 |
 |  |  |  |  |  |
|
CHANGE IS GOOD
Before this year at Miami, I worked part-time at McDonald's. At work, customers would often tell me to keep the change after they paid for their order. This year at Miami, I've often been given other "change" to keep. I have radically changed my study habits; they actually exist now. After a horrific first exam, I learned to use my books for more than just decorative purposes. I have also radically changed my spending habits; they barely exist now. After I saw my first college bill, I became much more conscious of what I spend and whether it was worth spending. I know at all times how much is in my checking account. My sense of measurement has been completely redefined. I have changed my idea of what's a really long walk. My idea of what's a really long time between visits home has also changed. Three weeks seemed more like an eternity at the beginning of the year. As of now, I have done six weeks straight here and was still doing fine. My concept of what "late at night" means continues to be pushed back hour by hour as the year goes on. First it was midnight, then it was 1 a.m., and it just keeps getting later and later. I certainly don't measure the time it takes to finish an assignment the way I used to either. A five-page paper would have been a month-long project when I was in early high school, now it's something that would get started around 11 p.m. the night before. The most momentous change was the first time I accidently called my dorm room "home." I was talking with a friend not too long ago, and I slipped and referred to going back to my dorm room as "going home." It was a really weird feeling. I've done the same thing a couple of times since. Now don't get me wrong, because all these times were completely on accident, and I don't see this box without enough closet space that I am living in as the equivalent of my house. As far as I can tell, the next place that I purposely call home will not be this dorm or my residence next year. Neither will the house that I currently call home won't become "my parents' house" anytime soon. But I am taking very small, slow steps towards that. It's an inevitable change that's begun to occur while I am here at Miami, and I’m keeping it.
Past articles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
