Checking in from College

[HookahDuck]

A few months back, I posted on this board about how terrified I was; I was leaving everything I had ever known, on my own, far away from my friends, girlfriend, and family. I came to Arizona State without knowing a single person here.

Now, many of you who are past my age may not remember that feeling; the first glimmer of the "real world" shining out from behind the clouds only to slap you on the nose. I can honestly say that it has been the most exhilerating, terrifying experience of my life.

I live on campus, is the oldest dorm building here. I have a single room- adn not having a room mate has been both a boon and a bane. Perhaps im missing out on some of the "dorm life experience", but listening to kids puking and screaming in the hallway at all hours of the night is "dorm life" enough for me. If I couldnt get away from all of them for a while, I would most likely be struggling to stay.

I have settled into my group of friends. Similar to what it was back home; a few close people that I spend most of my free time with. Im a social guy, and I love to make friends; I just usually only want to hang our with one or two of them. Establishing a little solidarity within a friendship has been a nice comfort since I have gotten here.

Im doing well in classes. Well, I was doing better at the beginning of the semester, but I think that is to be expected. Im taking 18 credit hours right now; its a lot, but it keeps me busy. I held A's in every class up untila few weeks ago in which a few of them dropped to B's (stupid mistakes, too). Its easy to forget about the little things in college- because everything is so focused on a very centric mind set.

I dont party too often. And I know what you are thinking (Dont you go to ASU...?). Its just never really been my scene. I'll go to a party here and there, but never on week days. All of my classes are early in the morning, which prevents me from staying up drinking with all of the kids on my floor; but I have never been much of a drinker anyway.

The hookah has been a nice escape for me. It has introduced me to a few new people that I live around and a way to pass the time. More importantly, it has been a way for me to close my eyes and think back to only a year ago; sitting in my garage with a group of friends, doing the same thing. "My life was so much simpler then". Im sure this can be said retrospectively about the past year of my life, for every year of my life- but THIS change is well... more significant.

I havent been on the board much because I have been so busy with other things. You all should expect to see more of me though; ill be around.

I want to thank all of you for the help that this forum has been. Stupid, maybe, but this is the first time I have ever really established a friend or two online. Eric, again, Im so sorry for missing you when you were here in Arizona. I promise that I am road trippin' to SD soon to make it up to ya.


If you would like to take a look at it, I started a blog about my experience here. Mostly its so my friends back home can keep up with what is going on in my life. Im not sure how interesting you would find it, but never-the-less: http://tannerlee.deadjournal.com/



-Duck

[james]

I <3 PHX

Glad you life is working out for you.

Don't feel bad about not being a typical drunk college student. Not everyone is.

[Scheetz]

thats awesome bro, glad to hear everything is going well.

A couple of the kids on our lax team this year are taking it kinda hard being on their own. It will take them a while but they will get used to it.

Anyway, good luck in the future, wish you a good 4-8 years of college. Whatever your cup of tea is. Im just waiting to get out. Im bored with school now. Been in to long and just want to move on to my lounge.

[Macho555]

It's good that everythings going well for you. Half the kids I went to college with ended up getting on drugs and liquor when they seperated from their old lives. It was a shame seeing them all get knocked off one by one.

Rock on