LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Student CAMP: I'm Back |
by Kristen Minor |
Well, darling readers, it's me again. That's right, Kristen Minor, the beloved youth columnist of old. I finally got my parent's permission to write this column again, as long as I used a pseudonym. So I picked Kristen Minor, because I'm under 18. Ha! Isn't that witty! Anyway. For those of you who are fans of Adam, don't worry, we've decided to switch off weeks. So you'll get a dose from each of us on a regular basis. Teenage angst for all life is good. This column does actually have a point, which I'll now get to. This is my senior year. College, scholarship applications it's a madhouse. I can't stand it. The worst part is knowing that I'm leaving behind everything I've ever known including my girlfriend. (Yes, there are more important things in life than my girlfriend, but I'd like to dwell on her.) Filling out the applications was interesting. Many of them asked, in essence, what was unique about me. And what could I do? I wrote about being hearing impaired and gay. "That's right, admissions people, I have overcome tolerance of all kinds to rise to the ranks of academic stardom!" I felt like a two bitcollege applicant. "Get your gay disabled kids here! Political, personal, poetic! That's right, and she has poofy hair, too!" Oh, well, at least it was something to write about. Being a senior isn't all it's cracked up to be. Sure, being able to go out to lunch has perks, but the minute you meet an adult, the first question is "where are you going to college?" I should wear a list. I feel fortunate, however, that my parents and I are extremely close and they have no intentions of doing something evil, like not helping me pay for my education. This makes me one of the lucky gay teenagers. I know several people who have had to work their way through college, paying for a semester here and there, or people for whom college is not an option because their parents have basically disowned them for coming out. There are several gay and lesbian scholarships. I've applied for most of them. (My mother told me that one of the bright points about my being gay was that I'd maybe get some money out of it. My thoughtwhich I did not saywas that it was also bright that it was legal money. Anyway.) However, I have yet to find a scholarship fund to help gay teenagers whose parents have disowned them to pay for college. Paying for scores of queers to attend Ivy League schools is out of the question, I know (can you imagine what the alumni would say?) but providing some funds to let those in need attend state universities would not seem unreasonable. On a side note, it's very funny to come out to an interviewer. I usually ask if the school has a gay/straight group (which every school I'm looking at does; it would be stupid to go to a Bob Jones) and how active they are on the campus. One interviewer came out to me himself. One turned purple and scribbled something on a notepad. My favorite was the person who stammered for a few minutes that they had no idea. She then went on to say that the school did have a very active outdoor club. I have yet to see the connection. I would like to say that it's really nice to be back. I'll be in the issue after this, ranting about some other gayish thing. See you in town! Kristen is the recipient of the national Vice Versa Award for Best Young Journalist. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 2, Mar. 10, 2000. |