Paradise Lost

I think I owe it to anyone reading to give a forewarning that this is not exactly an excellent literary piece. It is a mixture of ranting and self pity. But if you really think about it, 90% of the "blogosphere" consists of one or the other of these tones.

Last night I had the privilege of attending a holiday party for our collegiate ambulance service. This is an event that I look forward to every year, and in the past it has been a fun way to relax before we head into the academic asceticism of finals week.

I had a great time overall, but I still felt quite disconnected from people I sincerely want to become close to. Of course, I live in a world where people care - and I hope others do to. This is a world where we love one another on a level higher than we love our pets or we love our cars. The party scene is great in my book- cards, dice, ping-pong and solo cup all! But I just can't handle its intrusion into what seems to be any and every social event beheld by the Penn State student.

I would really like to build meaningful friendships, and alcohol certainly impairs that (no pun intended). I suppose I am already predisposed to feeling insecure about what to call a real friendship vs what is just a mutually beneficial relationship (such as a business relationship). I will say this: real friendships are based on more than getting drunk together and having "we were there together" relationship.

Show me good conversation. Show me your stupid dance moves. LIVE life as you were dying (as the song goes). Maybe we can have a REAL movie night, just laying around the TV in the dark watching movies into the late night, and laughing about the good times. No need to go cold sober and stop socializing or going to bars. That's certainly not the conclusion I'm trying to draw here. Just try not to waste every weekend of your college career blacking out and waking up in strange places next to strange people. These days are gone before you know it.

As always, may you live in happiness. Best of luck on finals!

-T.J.B