March 2014 Page 7
FEATURES
The Honors Herald
MALE PERSPECTIVE James Park, Contributor Leopoldo Orozco, Associate Editor About a year ago I chose to attend Pace University. Going through the critical process of selecting an institution that would help me pursue my academic goals and interests, (a process that remains vivid in my mind), was daunting. As a freshman in my second semester ofmy college, I am confident that second semester of college, I enrolling am confident that enrolling at Pace was a good decision. Having experienced the anxiety of choosing a university to attend, I signed up to be a host for the Admitted Honors Students Overnight event. By doing so, I wanted to help make this decision easier for a prospective student. I must confess that, a few days prior to the arrival of my guest student, the only thought circling my head was the thought
OVERNIGHT FEBRUARY 7 – FEBRUARY 8 2014
of going to see Mamma Mia! The announcement that hosts and guests were attending this Broadway show had come as a surprise and, being the theatre aficionado that I am, I could not control my excitement. Some of my friends found it amusing that I seemed to talk more about seeing the show than being a host. But please, don’t get me wrong! The prospect of meeting my guest student was very thrilling, and I made sure that my room was clean and wellorganized to make him feel comfortable and welcome. On the day of the event, I finally got to meet my guest. His name was Steve and he was from Pennsylvania. I could tell Steve was a very nice person but, at first, he seemed very nervous. I tried hard to inspire confidence in him; but in reality, I was very nervous myself. After all,
finding a way to be an inspiring guide for a stranger is somewhat perplexing.
Getting to know each other was awkward at first; but, after talking for a while, the awkwardness was gone. We discovered several similarities that led to interesting conversations. For example, his college options were very similar to the ones I had as a high school senior. We discussed the colleges he was thinking of and we talked about what would be best for his interests. My favorite part of the Admitted Honors Students Overnight event, surprisingly, was not seeing Mamma Mia! It was meeting prospective students from other states. Not only did I have a fantastic time meeting Steve, but I also had the chance to interact with other hosts and attendees. Sharing personal stories while walking through Times Square helped us bond as a group. We even created a few inside jokes. We, the hosts, referred to the guests as our “children” and the guests referred to us as
their “parents.”
The next morning I said goodbye to my “child.” I told Steve he could always contact me if he had any questions regarding this important decision. Overall, the Admitted Honors Students Overnight was a great experience. Sure, going to my second Broadway show and getting the $25 compensation were great too. However, the most rewarding part of getting involved in this event was knowing that, in some way, I was able to help Steve gain a better idea of what life at Pace is like. I would not hesitate to sign up to be a host again in the future. Just a few days ago, Steve posted a picture of the both of us on Instagram. In the caption of the photo, Steve said he had a lot of fun with me during his stay at Pace. I was glad to hear that because like me, he also had a wonderful time at the event!