Things Change

So if you remember my Curator post, you'll see that I was slightly poking fun at people who paid $40,000 to socialize. I often try to stress the importance of getting an education, and how we're in college not just to expand our social horizons, but to expand our minds as well. The trouble is, I've been kind of a hypocrite by doing well enough in my classes, but not entirely jumping out of my comfort zone socially. Sure, I've joined clubs, but I give myself excuses not to go to them ("I'm too tired, I have too much work to do"). My heart hasn't really been in it this first semester...and then I'm surprised when I realize that most of my college friends were my high school friends as well.

Don't get me wrong, I love my high school friends. And I plan on continuing to see them. They are some of the kindest, funniest, most genuine people I know. And I'm sure every incoming college freshman loves their high school friends too. Even people who graduated college in the dark ages still have fond stories of their high school group. That kind of love doesn't go away--but growth also goes away if you choose to only stick to how things were back in those prison-like walls of high school. Those who go away to a new college, they don't have a set group of people to fall back on. By sheer fact of not knowing anyone, they have to talk to everyone. In that sense, I'm kind of envious of that discomfort; human nature is such that we automatically steer towards the people and environments that we are comfortable with.

But sometimes, there's that forehead-slapping moment where you're hanging with some people you couldn't imagine life without in high school, and you realize you have nothing in common with them--that the only way to uphold a conversation is to start some drama, or talk about other people, rather than ideas. Because you know what (hypothetical situation, but just getting my point across), talking about how so-and-so slept with that guy isn't going to make me see the world in any other way. It's not going to expand anyone's mind. It's only going to make people feel like shit when their private lives are held up for all the world to see. Some people have sex in college. Some people don't. It's not a big deal, and furthermore, it's their own personal business. Making something miniscule this huge drama is so very high school, and when you strip down that kind of gossip, you realize there are friends with whom you don't have much to talk about.

Of course, there are the select few who I could talk about writing, or yoga (or coffee--you knew I had to stick that in somewhere, didn't you?) with for hours. Those people I truly couldn't imagine life without.

I know I already promised this in my Eleanor Roosevelt was Right post, but it's time to kick it into gear--right in time for Thanksgiving and Christmas break. Yay timing. But come next semester, I'm joining the Atheist/Agnostic society, and I'll consistently go to the two other clubs I'm involved in. It's scary for an introvert to even think about initiating conversation, but it's also disheartening to leave others with the impression that I'm cold and un-interested. And so begins the whole journey of growth--because things change, and usually for the better.

Charlieissocoollike would agree (remember our British vlogging friend?):

Namaste.