A Few Things I've Learned In College: Edition One

Greetings! Here's the start of what I expect to be an ongoing list in the next few years as I learn inside and outside of the classroom in college.

1. The people you live with aren't going to love you unconditionally like your parents did.
'nuff said. You have to REALLY work at these relationships to create a stable living environment. Your roommate did not spawn you from his/her uterus like your parents likely did (or offered to love you like they did).

2. Just because food is served on campus on your meal plan does not mean it's good for you or cheap.
For instance. The Rat. We think "oh it's 1:30 AM and I'm hungry. The Rat's open! Then you get there and realize you won't be spending less than six or seven dollars on anything, and though you just swipe your card and think nothing of it, those are real live dollars you're spending. And though they offer "healthy" options at the dining hall, it's nothing like Lanni Orchards quality fruit or anything remotely close. My body cannot wait to return to my parents' place in Fitchburg and be fed well for free again!

3. Procrastination is a way of life. A very very deprecating way of life.
Me saying this is like a "do as I say, not as I do" thing, but I am very good at saying "oh, I got loads of time!" and not doing my work until the last minute. The difficult part for me is it always gets done anyways, so it doesn't really matter when I do it academically. Stress wise? Ehh...stress is an addiction like caffeine, cigarettes, and cracks. These things come in threes and c's. For instance, I am blogging right now.

4. Relationships will come and go.
Don't get attached to one person too quickly, especially if you didn't know each other before college. The people may not be what you thought, and then that just creates a stupid dramatic breakup for no apparent reason. It's best to take these things slow.

5. It's good to have a personal motivator/incentive.
For instance, mine is Twin Peaks. My friend and I will say "after we do x amount of work, we can watch an episode of Twin Peaks." And even though I've seen every single episode, I decided since I haven't seen "Fire, Walk With Me" in ages, I will not watch it until we make it through all 30 episodes again. That way, this method will last at least another 23 times I need an incentive...

6. Unlike at home, you can't just leave your laundry in the machine...even an extra 20-30 minutes.
Behavior like that will result your clothes to end up on the floor of a dirty laundry room. They don't care if you got a nice ambulance ride/trip to the hospital while you were waiting for your clothes to dry.

That's all for today, but expect more editions as the years go by.

<3Alymay

Reflections On A New Orleans Fall Day

Walking home from orchestra today, I felt the most comfortable and at one with the campus since my arrival in mid-August. With a trombone on my back, Tulane flip-flops on my feet, and a smile on my face, I thought about how I was so miserable here at first, how much I love Massachusetts, but reminding myself that I wouldn't be regretting the choice of jeans because of the weather down there- my parents have already used the wood stove. Just yesterday, many girls in bikinis were sunbathing outside my window. This climate is a lot more comfortable, but I am going to miss the foliage this year.

I got sad news this week that my grandfather is in the hospital because his heart rate is unsteady- guess heart problems run in the family this week. They're probably putting in a pacemaker on Monday, but it's just hard to be halfway across the country and not be able to visit him. I am trying to think positively about this whole situation. I am at one with the world.

On my walk earlier, I also thought about my future plans. Right now, I'm taking it easy, exploring classes that sound interesting, and finding myself. My favorite classes are music and human sexuality (I've always been for sex, drugs, and rock and roll I guess), but I feel Russian is getting up there, too. The only class I really don't like is biology, which may be a big clue that I do not have a future in medicine. I think I'd be happiest teaching and writing, playing trombone and euphonium, saving the world with my words, and doing political activism. If well behaved women rarely make history, maybe it's time for me to do what's right in my heart and not what I'm supposed to do. I think I have a future in academia ahead of me- a music history professor? Or English? Something humanities-based- I've always loved those classes. Psychology- I could be a counselor. In short, I am keeping options open and all over the place. I love marching band so much too. That's really my favorite thing I do on campus.

All I know is that for the first time since I moved here, I can honestly say I love it here.

<3may