Our Time 1998

I t isn't difficult to pinpoint the aspect that makes IMSA such a one- of-a-kind experience. Whe re else can we drop by a friend's room at unbelievable hours of the night just by crossing a hallway? Whe re else must we throw last minute problem set parties, or depend on Arbor for oh-so-delicious daily sustenance? These essen– tial, yet peculiar momen ts originate from a single common bond: we all live together on this campus. As a result we must share our lives all day long, learn independence, and combat the endless distractions that accompany residential life. These new challenges constitute the unique flavor of our school, where being close takes on a who le n ew meaning. "We finally get to live with the people that we WANT to live with. Friends are definitely easier to get along with than brothers or sisters. Al– though, they don 't do your laundry for you like your parents," said Sopho– more Katie Vina. The inviting attribute of IMSA, which attracted many to the campus, was definitely not the orange carpet or the windowless walls, rather the intriguing idea of living on your own. The thought was too tempting: escaping constant parental discipline and deciding our own life. "I love my parents. I really do. But, you know, sometimes, especially at this point in my life, they just don 't understand me ," said Senior David Crane. Yet, many of us learned that with freedom came responsibility, and independence turned out to be a more difficult task than it seemed . Without anyone watch over us—except, perhaps, our RCs—we learned the hard way how to clean up after ourselves, when to finally abandon the phone for mo re productive activities, how to schedule our time, and how to invent innova– tive new microwave creations. "For the first time, I had to be the driving force behind my life. It kind of scared me in the beginning. Then, I realized that if I didn't do it, no one else would. Who better to steer the boat than the person who made it?" said Junior Virginia Hawthorne. Our residential experience also taught us skills unique only to this campus. We mastered the art of skirting interviz rules, integrating ten o'clock check into our lives, and instinctively sporting an access card as if it was an extra limb. "I once tried to get into a res hall without my access card, but the door didn't open to 'Open Sesame" because I wasn't Ali Baba ," said Senior Erica Redden. Living together was not only about handling responsibilities, it gave everyone a chance to forge friendships on a level that could not be achieved in any other situation. Here, because of what we survived together, relation– ships developed will last a lifetime. "Sometimes, when I 'm having a particularly hard day, I'll stop whatever I 'm doing and look around. When I see the smiling faces of my friends staring at me, I realize that I ' ve never known such comraderie and love in any other place. And I ' ve been to many places," said Senior Adam Van Den Boom. Every moment of the day, wingmates, hallmates, and roommates shared your home. You were as much a part of their lives as they were of yours. "Friends lost the definition of someone you occasionally visited after school or spoke with during class. Friends are now the people that understand and share your experiences night and day and are there for you around the clock. Always ," said Senior Tess Kim. That special key made IMSA not only our school, but our home as well. If) a) V ) o £ V ) V ) • mamwW £ 1 3 O e a c h e r s < \ ) a r i d f r i e n d s . ^ D e f i n i t e l y . w - E r k a M c E v o y - N T h e f o c d . i c k M a r l o n i A l l t h e h o m e w o r k . I j u s t l o v e p r o b l e m s e t s . = - B i l l F e e h a n Wbl ^ ^ ^ n t i ^ ^ i ^