College=?

Oops. A glass of sarcasm seems to have spilled all over my keyboard. I wonder how long it will take to evaporate...

Let's see. College. College. That's it!

There are so many good things about college. Where do I begin? One of the BEST things about college is the amount of debt you leave with! Who doesn't love knowing that they will spend a large portion of their adult life paying off 2-4 years of higher education? Increases in tuition each semester? Bring it on! Negative amounts in my bank accounts are great! Do you know what makes this debt even better? It's not the interest rates nor is it the payment terms. It is the fact if you didn't have a social you could go to school for free! How amazing is that? It's pretty darn amazing. The fact that people who are here illegally can receive help paying for college while I pull my hair out trying to figure out which student loan is right for me just warms my heart. It is a little known fact that college students absolutely adore massive amounts of stress.

Random fees are great. Especially the $100 fee I'm charged each time my loan money is dispersed to me.

What else is great about college? Books! The books that cost over $100 that are used for only 4 months. These are books that weigh too much. These are books that have over 30 chapters for no apparent reason since you will only read ten at the most. Who needs extra cash anyways, right?

Good thing Sacramento is so hot right now. That sarcasm dried up quickly. Now let's take a look at what's really good about going to college. College is that lengthy transition to the "real" world. The courses that are taken in college are courses that prepare you for a career. College provides the building blocks for the rest of your life. (Get ready for a poetic analogy). College is the basic cupcake recipe. The chosen major is the flavor of the cupcake and each individual course is that special ingredient that makes it the best cupcake ever baked. Just like any recipe, there is always room for personalization.

College is different for every person, but the vast majority of us are here for one reason: to better ourselves. As we all know, going to college is a choice. Attending classes is ultimately optional. I have found that in my two years of college experience I have a drive that continues to grow. I can see myself earning that degree and really starting my life.

It can be seen all across the campus as well. Take away the droopy eyes and walks of exhaustion and it is obvious that the students on campus want to be there. Many of us complain about our classes and our crammed schedules, but deep down we want to be there. Growing up, we are all but conditioned to believe that without a college degree we will end up working a drive-thru station for the rest of our lives, forever smelling of grease and bad food.

Besides avoiding a life of minimum wage, college provides some of us with vital connections that will help us throughout our entire lives. With opportunities such as internships and work experience, a student can get a preview into the field they wish to devote their life to. Doing well during an internship period can potentially set you up with a dream job. What's that saying?

 "Have a job you love doing and never work a day in your life"?

83 miles to adulthood

As I sit on my couch with my mug filled with Lucky Charms and my laptop displaying a blank blog, I consider all of the changes that have occurred over the past few weeks. One of the biggest is that I am alone, except for my cat Coraline. I am in MY apartment. I no longer just have a space I can call MY room.  I have my own kitchen, my own bathroom, my own living room, and even my own balcony...

August was the month of change for me. The 83-mile trip from Tracy to Sacramento was a life changing one. I entered the realm of "young adulthood". As I pulled into my designated carport I felt the transformation begin. Simple trips to the store became ordeals as I adjusted to my new surroundings. I was introduced to the horrible words that are "rent" and "SMUD". As I got used to my new place, I began to prepare for school. I have just about completed my first week and it was far different than I had anticipated.

Let's start with Monday: I rode a bus by myself for the first time in my life. I was nervous to say the least. How dirty was it going to be? Will I be safe? Am I going to remember what stop to get off on? All these questions and more circulated through my mind as I made the 5-minute walk to the bus stop by my apartment complex. Once on the bus, I began to calm down. It was surprisingly clean and not crowded, yet. By the time we got to the CSUS stop the bus was packed with what I was sure was more people than the allowed capacity. This day would start at 9am and end at 9pm. It was torture. I arrived home drained and weak, but also accomplished. I had completed my first day as a college junior.

When I woke up Tuesday morning I was anxious to begin my journey to campus. As I passed through the rush week set up I thought about how much I wanted to be a part of a sorority. I looked at the various booths on my way to class and pictured wearing a shirt with Greek lettering; I could pull it off. As my second day came to an end I realized that I had not made the plethora of new friends I thought I would have by now. Was I not the social-butterfly my small town living had caused me to believe? Troubling thoughts filled my head on the crammed ride home on the bus.

Wednesday marked the middle of the week. The first week of anything is usually stressful, whether it is the first week at a new workplace or the first week in a new city so I didn't let me bring it down. The first week of school was a section in this new chapter of my life and I was determined for it to be a light comedy rather than a tragedy. My classes went well and besides the bus arriving late I got home before dark.

That brings me to today and glancing over to my "Sac State" mug and seeing that my cereal has become soggy and that the milk has become colored I realize that I have been writing for awhile and that I have just completed my first assignment as a journalism major!