Reflections on Brown from a transfer student

It’s hard for me to believe that my sophomore year has come to a close. As a spring transfer, I'm just now finally beginning to feel acclimated and fully at home here. Now, with one full semester under my belt, I have the perspective to look back on my initial perceptions of Brown and consider how they stack up to realities on campus. Here are a few of my original impressions and how they compare to my impressions this semester:Before coming here, one common refrain that I heard time and time again is how ~kooky~ Brown is. Every person I know of my age made a point of leaning in conspiratorially and snickering, “Brown is definitely weird. I mean, my best friend goes there and loves it. But it’s super freaky.”After a semester here, I have come to terms with some definite quirkiness. Though it’s certainly true that Brown can be a tad zanier than some other schools (consider the Naked Donut Run), I have come to believe that the general kooky behaviors you may see around campus are just proof of the wide variety of fun and different people that attend Brown. Though I would prefer to see fewer people strutting confidently around Wriston while brushing their teeth (where on earth could you be spitting your toothpaste?), I am so glad to be somewhere where everyone can be themselves.Before coming to Brown, I was also a bit intimidated when it came to academics. Could I handle the workload? I wondered. Was everyone else smarter than me?Jury is still out on this one. I’ll keep you posted and let you know once I get my finals back.Another Brown rumor is that it’s a quite marijuana friendly campus! As for the reality of that, I’m no narc, so…The last idea I had about Brown is that the dining halls would be super fancy. I’m not sure what gave me this idea, but I had some expectation that they would be vast expanses of mahogany and red velvet curtains, with long bars of delectable goods and aromatic desserts.I’m sure you can decide for yourself whether the Ratty holds up to this Hogwarts-like perception, but, in my opinion, it for sure held true (I love tofu nugs).To end the year on a bit of a sappy note: although I was definitely nervous to transfer to Brown this past semester, I have found the campus to be so welcoming and warm, with kind, passionate, and open students. I can’t wait for the next few years to come.