<p>Im a bohemian myself, so im just curious, but to what extent is it true that Chicago is a mecca for “those people?”</p>
<p>I don’t know what you mean by “those people”, but when I visited U of C two months ago I thought: “My God, it’s a school full of…me’s!” It was sort of like when the ugly duckling realizes that he’s actually a swan. Now all I have to do is get in.</p>
<p>“Weird” is a relative term… but to answer your question, I’d say that the “weird” (those who hate the mainstream & enjoy academics) would be examples of people who would be extremely fond of the UofC environment.</p>
<p>But U of C I guess would attract more “weird” people than other colleges would… while U of C doesn’t have it to the extent of NERD PARADISE… it’s pretty darn close!</p>
<p>a definition: focused more on academics than on sports in high school, has strong political awareness, more adapt to go to a show on a friday nite than the big basketball/football game</p>
<p>Hmmm…I’d say that’s true to some extent sats, but how is that diff. from any other big-city unis or the hip LACs? I mean, just about everyone I know at NYU, Vassar, Oberlin, Reed, and any number of other schools is like that. And they still think I’m a huge nerd. I don’t know. Ppl are more into music/academics/politics at U of C, sure, but I think there’s definitely something else there.</p>
<p>I’m curious, pip-pip, what makes you a huge nerd?</p>
<p>The hopes are that this knowledge leads me to discover more about the U of C, since reportedly it is a school full of yous.</p>
<p>I spend a lot of time reading reports released by NGOs and IGOs for fun–to the point where I mark in my daybook when the WHO releases its next index. Even though I don’t study French anymore, I still read books in it so that I can appreciate the original intent of the author. I used to work in a restaurant frequented by alot of celebrities, but the only time I really remember getting starstruck was when Harold Bloom came by. I started reading Chomsky when I was 15, and can tell you just as much about his linguistic theories as I can his politics. </p>
<p>When I was little, I used to stay up until 3AM watching the prime minister’s questions on CSPAN. You know how some ppl act during the Superbowl? That’s how I act during Chris Matthews. When the results from the most recent British local elections came in, I e-mail a friend who works for a minister in Blair’s cabinet with 10-15 questions about the results. He responded that I was in fact a much bigger geek than he, and that he couldn’t give a “monkey’s arse” about 1/2 the things I mentioned. </p>
<p>I am closer w. my professors than I am to many of my peers. I write essays and papers for fun. I ask an insane amount of questions in class. I speed through my in-course reading so that I can get back to my extracurricular reading. I can rattle stats off the top of my head like I’m rain man. I write fan mail to professors and intellectuals, and read course catalogs for fun. I go to lectures and museums in my free time. My dream job is to work in a think tank on policy issues, and in fact was recruited to consult with one but could not continue in the selection process b.c. of my pending U of C app. </p>
<p>Most of all, I’m just horribly in love with research, writing, and learning. I know that it’s all I want to do for the rest of my life. I know it’s how I can best contribute to society. Maybe its students do not share the same exact interests, but Chicago seemed to be full of people just like this: people who were exceptionally passionate and unpretentious about their interests and their education. People who were inclined to friendly, engaging debate. Dedicated individuals, who enjoyed being challenged and sought out the most rigorous curriculum possible not because it would open doors once they graduated, but because it would open their minds while there.</p>
<p>pip-pip, you’re my hero :P</p>
<p>Pip-pip, you ARE U of C. 
I hope you get in.</p>
<p>Have you read Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close? You might just fall in love with the precocious protagonist.</p>
<p>Wow. You are my hero too, pip. Where are you now, if you are already at university?</p>
<p>so i just read pip-pip’s essay above… holysh-- u are amazing… (i read the WHO reports too, i want to work for them) u got in right? and if u didn’t the u of c is loosing one scholar who exemplifies their ideals of education… what uni do u attend now?</p>
<p>Right now I’m at Southern Connecticut State University, and I applied to transfer for a lot of reasons. I’m still waiting to hear from U of C. </p>
<p>nada07, I love the work the WHO does. I have a friend who is in law school right now and will be interning with them this summer; I am so jealous. (Before that, he consulted for the Ecuadorean govt on healthcare.) However, I assisted a prof in researching the impact of NGOs on healthcare in southern Africa, and learned that public health initiatives are most sustainable and cost-effective when it’s administered at the community level. So I’d love to work with the WHO, if for no other reason that to reform its administrative procedures. </p>
<p>There are a number of smaller non-profits and think tanks that I would love to work for, too. In the meantime, since I can’t do that consulting thing, I’m working for a local non-profit (on something completely unrelated), waiting tables, and maybe writing some position papers freelance this summer. And, of course, crossing my fingers that the mothership beams me up.</p>
<p>pip-pip, you are amazing.</p>
<p>i’ve heard that students at uchicago have immense pride of their “nerdiness”
but nerdinesss as in academics, or can it just be the simple quirks in life, anything that piques interests?</p>
<p>Haha Pip. Chomsky? U of C doesn’t need THAT kind of weird LOL. jk jk</p>
<p>when visiting u of c and meeting students through MUNUC, i realized there are several types of nerds…
science nerd: could describe to u every compound known to man, and define every element and tell you its density… but doesn’t appreciate fine art
english nerd: loves writing, loves reading, could loose themselves in a library… but doesn’t really care about newton or his laws
intelectual nerd: (the kind that u of c seeks to create) those who love history, love philosophy and would love to study the people who discovered the compounds and the compounds themselves… newtons and his laws… his life… those who are worldly, culturally aware, and able to carry a conversation about plato…</p>
<p>i like to think of myself as a cross between the first two…</p>
<p>u of c nerds are amazing… there is a different brand of geeky, they are not computer only geeks or english only geeks who couldn’t pass pre-calc… and they are proud of their nerdiness to an extent where sometimes they can make a non-nerdy person feel stupid without meaning to… (i hope to be a u of c nerd)</p>
<p>I would say I was only the english nerd, but I unforunately have some skill in Calc and Chem. </p>
<p>Damn it, I’ve read Lacan.
I need to rethink my priorities and return to my one subject only self.</p>
<p>i’m probably neither.</p>
<p>but anything just out of the ordinary is awesomely and splendiforously cool.</p>
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<p>I cannot say I envy you:D</p>
<p>Try some Kripke or Ayer.</p>
<p>Well, I do consider myself a “nerd” in many ways, though I know people here who are more fit to wear that title than I am. I have been homeschooled, thus being deemed the (stereotypical) intellectual who is not concerned about what is “in” lately and who studies constantly. </p>
<p>Nada07, I would say I am more the English nerd, but I do have an interest in mathematics, making me the science type you described - though I greatly appreciate the arts, as I dance, play two instruments, and compose.</p>
<p>I suppose I am simply a wonderful combination. :)</p>
<p>Katharos, have you read anything by Martha Nussbaum, U of C law prof and classics scholar? I would recommend the Fragility of Goodness.</p>