I told CA I wanted to do a blast from the past week. Why? College makes me laugh. I pretty much realize the excitement of the real world. So next week, I'll return to adventures in Corp America..lol..
What I found to be most profound on my first day of school were these things:
Ryan the RA gathered all the peeps in his group outside to talk about some dorm basics and some facts of life. “You may meet your best friend here. You may meet your future spouse. Or You may be the only one left from this group that graduates. That’s right people, take a look around because I guarantee you almost 80% of this group won’t be here with you until the end.” And he was right. Of THAT group in my freshman year dorm, probably only 8 outta 40 were there walking across the stage when I did. Only bad thing about Ryan was that he was continously touching himself, which would make even the most experienced listener have trouble staying focused. It also took away that "Bono" moving speech credibility. Then he gave us all condoms. Some decided to accept these tokens of sexual revolution. Others passed fearing that the people in the group would judge them. I guess you really do only get one chance at a first impression.
I think I went through five or six different cliques trying to find that one group that was closest to my own niche. Overly confident to too confident and finally my recipe of friendship: a spattering of self confident with a pinch of dork.
In my FIVE YEAR (please people what normal student graduates in four) stay at ODU, classes related to my major did not come until year three. I had not yet met my graphic design peeps yet. Years one and two were for Gen Ed classes. These Gen Ed classes are refreshing in a sense, but they also provide the kind of frustration that makes most people say “College isn’t for me after all, I learned all this shit n high school.” Does anyone remember “learning communities”? Did I ever see those people again after first semester?
I wanted college to be different but found myself repeating high school behaviors. Fidgeting, trying to go unnoticed, sitting in the back of the class and so on and so forth. It was only after my worst fear was realized, that I could move in any sort of progressive forward motion.
I had to literally get knocked flat on my ass to decide to make a change. Looking back now I had to fall on my rear down the main flight at BAL to change the course of my collegiate life. It was a metaphor for me of the whole experience. Fall down, get back up, change your clothes and move forward. The change clothes part was key, because if all someone knows is that the girl in the stripey black sweater fell down the steps, then to not be her—just change the outfit. Change clothes and move on.
5 comments:
I think in your old age you've forgotten that the fall of freshman year was 97.
AND, I don't appreciate you frontin on learning communities. My learning community was where I met the HENCH! And, for the most part, I stayed somewhat in touch with a lot of the members of my Learning Family (as we liked to call it). Twinkie, for one, I know never really left college.
Then there's Nicole Bonanni, whom a little birdie told me is doing just fine. What's up girl!
There was Greg, who was in ROTC and involved with the theater who once plucked me from some serious carousing & debauchery from the 4400 club (me being there PERIOD is a problem in and of itself) and marched my ass back to Powhatan.
I would see tall-ass Gary around everyonceinawhile and pretend to bum-rush him and he'd look all hard until he realized it was me.
Umm...Ms. Virginia Beach turned into Ms. Virginia, and then a country singer of sorts, though I've yet to hear her name floated here at the country music station so she can't be all that just yet.
Umm, Jill probably married a soon-to-be Senator and has impeccable hair.
The last time I sawr Lauren she was super sub-culture diva type with a dope coat.
Umm, Natalie Crane pretty much proved to be a douchebag.
There are a lot more, but yeah...Learning Communities CAN be awesome. I guess that's my point.
Only two survivors from my learning community. I think one's name was Stephen. He was a cheerleader. He said hi from time to time post learning community. Erin married "Soccer Guy" Jack as Nicole B liked to call him. I seen that in our alumni book. Cody did give me the helpful hint that all gay men are not good at hairdressing and not to stereotype. Good advice. However, I didn't even know he was gay.
Not frontin on learning communities as a whole, mine just disappeared. This was mainly because everyone in it was a english/criminal justice major. All of the graphic design students nearly lived off campus or just checked "no" with the learning community thing. I was placed with a group of "unsures" even though I knew what I wanted to do darnit!
Holy crap, that Soccer Jack kid is AKA "The kid that threatened to kill me"! Freshman year he was trying to be friends with me and my roommate on AOL, and we really weren't interested in talking to him, and he couldn't take a hint. Then he got a hair up his butt about the whole thing, and it ended up in him saying he knew where our room was and he was going to kill us. RA's were involved, and Soccer Jack, whose screenname was FLOWERBOY (pff) got a severe talking-to from University Police. Da-da-dum! It was all so fun!
Our learning community was the best! I felt so lost after it all ended. I was just thinking about Lauren the other day. And remember Mary? And that weird looking blond girl that vanished in to thin air or "got knocked up" as I like to call it. Hmm, that description fits another weird looking girl from our learning community. Remember how we all ate lunch together in the Webb?
The learning community lunch/sewing circle was pretty great. I remember the first time Lauren pointed out Bax and you were all swoony. I do remember Mary. She was so dope.
As for that other weird-looking blonde and possibly knocked-up LC member, I remember she was all scandalized when she thought Lauren was interested in her weid ex-boyfriend who thought he was super-underground cause he liked Blink 182 but was considering forgetting they exist cause they were selling out? I wonder how he feels now. I hope like a douche.
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