Ice Cream Wars
For some odd reason the Boston area is home to some of the best ice-cream shops in the world. For anyone visiting Boston during their college search tour, you have to give at least one or two of these shops a try.
J.P. Licks – close to Tufts in Davis Square. The ice cream is good but not great. However, because of its location it is a center of gravity on warm days for many Tufts students.
Toscanini’s in Cambridge – This is my favorite! Located a few T stops away in Central Square on the Red Line, Toscanini’s has the best ice cream I have ever had. And I do not make that statement lightly. This ice cream shop has a very hipster vibe; in fact I think big plastic glasses and skinny jeans are the expected dress code but are not required. My favorite flavor is burnt caramel ice but they also are known for experimenting with different flavors (banana basil, white Russian, bourbon, saffron) every week there is something new!
Christina’s in Cambridge- Like Toscanini’s, Christina’s is a very...
Why should you never ask the barber if you need a haircut...?
Because the answer is always “Yes.” I’m pretty sure Adam Smith would love the phrase above and it reminds me of the inevitable question that many admitted students ask in April. “I got into Tufts and another really good school, what is the difference between these two places and which one should I pick?” You have to remember that the “invisible hand” is always in play and we admitted you because we want you to enroll! If you were admitted to Tufts it means you are awesome and we love you, but it also means that some of the other places you applied to, probably love you just as much. It’s a great feeling to be admitted and have a difficult choice to make, however, it also brings a new kind of anxiety. For almost all of you, this is the first major life decision you will make that will in many ways affect the rest of your life. It’s right up there with what career you choose, what house you buy and who you marry. College will change you, that is more or less the point, and for many people...
Rabbit Food
As tough as it is to read through hundreds of files this time of the year, one of my favorite things about working in admissions is that I am always learning something new. It’s a really cool feeling when I can put down a file and say “Hmmmm…. I never thought about that before.” The wisdom of 17 year olds.
This year there were no shortage of essays and responses that were very provocative (both good and bad) and gave me some time to think about my own perspective.
One new thing in my life that has been influenced in large part by your applications is that I have severely cut back on the amount of meat I eat. There were a number of essays this year from people who talked about their reasons for being vegetarians, certainly not an easy feat in places like Texas (did you know that in Houston meat particles are actually abundant in the air!? I learned this from a student’s application, so it must be true). For some not eating meat is political, for others it is cultural or religious, and...
Oscar Sunday
So today are the Oscars! Aside from a Super Bowl Sunday that features the Patriots (I don’t want to talk about it), Oscar Sunday is one of the few things I look forward every year! If you read my blog posts at all it’s pretty obvious my love of movies. I thought it would still be fun to post my predictions and see if you guys had any thoughts on this years nominees. Feel free to comment and see if you can beat my picks…
My Predictions:
Best Picture: The Artist
Best Director: The French guy for The Artist
Best Actor: The other French guy for The Artist
Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer for Beginners
Best Actress: Viola Davis for The Help
Best Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo for The Artist
Foreign Language Film: Iran, A Separation
Animated Film: Rango
Adapted Screenplay: The Descendants
Original Screenplay: Midnight in Paris
Original Song: Man or a Muppet music that inspires the life of Dan Grayson.
Original Score: The Artist