I felt guilty for spending almost no time at the computer today before realizing that it was my second-to-last day at the Hub and that socializing was probably the right thing to do.

I also felt nervous because it seemed like people around me picked things up very quickly. I have to remind myself that (a) everyone has a different level of experience, and (b) I’m a slow-to-warm-up type and often feel very hesitant about things until I get comfortable. Then I do fine.

I’ve also been deliriously happy. It’s like a little slice of paradise here. It’s rare in life to be in a place where everyone is there because they chose to be. In fact, I can’t think of anything like this. Grad school could (should?) have been like this, but many of my fellow students were facing various pressures, and maybe the top-down nature of the curriculum also made a difference.

Finally, I’ve enjoyed how eager people are to answer questions. On StackOverflow, people will scold you if you ask a question that’s already been answered. For another example, I was taken aback when I asked the hotel receptionist if she could recommend a local laundry, and she told me to Google it. But at the Recurse Center, people will jump into line to answer your beginner questions. This makes me think of how such a learning-oriented environment could be cultivated outside of RC.