GaryChapla is a journalism juniorSend comments to: suavecito6@hotmail.com
It seems like yesterday when I was a 6-year-old boy, lost in theearly days of innocence and all alone at the supper table wishing todo anything besides stare down at a kid’s toughest task — finishinga pile of peas.
I’d try to figure a way of camouflaging my peas in with the dinnerscraps of chicken bones, bread crusts and remnants of applesauce, allbefore my parents made their fifth checkup-trip back into thekitchen. They took turns checking on my lack of progress. Of course,my parents saw straight through my childish plan each time. They’dcomplain for a bit about finishing my peas before I could resumeplaying ball with my neighborhood pals. Then they’d leave me, again,to contend with the next round.
My, how the rounds flew by.
Now, I’m a few years into college, finishing my last week ofschooling of the 20th century. I continually notice that we collegestudents are blindly yearning for post-college life — a life thatfeatures many donning the cape of consistency of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.,going home and kissing the significant other good evening, thencalling it a day. Wow. Exciting. And just think, we’re not far fromit.
Just like those magnificent 1980s — only a decade away, when kidssported Jordan’s first of many pairs of shoes, when “Transformers”graced early-morning TV sets and when candy bars didn’t yet have dietlabels — the 1990s and its events will continue to fade further awayfrom today.
And just like that, today is always a different day, distinguishedfrom yesterday just as college is. You’re never fully aware of whatto expect throughout the halls of a college campus.
Recently, however, I have heard students throughout our hallsexpressing steady pains, such as how school is this, that and howthis semester is taking much too long. Or similar, trite exclamationsof “Man, I can’t wait to get out of here,” or “Ugh, I have one moreyear left, then I’ll be free.”
Free to do what?
Free from non-expectancy? Free to don that all-too-familiar cape?
But hey, what about the now, college life? What about pounding outthose beyond-late-night essays? Meeting friends at a local diner fora midnight snack? Or playing video games in the front room at 2o’clock in the morning because class doesn’t begin until 2 p.m.?
In a sense, this phase of life is what it’s all about — The LastHurrah.
Not only that, but it’s a time to grow academically, socially andmentally. Granted, people mature at different rates. Although it’sreadily apparent that some individuals need this time for learning, ahandful of students are ready for the world that awaits them.
Yes, a lucky few will burst from the clutches of boredom toexperience the high life. Flying from coast to coast, from continentto continent, witnessing the world turn from above. But most willassume that cape too soon.
So sure, you may be one of the lucky few. But as a friend oncetold me: Only you know how you truly feel. Nobody else does. Not yourfriends, family or peers. They’ll all try to convince you otherwise,but really, only you know.
You may be ready for the days ahead. You may not. It’s your choiceto move on if you feel so. But why not enjoy this short-livedmercurial crusade?
Afterall, we’ll someday reflect on these days with admiration. “Thesedays” will quickly become “those days.” And we’ll find ourselveslooking back and saying, “Man, I had a lot going on around me. Lifewas different and fun.”
Life is different and it is fun. Really, there’s nothing wrongwith spending a few hours of a beautiful Saturday in the library. Orfinding out there’s more drama between you and your significant otherthan a midday soap opera, or realizing after closing in on your15-minute trek to the front of the food line that you have nothingmore than wallet lint to buy that sub-sandwich with. Yeah, perhaps,these were moments to forget, but never days to lose.
Someday, you may be that person reflecting upon yesteryear, andwondering about your final days of innocence, the college years andwhy you’re trying to elude your worries when all you’ve really donewas move to a tougher task — finishing a bigger pile of peas.
Take care and happy new year, everyone. I’ll see you all nextmillennium.
This column, and the opinion that the “millennium” begins in2000 and not in 2001, is the opinion of the columnist and not TheDaily Aztec.
