I miss the Earlham standards for...
I miss the Earlham standards for attractiveness (and indiscriminate cuddling)! There was just something really refreshing about being somewhere where superficiality was overtly frowned upon. The editorial is dead on --- before leaving Earlham, I lived mostly in blissful ignorance of otherwise common practices, such as women wearing a ton of makeup on a daily basis, bleaching/highlighting their hair, and getting manicures and trendy hairstyles. At Earlham, you are much more likely to see women who never cut their hair (or had a friend do it), only dye it if it's going to be an exciting color, only wear makeup if they feel like it, and don't shave. The men, on the other hand, often wear the same clothes for days on end. Hygiene is not always a given for people of either sex. However, many of these offbeat, unshowered folk are some of the most intriguing, intelligent, and attractive people you'll be lucky enough to meet (including a lot of very attractive lesbians). Just make sure to keep your wits about you, since like anywhere else, sexual violence can happen, and common-sense precautions are always essential.