The Buried Life Visited My Campus!

thatshowiroll21 is finally finding out how crazy college life is. —Sparkitors

Let me just start by saying this one, true fact: COLLEGE IS NUTS. The people are loud, friendly, snottier than a toddler with a sinus cold, and creepy; sometimes all at the same time. They drunkenly bang on your doors and then run away; they ask you incessantly what program you're taking. They open doors for us wheelies, and they shut the doors in the faces of us wheelies. All this to say, you're going to meet more people than you have hairs on your head. Some are future friends, others bring to mind a cream pie and excellent aim.  

Ever since I got here, I have barely had the chance to breathe. And let me tell you, I love it. At first it was a bit dull because I moved in two days before the official move-in day. I would make boredom rounds to the supermarket and buy People Magazine. Once, I even thought of going "boredom shopping," a curse that can affect even the most responsible money spenders.

Finally, though, the rest of the World showed up, and I went to a floor meeting to get to know the people who lived close to my room. We chatted and got to know basic things about one another; in the following days, we did tons of those team-building exercises that every awkward situation requires. I wish I could say to you guys without lying through my teeth that I've made friends or I am starting to mold into a part of a group, but I can't. I've made a few friendly acquaintances, but I wouldn't very well call them "friends." To be perfectly honest, I'm at a loss: I've joined conversations, I've been approachable as can be, I've told people things about me to stretch out a conversation. Most of the time I get a kind reply or a laugh, but no genuine conversation. I also don't want to intrude where I'm not wanted, so I've been very careful. How do I make new friends?

College does have lots of cool activities. For instance, I just got back from seeing the guys from MTV's "The Buried Life." It's that show about four guys who are trying to cross everything off their bucket lists. They told us how they started doing these crazy things, like asking to open the six o'clock news in Vancouver, or helping a formerly homeless man who works as a pizza delivery guy get a new truck to deliver a mass load of pizzas to the shelter he once lived in (because part of The Buried Life's initiative is to help other people achieve something on their own bucket list). At the end of the show, some students talked about things on their own bucket lists. One girl said she'd like to reconnect with the mother of an old friend who committed suicide because he had a brain tumor. The guys got her contact info, and swore to help. If that's not amazing, I don't know what is!

As for my classes, it's a bit early to be sure, but they've been pretty cool! I'm a bit disappointed that only ONE person in my group for the program I'm in lives on campus, though. So much for study buddies! But my roommate is pretty awesome. She's from Botswana, and she cooks. A LOT. No complaints; she shares sometimes, and it's delicious!

And finally, it's time to clear up some questions from my last post. No, much to the disappointment of a few Sparklers, I am not interested in the Lonestar Cowboy. The idea of that made me laugh for a good two minutes. We are casual friends, but trust me, he's more interested in beer and his sheep farm than me.

Song for this post: "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" by Alan Jackson, dedicated to all you people in the States.

Book for this post is: The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

Well, cue the advice!

Kat :)

So, do you Sparklers have any advice for making friends in college while wheelchair bound?

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