So I spent some time in Indiana and Michigan reconnecting with old College homies. It was really great to see everyone again. I don’t think people realize what they have in school till they are out and on their own, “swimming with the big fish.” I never understood people that said College would be the best years of my life. I still don’t understand how College would be everything worth living for, but I do see the benefits of pulling a Van Wilder and staying on campus an extra three… maybe six years tops. Where else do you have a default community of friends who are a phone call/text/tweet away? Graduating means growing up. And growing up means moving and finding your own life to live (preferably one that doesn’t involve daily take out, walking around out doors in your jammies, or hopping yourself up on caffiene, energy drinks, ginseng, speed, and (ok not speed) and green tea to cram for finals). *Sigh… oh nostalgia!
I really had a great time in Mich couch surfing and reaping all the benefits of College life without having to do the work. One night I made a trip to B&N by myself to get some work done. When I got back to my car I realized I’d left my lights on. I do that all the time. I leave my lights on and then my battery dies. Usually my brothers are a call away but in the barron land of Mich I had no one to call. And since I was alone it didn’t even dawn on me that a stranger could help me or even want to help me.
A mother with her two little kids had walked out to their car about the same time I had and had actually parked right next to me. I was sitting my my car with my head on my steering wheel, mostly beating myself up and trying to figure out what to do when the woman knocked on my window and offered to give me a jump. She said she had no idea how to do it but had the spark plugs…
This woman sat in her care for the next fifteen minutes, totally putting her life on hold for me while I hooked Pedro up to her van and asked her to rev the engine. I don’t know what it is about ordinary human kindness that startles us so much but that night I learned that the only great thing about school is that you don’t have to go looking for kindness because it’s generally all around. But when you’re out there living your life and for the most part alone, it doesn’t mean that kindness isn’t a door, a book isle, or a parking spot away…
And for those of you still hustling that A, I won’t tell you that you college years are the best years of your life, but gd it’s probably the most convenient. ENJOY it while you can.
