Only in College

1. We had a peculiar sobriety test in my dorm, called the"wug test". I've never actually seen anyone pass it. And, in retrospect, it doesn't even make sense to me sober.

The way it worked was someone would hold up two pillows and would tell someone (who'd just consumed multiple shots), "This is a wug and this is a wug." Then, they point to one of the pillows and say, "What is this?"

The response would usually be, "That's a pillow." And, we would immediately say, "Oh no, you failed the wug test. You're drunk."

2. Nights at the Peanut Barrell. We could do nothing but throw peanuts at eachother at never get kicked out.

3. A blacklight poster was the highest form of art. And, a guy giving me flowers in an empty Zima bottle was the highest token of affection. (What was the sentiment, exactly? "Before I passed out that night, I thought of you and decided to save the bottle."......Awww, that's love.)

4. When I moved off campus, I lived with 3 other girls in a 4th floor apartment. Our balcony overlooked Michigan Ave, a major road that ran along campus. Most nights, we would drunkenly heckle anyone who was walking by. (Though, for that matter, in the daytime, we would soberly talk to passersby.)

One night, two guys came up and knocked on our door, demanding to meet the girls who were shouting at them. One of them actually ended up dating my roommate.

Later, she told us about a rather awkward conversation she had with her mom.

"I was telling her about him and suddenly, she asks, 'So, how did you meet this guy?' I didn't know what to say. I can't tell her how we really met."

5. Well, I guess it was typical at the time to meet guys in ways you wouldn't want to tell your mom about. I remember how I first met a guy I dated when I was 19. I was walking past his house. He was in the frontyard and stopped me to talk for awhile. Then, he invited me inside for a beer. (No, this wasn't dangerous. There were lots of people, both male and female, hanging around.)

Back then, it was just acceptable. I just don't stop to talk to people like that, anymore.

Oh God, I miss it, sometimes. That feeling that my whole life was ahead of me and the possibilities were endless. The completely-out-of-touch-with-reality ideals (Yes, we will legalize marijuana in November! I am old enough to vote, now!) And, feeling like all I needed to do was step outside to reach out and connect with someone. I could make a new friend everyday and each one was immediately "family". At the time, it felt like that feeling would last forever.

But, at the same time, I know I wouldn't really want to be back there. I don't really miss the bad apartments, sharing the cramped living space with too many people and too little privacy, the immature boys (That one bears repeating. I don't miss the immature boys!), the lack of any stability or certainty about my life.

It's weird to feel pulled in both directions at once.