<p>^Thanks for the link, GeekMom. I’m glad to hear of someone else with the same fears. The two of us can’t be the only ones. HM sounds so good! But we’re always reading on CC how horribly hard it is. </p>
<p>^^Yes, Miles. My son is an all-state musician – orchestra, and is very into it. (obviously?) It takes a ton of his time, all year long. He also plays paid and unpaid gigs, which he usually organizes himself. He’s also into community service. And, he’s into just hanging out with his friends – at the local book store, coffee shops, going to movies, playing pick-up basketball, board games, Xbox, walking around the lake, etc. Just plain old “hanging.” Definitely NOT a partier.</p>
<p>I would not at all describe him as a “work hard, play hard” type of kid. More like: work without any anxiety or oversight, or any intensity at all, really, to finish his school work, music, & chores, and then either read (really avid reader), or play Xbox, or hang out with a group of friends (his favorite thing), or play more music, etc. He’s VERY laid back and enjoys a pretty understated life. He sees his friends often and hangs with his family often. He would not be happy in a “party hard” group. (but would not be judgmental or upset about people who choose to spend their time that way; he knows plenty of kids like that now and gets along with them fine at school – but they’re not his type and he does not spend time with any of them outside of school) He’s kind of a nerd, in the sense that the things he likes to do with his time are kind of “bookish” or “adult-like.” But he’s not socially awkward or nerdy in THAT sense of the word. He’s got a ton of friends and speaks to adults and teachers as though he were one, in a way.</p>
<p>Does he maybe not sound like a Mudder when I describe him this way? He is not intense about anything, actually. He’s very laid back, but high-achieving, I guess because of his wide range of interests and some brain power, not because he’s always striving for the next accomplishment, if you know what I mean. Are there plenty of non-partying, but still very social people there at Mudd? (I know that everybody at Mudd is “high-achieving.”) Would he be the “odd man out” at Mudd, due to his lack of intensity? Or are there plenty of people like him there? He’s the pleasant, kind, thoughtful type; the kid that everybody seems to call for help on their homework, or to get clarification on an assignment or a due date, or to bring an extra bow tie or shirt to the concert, or to give them a last-minute ride to an event, etc. THAT kind of kid. Am I describing someone non-Muddish? Or does he sound Muddy enough? ;-)</p>