User:Arice
CTY on me as a child
Hi, CTY. This is Erica, or rather, Ari speaking from Japan. Maybe nobody will see this page, but here goes.
It might sound like something so many users have said before, but CTY has impacted me from before my horrible memory can remember. Which of course, is short, but it feels like forever since I was first sitting at my wooden table, the smooth and cold surface doing nothing to reassure my nerves as I took the test. Of course, I passed, and in that moment I felt only relief, simply considering it as another test passed, another score recieved. But oh, I quite literally COULD not have been more wrong.
In my first year, I took a Honors Mathematics course and a Young Historians course. Sadly my memory, as usual, lovingly decided to forget about the names and topics. I do remember, however, sitting with my father, on the floor, talking for hours, from morning to midnight about anything i learnt in class, and expanding on it using his knowledge. I also remember taking the Honors Maths post-test and getting an A+, at 3 am in the morning, in my pajamas, sweating from pure stress as I hug my father, who had come home from work just for this. That night was spent smiling with him till he left early in the morning. Less than 24 hours later, my mother got the news he had passed.
From then on, I don't remember much of CTY. The next mention was from my mother, in winter, months after the last test, where she turned to me in the hallway of our apartment as we waited for the elevator, and said, looking down, something along the lines that if I wanted, she could sign me up for a On-Campus Course that my father had paid for before he passed.
Of course, I agreed. How could I reject a gift from one of the only people who understood me? School passed in a blur of focusing, breaking down, trying to get up, and barely doing so. I only felt the weight on me even more as I trudged to the admissions area, seeing every smile around me fake, unknowing, or forced. I stood in the corner while my mother and the counselor glanced at me, their eyes piercing, unraveling. Before I knew it, I was in my room with my roommate, silent.
From there, my memory blanks quite a lot, but even now, I remember the laughter, when me and my class, my friends, chased each other, throwing a frisbee in a grassy patch outside of my Marine Ecology class. I remember forgetting that I existed out of LMU, out of CTY, and just...existing. Simply existing. And that was the happiest I had ever been as far as I can remember. We caused chaos and trouble everywhere we went, we crashed into people and never glanced back, chased each other with empty threats, then rolling on the floor, clutching our stomachs as we cried with tears of happiness. That came to an end all too fast, and I know, that I was sad. It couldn't be over yet...could it? But it was. And I went back to my life, a broken body full of jagged glass shards, hurting each time I moved.
4:50 A.M. JST, as of right now, ill continue it later.
==Relationships and the People of CTY==
From quite a while back, I’ve had the pleasure of realizing that CTY is the host of one of the most tightly-knit communities and a multitude of opportunities. In all my years at any site I have gone to, while there have been some ups and downs, along with moments I regret experiencing, I’ve always felt the happiest there, and feel like I belong. Some years I have far more deeper friendships that do last a very long time, and some, fleeting, lasting only within the duration of camp. Needless to say, both are equally impacting and important to me, and I believe each interaction shapes me into, well, me. While I could mention well over a few hundred people who I have had the pleasure to be impacted by, here are mentions of some I can never forget, with experiences I treasure, whether the friendship lasted long or short.
Ako Gunji- While I met you quite a while back, and I have an admirably horrible memory, I can’t quite list every moment I had with you. I do remember you as someone I had looked up to when I was in camp, both your academic and social skills. Thanks for making me feel like I belonged at CTY, and that it was my home. I CTY you.
Rosalie Oliver- Now that I look back, I can’t count with my hands how many times I was rude to you without intending to. Thank you for understanding, never pressuring me, and always supporting me.
Yukino Suzuki- Thank you for accepting me truly as who i was, and while we ALWAYS had ups and downs, crazy moments and high ones, I cty you so much. I’ll see ya someday, k?
Rihito Ueda- 色々あった夏だったけどありがとうね、なんか結局連絡途切れたけど、またいつか絶対話したいわ。それまで、あざっす、とおやすみやけえ！I CTY you!
Fengyou- Thank you for teaching me sm about well, everything. It was such a fun time I spent with you, I wish you the best of luck in everything, and I CTY you.
Cayden Chen, Colin Campbell, Mose(s) Albert- Holy crap. I think we had the most chaotic admin induced CTY experience ever. While it was mildly trauma inducing, I had so much fun with yall, see you someday, I cty you three, and Mose, ur our Moses. (I still have the vid of Cayden giving Colin a piggyback ride-
2025
Ok for the sake of all things both holy and dirty, I think this year deserves SO many shoutouts. Like what the-? Starting off strong:
TA COLIN: LET’S GO, COLIN OUR KING. Omg ty for putting up with our…slightly CTY inappropriate *cough* talks at our table, pure insanity of missed volleyball spikes, and me using only one hand to try to get it. Also ty for adopting Hawon as your son. I CTY you, good luck with your future, and remember. The power of the beautiful frog and crow leafblowers is with you.
Dr. Mo- Holy moly, thank you for putting up with the pure amount of chaos our class (especially me and Ellie) caused you and Colin. You were such an amazing teacher, and I hope to be able to see you again someday, next time with my health properly intact. I cty you!
Mo & Hawon- The smart and smarter of our class. The power of long bathroom breaks, disgusting water tastes, and missed volleyball spikes is with you two.
Nora & Alex- Holy shoot you two, I genuinely can’t believe I got to spend cty with yall. That was..wow. Thanks for putting up with all my loud chaotic nonsense. I like you, I love you, and I cty you. I love CTY and I loved the passionfruit with you.
Graey- Ok Emperor! It would’ve been simply nonsensical to NOT put you in a section of your own. I can’t even begin to describe you, cuz A, that would take WAY too many words, B, I would break my computer, and C, a decillion words could NOT describe how amazing you are. I admire so many qualities of you, and while this might not seem like much+being cliche, but I really do look up to you now. I’m glad I was able to spend a whole CTY summer sesh with you, and FYI I got a digicam for next year ;3. Also, around 100 glowsticks and shoelaces, tape, stickers, and some stuff for then. See ya around prolly lolz. I like you, I love you, I cty you. I love cty, and I love you so much!
Ellie- While I can’t discuss details here, ty for putting up with my talks and rants, and being such a wonderful person. I love you so much gurlie, stay safe, and I’ll be here for you. I cty you.
Gavin- Dear Gavin,
You are our lovely Trump VA. Drill baby drill. <3333
Eli- Need I mention more? Well no, since we still talk lmfao, lovely friendship we have. Anyways, I cty youu!!!
Derek- WASSUP MY PVK (Pookiest Volleyball King) GG ON THE DESTROYED SHOE GNG WE LOVE YOU, THE BEAUTIFUL BABY BOY/FROG, AND LEAFBLOWERS. THE POWER OF THE CROP TOPS SHALL BE WITH YOU!
Matvei- My Role model, and teach. Thanks for being here and literally saving me countless times brother. I love ya and cty u.
Johannes- Dap me up the next time we meet cuz ong, you and me? Chillin in life gng i cty u.
Finn (My pookie and love)- Finn goddamn Russell. I ain’t saying more, except wow, you came in my life REALLY weirdly. Ong ilysm, see ya later! <333
Courses
2021-22 Winter- CTY Online, Honors Grade 6 Mathematics
2021-22 Winter- CTY Online, The Young Historians - Continents: Europe and the Americas
2022 LMU S2- Marine Ecology
2023 LMU S2- Introduction to the Biomedical Sciences
2024 Ursinus S2- Anatomy and Physiology
2025 JHU S2- The Global Environment- Shoutout to my chill TA Colin, unhinged class, slightly questionable friends, and my returning dormmates: Nora, Alex, Graey. Mo, Hawon, you will always be our smart and smarter, and then there's them. My seven, Gavin, Eli, Matvei, Derek, Johannes, Ellie, and lastly, and on all the stars above, the most, Finn.
