Most people buy into the Cornell University myth of snow, suicide and studying. But they should also know that it is one of the best schools in the world--a school where beloved children's author E.B. White, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and ice cream kings Ben and Jerry started their famous careers--as students.
True, it snows a lot in Ithaca. Sometimes the first flakes fall a few days before Halloween. Yet it does not always snow, nor is the weather always cold. Much of the time, even, students can take a break from the books and enjoy Cornell's green and gorgeous landscape. Here, you can go jogging among some of the most scenic trails in the northeast. You can picnic in Slim Jim Woods and hear owls calling in the dark by Fall Creek. You can be struggling over a problem set in Mann Library, look out into a thick canopy of leaves and suddenly feel that everything will be fine. For the aspiring writer, the scientist and the scholar, there are 19 libraries and countless student activities to join. Among the noteworthy to explore are the Whistling Shrimp comedy club, Sage Chapel choir and Rapper Sword Dancing.
As for suicides, a majority of Cornell students are happy campers. They take courses in practical subjects such as electrical engineering, history and biology, but also in wine-making and beekeeping. Cornell probably has the best dining hall food in the country. Who can complain when there's gourmet New York cheesecake and daily chef's specials?
Now that I have bashed the myth about Cornell as a constantly cold, gloomy and forbidding place, I want to say that if you come to learn, you will learn more than you ever imagined. You will also certainly gain a lot more weight than you want to.
author: Joy Chen graduated: 2001 major: Natural Resources campus activities: Sage Chapel choir, tai chi, freelance writing from: Manhattan, NY, USA native language: English
