Marilyn Cole: A Brief
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The best kind of restaurant is one that lets my friends stay 
there late into the night; it must allow us to use their 
establishment to discuss philosophy, the existence of God, 
music of all types, our varying role models (from Bertrand 
Russell to Sylvia Plath to our favorite history teacher).  
Of course, it's also a bonus if the restaurant can supply us 
with sufficient amounts of waffles, hash browns, grilled 
cheese sandwiches and coffee.

I have been keeping a journal ever since I was eight years 
old when I received a small pink book with the words "My 
Diary" embossed on the cover from my grandmother.  I credit 
her for the growth that my journal has inspired, not only 
in my writing skills, but also in the knowledge of my 
character that it has given me.

One of the people that I respect most in this world is my 
brother Slade, who is two years younger than me.  He is 
amazing in the way that he can act without worrying about 
what people might think or say about him.  I admire him for 
that quality and for his ability to get along with anyone, 
despite his or her beliefs.  Leaving him will be one of the 
hardest things about going off to college.

Most of my favorite movies are rather obscure, leading to 
inordinate amounts of enthusiasm when hearing one mentioned.  
While watching Something About Mary recently, I made my 
friends, and everyone else in the theater, for that matter, 
well aware of my excitement at the mention of Harold and 
Maude.  I also have a much greater appreciation of the 
Barenaked Ladies when I heard the allusion to my favorite 
director, Akira Kurosawa, in one of their songs.

Saved in my computer is a 17-page document that lists my 
collection of quotations that are important to me.  I love 
words that make people think, and my favorite quotation is 
in the words of the dodecahedron from The Phantom Tollbooth: 
"It may be absurd, but it's completely accurate, and as long 
as the answer is right, who cares if the question is wrong?  
If you want sense, you'll have to make it yourself."

There is a reason why my parents don't feel the need to make 
sure I've done my homework as they do with my little brother. 
In kindergarten, when I realized that I had left my first 
homework assignment at home after my mother had dropped me 
off, I stubbornly walked the 10 blocks back to my house to 
retrieve it. I believe that it is my own drive, more than 
anything else, that keeps me awake late at night when I have 
to finish that last calculus problem, or write the last 
words of a French essay.

I have no respect for narrow-mindedness. I admire people who 
are open to new ideas, those who question what is accepted, 
those who don't mind shocking people a little when it's 
appropriate.

I owe who I am to every adventure that I have had and every 
person that I have met.  The experience that college 
represents for me is one that I look forward to in 
anticipation of who I can become.