The Road to 14X: Expectations in the Form of a Socratic Dialogue
14X is finally here, and ’16s are all heading back to campus for their sophomore summer. Thanks to many wise upperclassmen offering their takes on this notorious term, expectations for the next ten weeks have been forming since the first day we stepped on campus. As we prepared to drive back to campus for the beginning of 14X, we were asked to write an article about our thoughts on preparations for the upcoming term. What follows is a transcript of the conversation that ensued.
JK: Man, look at Maine zipping by outside our windows as we road trip to campus for 14X. What was our prompt for this story again?
CR: Here, I’ll read it off of my phone. [Reads prompt]
JK: Great. So let’s start with advice from upperclassmen. Does anyone have a good piece of advice about how to approach 14X?
CR: Please stop asking the questions. In this Socratic dialogue, I will be the wise man.
JK: I don’t agree.
CR: I don’t care. So let’s start with advice from upperclassmen. Does anyone have a good piece of advice about how to approach 14X?
SC: Yes. I’ve heard that it’s important to remember that 14X isn’t a race against time. There’s a lot of pressure to maximize every moment, but a friend of mine told me that you shouldn’t forget—or feel bad about—taking time to relax.
CR: What exactly do you mean by relaxation?
JK: Hate to jump in here, but having read a number of Socratic dialogues in high school, this is not the best imitation.
SC: Look out, we’ve got an as-yet-undeclared Philosophy major in the backseat.
CR: As a result of your comment, Josh, you will be playing the part of the fool for this dialogue. So back to the question: what do we mean by relaxation? If you’re someone who loves being busy, why should that change over 14X?
JK: That’s a good point, Charlie. We should keep in mind that in writing a piece like this, it’s difficult not to push a normative view of the Dartmouth experience. Any piece of advice is necessarily going to bring its own value judgments, and we should definitely think critically about them.
CR [via text message to SC]: Great advice from the fool, huh?
SC [via text message to CR]: lol
CR: Perhaps we need a different question. Are there any other pieces of advice you’ve heard over the years about sophomore summer?
JK: I’ve been thinking about this, and I’m actually uncomfortable putting this online if I’m the fool.
CR: As the wise man, I’d definitely like this to be online.
SC: Charlie is going crazy with wise man power.
JK: Alright, the word count is looking great so far. So here’s another piece of advice I heard from a friend: don’t forget that 14X is just another quarter. The enormous expectations built up since freshman trips can leave sophomores feeling disappointed. Around week four, when midterms hit and the barbeques slow down, I’ve heard that sophomores sometimes express sadness that the summer isn’t really a blur of relaxation amidst New Hampshire beauty.
SC: Josh, how could you forget to drive up the analytics on our website by citing last year’s Mirror pieceon this very subject?
Anonymous $100 million donor whose name we have sworn not to reveal [via text message to CR, SC]: fool haha I’m #14Xtremelyrich
SC [via text message to CR, anonymous $100 million donor]: I’m glad we’re friends, [name redacted]
Anonymous $100 million donor [via text message to CR, SC]: Enjoy the #14Xperientiallearning I’ve paid for this summer!
CR: Josh, can you think of a way to reconcile our high expectations with the reality of a full academic term?
JK: Again, definitely not a question Socrates would ask. Let’s just move on to the next prompt. Didn’t they ask us to write some tips for unpacking?
CR: Yes, I’ll take this one. The biggest part of unpacking is packing carefully: a nicely packed box leaves you well positioned to keep your room clean and organized in the terms to come.
SC: Charlie, weren’t you and your roommates fined for not fully cleaning your apartment this spring?
JK: Well, technically we weren’t, because I extended my interim to clean up and donate their belongings.
SC: Also, Charlie, didn’t you have unpacked boxes in your room until week 9 last term?
JK: Fool.
CR: Am I the fool?
SC: Yes.
CR: And having asked that question, I’m back in the wise man driver’s seat. OK, last prompt: what is on your bucket list for sophomore summer?
JK: One of the things I’d like to do most is visit the observatory for some stargazing,
CR: Josh, there’s nothing else you want more? Don’t you think that’s a little shallow?
JK: This from the man who has seized my computer to ensure he remains the wise man for the entire piece?
SC: Well, I want to form lasting relationships with my peers.
SC’s Mom: Actually Sean, can you learn to drive this summer?
JK: Well, it looks like we’ve hit our word limit. Any concluding thoughts?
CR: Let’s do this every week! This has already become my favorite moment of 14X so far!
JK: No. Also, just googled it, and there is not traditionally a "fool" in Socratic dialogues.
SC [via text message to CR]: fool