Brain prison

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I made it through—(dum, dum dum dum)—my first set of midterms. And because I've come out alive with my nervous system and synapses still mostly intact, I call it a success.

Now, believe-you-me, they were…challenging, to say the very least. But at the end of the day, everything was “do-able”…for the most part. So to all incoming freshmen, here’s a heads-up: the first two months, academically, is what I like to call “Brain Prison.” Your mind will be on complete lockdown. Even the classes you really like will, at some point, hold your poor little thought-you-liked-learning-self captive, and convince you that they were designed to bring about your complete destruction. And it won't be swell.

But the good news is that life here is really balanced. You’ll have your really bad days, but you’ll also have your really good days. And after that first test (if you haven’t had a meltdown, or at least a big noticeable one) life is just dandy. Seriously, “dandy.”

Suddenly everything is lovely, good, and glorious as long as it has nothing to do with learning. Everywhere, great things start to happen. People seem to be a little bit closer due to the consensus that everyone is suffering a pre-mid-life crisis from bigmidtermtestophobia.

Fun with your friends will seem amplified simply because it’s a break from all the work. Two hours of just “hanging out” may produce some of the fondest and funniest memories of your life. The look on your face from getting apple juice at the new a-ma-zing, glorious, Campus Center may resemble a newborn when they realize they have feet that can reach their mouths. Remarkable and tasty! And when your brand new umbrella snaps in half in a downpour on your way to class, it’s just so that the sky’s tears can trickle down your face and remind you that sometimes even a storm can be soothing—if you take the time to appreciate it.

So, here’s my verdict so far: once you make it past midterms, you start to understand that the vigorous academic life Centre sets up for you may not be a complete conspiracy to turn you into a psycho. Maybe it’s to teach you how to learn: both the material, and how to handle life when things get stressful. Because they WILL get stressful. But with what I’m learning so far, for the most part, I’m satisfied with. On top of everything Centre is teaching me how not to take things for granted.

I end on a happy note by going like this: Weeeeeeeeeeeeee! See, now life is grand again.