably happy I had my own room.”
Following check-in, cherubs headed to Hinman, the dining hall, for their first meal together.
“I got to talk to some really cool people that night,” said Grady Page, a cherub from Washington, D.C. “Some of the people who I first talked to at dinner are still my closest friends today.”
After dinner, cherubs went to Fisk 217, the room where most lectures were conducted during the summer. The staff introduced themselves and explained the curriculum.
As jet-lagged cherubs were anticipating finally going to sleep, the first assignment was announced. Cherubs would interview their roommates and write a news-feature story about each other. Everyone had one hour to complete the assignment.
“When I first found out about the assignment, I was pretty overwhelmed,” said Katie Tang, a cherub from East Amherst, N.Y. “It was a lot to handle in one day. But after we all got started on it, it ended up being fine. I learned the expectations this way.”
After the deadline, cherubs went back to the Jones Great Room for staff-coordinated activities and get-acquainted games.
“It was comforting to discover how outgoing everyone was,” said Liza Pincus, a cherub from Larchmont, N.Y. “I saw the potential of making a lot of friends.”
At the end of a long first day, cherubs headed to their dorm rooms. Many wondered what was in store for the following day - and the rest of the summer. |
Hilary Soloff, Erin Vickery, Ally Bain, and Hannah Berkman smile outside Jones on the first day.
Ivana Dukanovic, Marissa Mumford, and Maddie Boardman pose on the bench.
Carley Lake's mother asks the guys to carry her suitcases to the third floor.
Day One schedule:
11:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.: Check-in
5:30 p.m.: Dinner at Hinman
6:30 p.m.: Meeting in Fisk 217
7:15-9:30 p.m.: Reporting assignments
9:30 p.m.: Discussion about dorm life
10:30 p.m.: First group bonding activity
11:30 p.m.: Floor check
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