Sunday, December 16, 2007

Old Places



I just overheard this college freshman telling her friend about her impressions of Harvard:
“Everything is so old. It’s like going to Hogwarts.”
Hogwarts: one of the oldest places on earth. Predated only by Mordor and the place Where the Wild Things Are.
Take that, England and Europe: America does have history. Moreover, our history actually exists, whereas yours is just a confused jumble of young adult fantasy fiction settings.
Take that.

2 comments:

Lesley said...

did I ever tell you about the time I was sitting in a cafe listening to two undergrads have a really serious conversation about this complicated relationship one of them was in? The advice-giving girl says, profoundly, "It's just like Dumbledore says. You have to choose between what is right and what is easy." Girl 2 ponders that, nodding in agreement.

I mock, but actually I think Harry Potter is way profounder than stupid Plato or something.

Monzy said...

I was having sushi at the Saji's counter when I overheard a conversation between two Columbia undergrads:
Girl 1: "OK, so we agree that Harvard is most like Gryffindor, Columbia is Hufflepuff, Yale is Ravenclaw, and Princeton is Slytherin."
Girl 2: "I think maybe Yale should be Slytherin."
Girl 1: "Ooh, and Barnard is that place where Fleur Delacour went!"
Girl 2: "Yeah, Barnard is definitely Beauxbatons."