The Exponent Online


Monday, 4/02/2001	5 day quick link 3/30 \| 3/29 \| 3/28 \| 3/27 \| 3/26

College experience includes having fun

This morning at breakfast, while feasting on Marsh’s version of Cocoa Pebbles, I had a revelation.

The sell date on the milk, that cost me more than buying an actual cow, was April 7th.

Whoa! April? What happened to March? Surprised, I put my breakfast on hold and did the math. My fingers tell me there’s five weeks left here.

I can’t even comprehend how quickly this semester has gone by. Where’d it go?

Anxious to fault something other than my absent mind for this blunder, I did what everyone else does: blame the slow economy.

It seems like just last week I was next to the Christmas tree, opening up my "‘NSYNC: Greatest Hits" CD. Now here I am, a month away from being a college senior.

If this trend doesn’t start reversing, soon I’ll be eligible for seniors' discounts at Denny’s.

This all proves an old saying: "Time goes by quick when you’re having fun."

How true that is. Or as Budweiser likes to say in that commercial, "That is correct, that is correct!"

College has been the most enjoyed years of my life, yet at the same time it seems like I just got here.

It seems like just last week I got acquainted with what a fountain run is, needed my Mortar Board to keep me from getting lost, and got sick of the dorm’s "just add water" eggs.

So, underclassmen, learn from my ignorance. Enjoy college while it lasts.

Here’s how to get the most out of it:

1) Extracurriculars = fun. If your average day at college consists of sitting around for most of the day, get with it. Get involved.

"Well, there aren’t any clubs out there that interest me."

Wake up. This is the Big Ten; the list of clubs is as extensive as the Boilermaker Tractor Pull Foundation.

Not only is being busy a lot more interesting than having nothing to do, it’s cool to spend time on something besides schoolwork. And in the process, you meet some of the coolest people on campus.

2) Don’t worry about money. For the first two years, I did. I passed up fun times thinking I didn’t have the money. That way of thinking is a load of crap. I missed the big picture:

We only go through college once.

The experiences I missed out on far outweigh the money I saved. We have the rest of our lives to pay off debt. So get a part-time job and then go out and enjoy spending it. Years from now, when you have money, you’ll be glad you "got cheese on your Whopper" while at college.

3) Got friends? Answer me this: What other period in our lives are we going to be around 37,000 fellow peers? If this isn’t the best opportunity to make a ton of friends, then I don’t know what is.

The majority of us have made the stupid mistake of turning down a party because we won’t know anyone there.

Let’s cut that crap out. Sure the party might be lame, but you don’t gain very much in life without taking risks. Think about it, your next best friend for life or your future spouse might be waiting for you there at that party. That’s how my parents met, so I’m kind of glad they both went.

The alcohol helped too — just kidding.

Anyway, go out and make as many friends as you can, and equally important, make those friendships last, too.

4) Carpe Diem — That’s Latin for "seize the day." I think. That means get the most out of every moment here. Exercise a little caution, but do all the crazy things while you’re still young and allowed to be dumb and irresponsible. If you haven’t left here without at least doing one of the following, you’re missing out:

-Ran from a form of public authority.

-Taken a road trip simply because you had nothing better to do on the weekend.

-"Studied" Thursday night at The Cactus.

-Slept in ‘till 2 p.m. and wondered where the day went

Although only 20 years old, I’m gonna go out on a limb here and saying that college is the last carefree period of our lives. It makes sense. So treat every day here like it’s a blessing. Leave here with minimal regrets. Because soon, college life will be a thing of your past. You’ll have a receeding hairline and a mortgage, and every afternoon you’ll have to drive Johnny to soccer practice in that minivan you swore you’d never buy.

Well, you know the old saying: "Life’s a bit. . .female dog." Yeah.

Damn, my cereal’s soggy now. Oh well.

Next week’s column: Peer pressure

Till then guys.

Brian Dillon is a junior in the School of Technology. He wrote this column during what his doctor called a "mid-college" crisis.

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