(*’s represent words thought but not actually spoken)

Me: My key card doesn’t work.

Campus Security: What do you mean?

M: It doesn’t unlock any of the doors on campus.

CS: It’s not supposed to.

M: Wait, so I don’t have access to any of the buildings?

CS: Nope

M: Why not?
*isn’t that the point of key cards…*

CS: You’re a commuter student.
*and therefore have been moved to the bottom of the college totem pole*

M: *damn*

I don’t think I was quite prepared for the complicatedness of the whole not-living-on-campus thing. Just saying. Between starting classes, moving (twice), beginning an internship, picking up a babysitting job, getting involved in UCO, and figuring out senior year life stuff in general, the past few weeks have been a whirlwind of discoveries. The sentiments expressed in the above example seem to be the common theme in each adventure. As with most themes, there is a positive and negative side to things.

On the positive side, I am developing a laundry list of lessons learned. I will share a few so as to not keep so much personal enrichment to myself.

1. Using water instead of milk in instant jello pudding mix results in chocolate soup, not pudding.
2. Speed-bumps are meant to slow you down.
3. Bed frames are optional pieces of furniture.
4. Achieving a good GRE score will take a lot of work.
5. A three-week apartment renovation will take longer than three weeks.
6. I am internet dependent.
7. Utility companies have no qualms about using either the “hold” or “hang-up-on-customer” button, ironically making it harder for you to give them money.
8. The distance between idea and reality can be painfully humongous.
9. The class Small Group Communication is more enjoyable if you actual enjoy group work.
10. Reconciling the differences of other people’s perspectives is more manageable but ultimately less helpful and necessary than reconciling the differences within yourself.

These, as well as other lessons learned thus far, have lead me to the words of Socrates “As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.”

How true, how true indeed.

In other news, I am investigating as to the hidden location of my “creativity/problem solving on-button”. If you have a tips for this on-going search please call my personal toll-free hotline also known as the Verizon network.