CTY - A Huge Part of My 42

CTY.

Center For Talented Youth.

The only place in the world where nerds covet the staff-only CTY black lanyards, where parts of the Communist Manifesto are recited in a game of Mao, where towels and bathrobes are worn with glory, where the number 42 is regarded with great awe and holiness, where Vegas Weddings on Casino Night are blessed on the Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy, where it's perfectly normally to dress in drag (on the first Wednesday, that is).

CTY.

Center For Talented Youth.

The only place in the world where Duct Tape is the Force ("It has a dark side and a light side, and holds the Universe together"), where the Boring Brothers and Dane Holding are loyally worshipped, where CTY Policy can ruthlessly murder babies and nearly kill their fathers, where The Game carries on between 30-minute grace periods.

CTY.

Center For Talented Youth.

The only place in the world where "American Pie" resides on the High Canon, where Passionfruit becomes a symbol of goodbye, where Trench replaces dodgeball, where the Gulag becomes a Daily Activity, where the Totalitarian Theoracracy of Daneistan resides on 2nd floor Rosecrans, where titles become the highest honor bestowed upon a CTYer, where Rubiks Cubing becomes a mental sport.

It's your life away from home, fast-forwarded into the span of 3-6 weeks. You spend the rest of the year, waiting to continue the fast paced life you left behind the past 49 weeks of the year, until your life at CTY is up at age 16. During your lifetime, the friends you made, the relationships you started, the bonds you created are ones you will never ever forget.

Once you become a CTYer, it becomes a part of you, Forevermore.