My Area 1 was Social Sciences. We covered a wide range of ideas: human psychology, how prisons function as social institutions, the psychology of marketing, and the ways societies shape individual behavior. Our final project was a campus-wide election: the class split into three teams (Waffles, French Toast, and Pancakes) and competed to win the most votes from the student body. I was on Team Waffles. We ran debates, designed and hung posters, launched an Instagram page, and built a video game. We lost, but the project itself was a genuine exercise in persuasion, strategy, and applied social science.

Area 2 was effectively applied philosophy. The format was almost entirely discussion. Our professor would pose a question, and every time someone made a claim, he'd push back, not to argue, but to make you defend your reasoning or abandon it. We talked about the nature of art, the philosophy of color, and what it means for something to be "real." By the end, one student in our group had concluded that nothing matters, nothing is real, and love isn't real. That's probably the most honest summary of where sustained philosophical questioning can take you.

Area 3 focused on social-emotional learning. One exercise I remember clearly: the instructor would read a statement, and we'd physically move to different positions in the room (strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, strongly disagree) and then talk about why. It sounds simple, but it made disagreement visible and forced people to actually own their positions.

GSW also offered optional evening lectures, and they were some of the best parts of the program. My favorites included talks on conspiracy theories (which somehow led to a surprisingly compelling debate about whether Helen Keller was real), ancient aliens, the history of the alphabet, fascism in the media through the lens of Star Wars, the shape of the universe, and a dedicated session on memes. I also attended a talk called "How to Be a Good Young Man," which drew a significant crowd of girls who showed up in guys' clothes with drawn-on mustaches.

Outside of academics, I led a Bible study with my roommate, which became a meaningful part of my time there. Open mic night was another highlight; the talent in that room was genuinely remarkable. One rendition of "Burn" from Hamilton was one of the best I've ever heard. In the boy's dorm, we ran pool and table tennis tournaments and worked through what felt like the entire Pixar and Star Wars catalogs, plus The Princess Bride.