Walking Backwards, a few years later

No, the first words of the title are not the name of a failed indie band (though a mockumentary about it would be fabulous). I am on annual leave for most of this week, escorting my younger child to various colleges in a region of the country colder than Florida. Campus tourguides still walk backwards several years after my first round of parental college visits, which is no real surprise. Nor are the following observations from the start of The Second Go-Round:

• My son’s way of evaluating colleges is different from my daughter’s. (Wow, Dad. Great observation skills.)
• I had time to browse the bookstore at each of the two first colleges; my son didn’t. Bookstores are still a great way for parents to explore the curriculum. (My verdict for the first two places: students are asked to read real books at each.)
• One college’s junk food is The Best Ever, much better than the daily ice cream I have seen at several other places. I hope the endowment income isn’t going to that, though.
• The first two colleges have an almost-identical geographic feature for each. It’s a consequence of the region, but it is a bit eerie.
• “Were these buildings all constructed at the same time? They all look like early-80s–” “Oh, they weren’t constructed at the same time. The later ones were designed to match the earlier ones.” My mental thought: architecture-firm fees??!! Also, this would be taking historicism much too seriously, given the late construction date, except it sort of works for the campus.
• Tour guides have one common semi-adorable flaw: they do not have much of a comparative perspective, so when parents ask for what is unique about a campus, they often spout what is fairly common… but the inaccuracy is usually balanced by enthusiasm.
• On the other hand, admissions officers better be able to explain the strategic choices a place has made that shows what a student can expect (and can expect not to have as well.). ((Yes, community colleges can make strategic choices. I think the Florida community/state college that constructed dormitory space at the tail of the real-estate boom was a bit bonkers, but it was a strategic choice.))
• A better question for students on a campus: What’s the best part of _________? That’s been the best prompt to get them talking about their own experiences.
• Mental thought on walking by several young men trying to leap high against a wall: If you are parkours players, you really need to get more game on.
• Mental thought on hearing about one tradition: Definitely a cool thing to do with liquid nitrogen.
• Mental thought on seeing one aspect of space use: OMFG (not what you think — that stands for Oh My Faculty Gods).
• Mental thought at a random moment: That’s a real fireplace, with a fire in it radiating heat. When was the last time I saw one of those?
• This week, I think I have read the best police-blotter editing in the world.
• My nephew and I lost out on a brunch date with my son to Tour of Cool, Fairly Unique Scientific Equipment. (It’s okay: we caught up with nephew and nephew’s girlfriend for dinner.)
• Two international cuisines and three types of junk food in 24 hours. I am The Dad. (My son is much fitter than I am and can easily afford three types of junk food in 24 hours. On the other hand, I was making sure to abstain from the Best Ever College Junk Food.)
• The admissions office for X does not appear to have its act together. Given what I know about X’s putative market, the basis for this judgment boggles the mind.

• My son is very easy to travel with, as is my daughter. This makes college visiting a pleasure.
• Rental cars without audio input jacks are crimes against nature, or at least more tolerable driving.

Today: another campus, another visit.