Back to School and Loving It!

What’s going on people. Just got back in the house from a long, but productive day.

After work, I went to the new student orientation for my graduate school program. I was able to meet some of the new students, enjoyed some epic Queso (my God, do I love some Queso) and actually got to speak to the new students. I looked so professional, it was funny. We then headed out to the bar and mingled and bonded some more. It was a good time overall.

Two things from the entire night’s festivities were interesting. First, I’m still amazed that people read this blog. When I’m writing, I just type away with my thoughts without considering others. The fact that people come to me and tell me about my posts is cool.

Second, I thought ‘Pancakes’ last year was cool. Having people over to your house to eat some breakfast is kinda different. I’ll have to have a post at some point explaining why I have pancakes at my home. Anyway, when everyone comes to me and gives me the best day of the week to have the event, including fellow classmates and co-workers, the event has blown up. There are going to be a lot of people at the events. I need to get ready.

Actually, this is a long winded way of saying that I’m looking forward to classes starting on Wednesday.

When I was a kid, I always looked forward to the first day of school for many reasons. Even as I got older, the intensity of the reasons would change but the general concepts stayed the same. Here are the reasons, in no particular order:

1) Seeing my friends. Summer is such an inconsistent time for people to get together. Some kids are in camps, some spend the summer with the family in another part of the country and other reasons. School was the central location for everyone to get together and catch up on what we did over the past few months.

2) Learning. I enjoy learning about different things. Even the boring subjects would bring me interest. I liked getting homework and increasing my knowledge. My friends would hate me for this but it was the truth.

3) Becoming or meeting the new kid. I went to a Catholic school in the first and second grade and I’ll never forget when my father picked me up the last day of second grade and told me that I was changing schools. I cried so hard. But then, I realized that I was going to be a new kid in a new school.

That’s a nice feeling. It’s like starting over. No one knows you and you tell yourself that you’re going to be a bad ass. However, by the second week in the new school, you return to your dorky ways.

I went to a new school in the fifth grade and that was solid as well. Then, I changed schools one more time in the eighth grade before college. I always liked meeting new people and finding about other peoples lives.

I also liked meeting the new kids at the school that I was already at. Which leads me to…

4) Girls. Returning to school meant reuniting with your school crush and seeing her every day. I used to get hyped the week before classes back in elementary school. I made sure that my clothes were on point, made sure that my fade haircut was sharp and even did some pushups to get in shape.

As a boy, this was also the time that puberty hit and while your body was changing, you definitely noticed the change in the ladies as well.

Unfortunately these fun times ended for me in the eighth grade when I was sent to an ALL-BOYS SCHOOL!!! NOOOOOOOOOOO!

No more could I look forward to seeing girls every day. Thanks Ma. Actually, looking back on it, things weren’t as bad as I made it out to be, but for a 13-year-old kid, these were sad times.

The good times returned when I went to college. These were glorious days when I would see the hotties of Vandy kicking it on the lawn in sun dresses and short shorts. Ah, the good memories.

Do I have the same feelings as a graduate student? Yes and no.

Yes because I still appreciate beautiful women and I’m on a college campus. The “talent” at my current school is solid and I acknowledge.

No because I’m 27. Most of the women that I come across on campus are just a little too young for me. They’re legal, but I usually don’t try to date girls who are super younger than me.

Remember the rule…the dating range should be five years younger and ten years older. So for me, I should date women between 22-37. But rules can be flexible. Amber is 20, so what can you do?

5) New school supplies/clothing: The new school year allowed each of us to get a new backpack, pens, pencils, Trapper Keepers, folders (sports teams for me) and many other things. This was also a good time to make a play with your parents to get those new sneakers or jeans you’ve been eying for the entire summer.

6) Sports. Back in the NYC, this was the time of year when my Mets were finding new ways to blow the season and the Giants were finishing up training camp and getting ready for the NFL season. For many of you, this is also time for college football to kick off.

There are probably many more exciting things about returning to school that I’m forgetting. List them in the comments section and we can get some good interaction going.

For now, here’s some At the Drive In with Quarantine. I was bumping this song on my way back from the bar tonight.

My love for The Mars Volta started with these guys. Perfect mood, perfect playing, even Cedric sounds good on this live version, which isn’t always a guarantee. Omar, the left-handed guitarist looks so young. They all look young. I remember when this album came out several years ago. Amazing stuff.