I used to love the idea of college and everything it promised to do to our little high school minds. Basically you would still be yourself, just the 2.0 version. Your brain would grow, your smile would whiten, you'd embrace the thought of decoding chemistry equations with elation, your clothes would... wait, not your clothes. Basically everything would grow and get better the more you learned. Knowledge would be absorbed like... like... dry bread cubes and custard. I seriously thought I would be totally awesome and extremely happy with no doubts whatsoever.
But my point is not with the actual school and the learning of academics. It's actually the home life of John Doe Student I'm debating about here.
This is actually a bit of a new idea to me, to think about alternatives other than the obvious option of apartment hunting, dorm living, and stacking up roommates like dogs in a kennel. The only way it got in my head was when I met a very logical-sounding Armenian girl while apartment hunting (see the whiny French article I did about roommate incompatibility). She was so logical I actually wanted the apartment just to live in a building with someone who sounded so smart.
She said, "I'm Armenian so I have to live with my parents till I'm married. But everyone else leaves." Finally someone I could confide in about my thoughts on moving out before all my teeth have even grown in. I said, "Yeah, and then other people leave and it just winds up costing so much money and problems come up all the time!" "Yeah! So there's a good and a bad, because when you're on your own you have to pay your own bills and do all that, so you learn about responsibility. But if you're going to live with other people, the best choice is your family because your family won't screw you over." Joyous.
One thing I've noticed in a couple of classmates is the difference between how they were when I first met them at the beginning of the year and they way they are currently. The difference is sometimes pretty vast. One girl I know used to be the bubbliest thing I've ever seen. She was small and jumpy and always giggling like a damn Pokemon. But I've noticed that, lately, she's been much more cynical; not laughing at all, and just all around distracted.
This is the same case with another girl (and a few guys, so it's not just the girls), and I'm starting to question their state of happiness. Would we be more mentally healthy if absolutely everything wasn't a struggle and we weren't constantly worrying about money and bills and deadlines and parents counting the seconds till we get a job and are independent? Stress is a killer. No, really, it kills people. Like, clinically. And Lord knows I'm very friendly with stress. It's hard for me shake it once its settled in.
I don't think the world should be all sunshine and rainbows till you're 30, that's not what I'm saying. Some teenagers are meant to live alone and are totally ready for the challenges and learn a lot from the struggles. But there are downsides to this kind of situation that effect other people, especially parents. I don't want my mom's retirement fund to be gone just because I tried to make a living.
I'm rambling. I'm being repetitive. But oh well. I repeat when I ramble.
One last example. His name is Shane Dawson. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know him, but you should. Shane is currently a YouTube hit (the #1 vlogger out there), and for good reason. He's probably between 22 and 26 years old and is technically a filmmaker/actor. Shane admits to a lot of mistakes he's made and obstacles he's crossed, and one thing that happened to him was that he was fired and left with nothing. His life was in crumbles, as he said, and he moved back home with his mother and brother. There, at home, Shane healed. And once he was ready, he picked up a camera again and filmed a few videos, put them on YouTube, and a few months ago won the Teen Choice Award for Favorite Internet Vlogger. The guy deserves it. He has more talent and heart and personality and humor than anyone I'd seen through the media in a very, very long time.
Crap...how do I wrap this up? ... Um... watch Shane Dawson on YouTube :) and, you know, maybe consider the living situation in new light when going to college? Because your family could be just what you need, rather than their absence.
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