It snowed about a week ago. The entire school, or at least my hall, was buzzing with excitement. I ran out to the pavements, smiling delightfully as the little flakes landed on my cheeks. I then changed my smile to a frown, tried to master as much scowl as I could and looked at my friend, who was also smiling delightfully. I then solemnly muttered, as though I had never known a smile my entire life, “Make no mistake my brothers, winter is coming! And the dead come with it!”
The dead was obviously a reference to the final exams and papers that are a keen sniff away. It’s almost the end of my first semester in college and that alone scares me. I feel like it’s the forceful arms of adulthood ushering me into the unbeknownst realm of seriousness and deliberation. I should say that I find neither of those things particularly appealing. In hindsight I can already see how I have begun to change.
I no longer wish to become a train conductor, or a sailor - though quite honestly speaking, the ship to the latter sailed away a long time ago. I don’t want to be a professional wrestler, a ventriloquist, a pirate or a poet - much as it hurts me to confess. I am dangling in the mental conversations of what truly I should make of myself. I am lost in the limbo of classes that I should take and classes that I want to take.
Looking at the classes I have taken this semester, I can’t help but notice the ‘fun’ that I have had (except in one class, which I mustn’t mention). That intro to comp sci class was very didactic. I must admit it’s very bragworthy (patent pending) to have the skills, albeit rather rusty skills, to show off to my friends back home. The English class, was a good introduction to college writing. The film class did a terrific job at convincing me that it’s not all roses and ponies in Hollywood. That African dance class, well let’s just say it felt great to have the space to shake my waist to the sound of actual beating drums and not the imaginary ones I kept in my shower.
How good a job has this semester done in preparing me for the future? I’m not certain as of yet, but I know that it has done a marvellous job at introducing me to college, and isn’t that enough for a start? Finals week is swiftly approaching and as the gray clouds gather and the school streets slowly change to paths of fast paced college students, there’s no telling how I’m going to hold up. But christmas is almost coming, and the solitary hope of going ice skating on frog pond will definitely get me through it. Let’s raise our cups to this day my friends.
To the first semester of college, may we all remember it fondly.