These are the times of our lives. At least that’s what I’ve been told.
And after being a college student for three years and seeing the “American Pie” trilogy more than once I have concluded that I like the reckless abandonment of my youth.
But at this time of year, so many fun-loving people leave their perches, spread their wings and fly into the world of responsibility. They also use cheesy metaphors to describe graduation.
And that’s what this is. Graduation time. So many seniors are preparing to leave the hallowed halls of MSU and get a real life, real job and real mortgage. It’s truly one of life’s big changes. And one that many of us will face in the next few years.
But here comes the insulting part. Always trying to “one-up” the lower classmen, graduate-hopefuls are trying to trick us into thinking they have it all, and we’ve stalled in our quest to find happiness. We are supposed to believe that we are the unfortunate ones-the poor, pathetic slobs who are doomed to another year of exams, presentations and academia.
Silly senior. Tricks are for kids.
Let’s face it. You are now starting down the path that you will walk for the rest of your life. At least in college you have so many possibilities.
Here, we don’t really know what we’re going to be doing in the next few years. We could be a physicist or a race car driver or managing the local drive-thru window. Who knows?
College students can be fickle and get away with it. We don’t have to plan our entire lives. And that’s kind of exciting.
Now let’s look at the other side. Graduates have all the pressure of planning the future. They know that in the next few years they will be living in suburbia, working 60-hour weeks and trying to juggle three kids on their hips.
A social event to them will be an evening at Paul and Nancy’s tossing back martinis and discussing the past. And the only sporting event they’ll attend will be Little League games, where their children will learn healthy competition from watching the fathers fight on the sidelines.
Seriously guys, do you expect me to envy you? I get to stay here. I get to stay young. I get to sleep in on my days with late classes, stay out past 10:30 every night and run my car on gas fumes and a prayer.
Hey, I’m in college. No one judges me for being broke.
And that’s what it all comes down to-judgment calls. Some people may not look forward to another year of parties, games and martinis with more than just Paul and Nancy. I’m not. I want to have another year where I don’t have to worry about the pressures of the real world.
This is the part of the article where most of you are expecting me to add a “gotcha” comment and then say congrats to graduating seniors. Notice how I’m not doing that.
I do have one thing I’d like to say to those who are leaving MSU forever this May.
Envy me! I get to stay behind and live the life you can’t afford to live anymore. Your grand scheme has failed, and you will receive none of my jealousy, only sympathy.
But have fun in life whenever you can. I know I will. Well at least until I graduate next spring. Then I’ll be joining you in the chains of adulthood.
Dustin Barnes is a junior communication major. He can be reached at [email protected].