I especially like point no. 6!
Seriously, I think clearing everything with staff, even if it was not meant to inhibit you, did just that. I mean, it was one thing when you were around for a month and might go off and buy a joint or something, but then this attitude just took on a life of it's own.
If you were a long-time graduate, sure, you could do 'whatever you wanted to' but there was a lot of subtle and not so subtle pressure to do and not do, certain things. For instance, quite aside from the dating thing, when I entered the Seed I had attended college for one year previous, and was a straight A student. I'd even had a paper published in a professional journal. But all that was part of 'being into my head' and 'getting my head out of whack' so instead, I worked as a ditch digger, carpenter's assistant, landscaper, printer's helper, medical tech. NOBODY ever asked me or encouraged me to grow - when I discussed going back to school, the staff member gave me a funny look (Bob W.) and later, Patty H. was called in to tell me, "all artists are weird and don't you think that's more of a girl thing?" (I wanted to study art). Hey, when I was taking advanced placement Art History in high school, I was one of the top five students in the country! But I didn't want to be thought of as being better than anyone else, and I was insecure, so I dropped it. I didn't go back to school until I left the Seed at age 26. As I write this I realize I'm bitter about it. I'm fine now but I spent 7 years of my life just doing Seed-approved things like playing football all day or sitting in a rap for hours. The things I really wanted to do had zero credibility with the staff. I didn't read a serious book (or any book), go to a dance or concert, date, travel (accept to visit family for limited periods), form friends outside of the Seed, study any subject of any kind, or anything else for that matter. 7 YEARS!
Phew, I feel better. And I got laid too. And that is a different story.