u/Fit-Fun7755

back in 2023, Haley put out a video where she read “best books of 2022”, including Babel by RF Kuan. she kept saying the beginning is super slow and the pacing was slow and she gave it a 3/5 for “entertainment value”.

i LOVED the other two books in that video, so I assumed that I would also find Babel to be slow and dense so I put off reading it. I just picked it up recently and and although I’m only two chapters in, WTF is she talking about. this book is neither slow nor dense. id say it’s a rich text, but I’m thoroughly engaged.

meanwhile Haley’s friends praise her book for its writing…oml I can’t w her. if she couldn’t handle Babel I don’t understand the marketing for her writing as supposedly genius (cough ashlynn cough)

I’m starting to plan my outfit for this year’s dickens fair. I really admire the huge crinoline skirts I see there, but the ensemble seems incompatible with the restroom situation there (porta potties). I might use a bridal buddy, but I’m not sure if it could hold a crinoline.

how might I design the dress with this in mind? so far I’m thinking

- designing the dress as a skirt and upper body piece

- buttoning the underskirts and crinoline to the above skirt by the waist, making it possible to step out of all of the skirts at once and then slip it back on as one ensemble (idk if this makes sense)

any other suggestions?

I am applying this fall to about ten different liberal arts colleges. I have already visited Reed, Willamette, Univ of Portland, and Lewis & Clark, which was a big trip (we live in the Bay Area of California so the drive was 10 hours!). My mother and I want to continue these college trips in a cost effective way. We are looking at Univ of Puget Sound, Whitman, Smith, Sarah Lawrence, and Brandeis.

First of all, I need to convince her that it isn't worth bringing my little sister (a rising sophomore) - the extra plane ticket and mouth to feed on the road is a lot of extra money. How do I go about this?

Secondly, we are debating on whether or not it is worth touring schools over our summer break, or waiting until the start of the fall semester. She isn't working, so that isn't an issue - but she wants to go this summer so I don't fall behind at the start of my senior year. I have gathered that it is best to go in the fall (sept or oct) to see the campus in action. Thoughts?

I am also considering in participating in a College Prep day or two. Whitman is offering one in Aug, as well as Reed a few days later. Is it worth the money to attend both? Whitman is kind of a reach for me, and I'm applying ED to Reed. Which would be best for me to attend?

If you have any other advice on how to wisely manage the costs of college trips, lmk!

I’m mainly applying to private LACs, as their cultures and academics are a great fit for me. I recently went to Portland to look at some schools - I LOVED Reed and will apply ED, but other strong options include Lewis and Clark, University of Puget Sound, and Willamette.

I‘ve seen some discourse on this sub that students need to stop overapplying to schools so acceptances go up, but it seems like a catch 22 - if colleges are accepting less students because students are applying to a high amount of schools? do other students overapplying make it riskier for me to only apply to eight schools?

speaking of over applying, is it a waste of time for me to apply to extremely reachy schools like Williams? I am unlikely to get in (7% acceptance rate), and also unlikely to go. Is it not a good idea to have reach schools as some backups for my ED? On a similar note, is it not worth it to apply to schools lower on my list like UP?

I see a lot of people on this sub asking others to call a school about their waitlist. I’m genuinely curious: why? what is this?

hi all! hope you can help with this situation:

my family is in a rush to move, and my dad is eager to get rid of his big, clunky, chipped wardrobe. it’s nothing special (despite being extremely heavy), so his gf advertised it on Nextdoor for free. she explained that the wardrobe is extremely heavy and any takers are responsible for getting it up the steep stairs that lead to street level from our house - which is why it’s free - and that it isn’t in perf condition. we just need it gone. a guy reached out at 3am, offering to take the wardrobe, and insists on paying for it despite dad’s gf telling him there is no need and explaining the situation multiple times. he now keeps pestering for my dad’s venmo, which is making both very concerned. are they right to be concerned? is this a scam? is there a way for the guy to hack the venmo from making a payment?

lmk if anything needs clairifying/if more info is needed!

hi all!! I’m in a frustrating situation and need some advice, or just a listening ear :)

im a 17y who’s just begun ballet this year. I’m taking a “teen beginner ballet” class at my local dance studio, but everyone in the class is 12. this is mostly not a huge issue, other than the HUGE maturity gap - I feel like the class could be more productive if they weren’t 12 years old (meaning they are often goofing with their friends, not taking it seriously, etc). i recently found out that if I were to continue at this studio in the fall, I’d be placed in the same class I am in now - as “two semesters” are required to move up a level. this is disappointing, simply because with the new school year the class will be mostly made up by a new crop of sixth graders - fresh out of elementary school!! meanwhile, I’d be an 18y senior in high school. on top of that, idk if continuing at this studio is possible due to time - I’m hoping to do the fall production at my theater company, which is a priority bc I’ll be a senior and it’s my last year at this company that ive grown up at.

I could take the adult class at this studio, however it is more advanced and I dont think I could get the most technically out of it - as in my experience, adult classes are mostly made up of older adults who have different bodies and needs as a teenager. these teen classes, though, are not made up of teens!!

another big constraint is that I don’t yet have my drivers license, meaning that getting to class is pretty much up to me biking, walking, taking the bus, and the occasional blessing of a ride from my parents.

I don’t know how to move forward. I really want to study as far as I can in ballet, and I’m not ready to give up. I finally found an exercise that works for me, and that I want to excel at. is there anything I haven’t thought of?

HUGE CONGRATS to the class of 2026!!!! you made it thru college apps and now it's decision day (basically), and i hope everyone is really excited for their next steps.

as yall pass the torch down to us in the class of 2027, what advice/wise words/tips do you have for us? what should we be doing, starting this summer?