I didn't believe such a Sophie's Choice-esque situation would happen in college, but happen it did, and I have been left in a "trunk" (drunk off of tiredness) state ever since homework turned into something other than "fill out this crossword puzzle." While some of my homework can be turned into a social event--like gathering to watch creepy vampire porn in which our teacher finds literary merit--but the line between overdoing the serious student mode and being that guy who pays thousands of dollars to just have fun can sometimes be hard to spot. The line is oftentimes a squiggle, drawn from that lone marker that nobody ever wanted to use from the bin. Ah, to be young and fighting over markers again.
Perhaps I'm exaggerating the overwhelming nature of college just a little bit, but it's true that having this much power over your free time can be intimidating. It's harder to justify looking at videos of cute puppies when you have a 3 page paper assignment creeping up on your syllabus and a handful of clubs that looked so easy to handle come involvement fair. Wasted time is no longer what you do to avoid getting dragged into chores by your parents. Suddenly my brain cells are more acutely aware that it's solely in my hands that I'm killing them. And you know, my head too.
It's true that my classes are more challenging than high school, but the information itself isn't much harder--it's simply the way that it's presented that might seem intimidating. Instead of regurgitating information on a multiple choice test, we are told to think, to question, and *gasp* to argue with authority! Respecting our elders isn't obsolete, but we're also being told to respect ourselves...which, after four years of mockery towards braces, glasses, and awkward hair days, can be hard to accomplish. Being opinionated towards someone who has all the power in that little red pen (or erm...giant black keyboard) isn't something that comes naturally to me; but speaking out, even to say "that's an absurd notion!" gains a good grade rather than a trip to the principle's office. It's strange to have this desire to do homework, but it almost feels like a brain workout rather than brain torture.
In terms of social life, there was this preconception among freshman that if you didn't engage in drinking and short skirted silliness, you'd have the world's most boring year and would be stuck in your dorm room for the rest of eternity. Maybe it's just the writer's perspective, but observing this culture can be more fun than feeling like you've been beaten over the head with a brick. I mean, just overhearing conversations by Canyon pizza (AKA hangover pizza) has made for some interesting stories. Even after living in State College for 18 years, I feel like I've entered a whole new universe when people are stumbling on the sidewalks and downtown looks like one giant advertisement for Victoria's Secret.
So as of now, sleep will just have to stay on the back burner for a while. It's the one YOLO-esque thing I've chosen...I have the rest of my life to sleep, but when else can I have wild Spongebob Monopoly parties, or walk around campus belting out "Bohemian Rhapsody"? College just has a way of unleashing that inner weirdo, and I'm definitely taking advantage of that these next four years.
Namaste.
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