College is Real Life...with training wheels

It's that time of year again when the students pack their cars and head off into the world. Some leave our corn-husked halls as graduates who will only come back for visits at Homecoming and Little 500. Some will leave and due to a variety of circumstances will not be able to return. Some, however, will return in the Fall to pick up right where the left off.

As Pumas leave campus I reflect on my own college experience. At the time I was so ready to get out into "the real world." We all were, and we talked about it all the time. It was a slippery slope and if not careful college can become, in essence, a four year conversation about what you're going to do next. The danger here is that you focus so much on the future that you forget to enjoy the past.

When we had these discussions about "the real world" my friend used to get really frustrated. "College is the real world," he argued. At first I just thought he was being ridiculous, but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. In many respects college is like the larger world -- only in smaller format. My adaptation to Angelo's thoery is that, "College is real life...but with training wheels." This is true at least at places like SJC where students are allowed to be adults, make their own decisions, and make thier own mistakes -- but with the safety net of having people around who care about them and will help when needed.

This is part of what makes college great.

The sad reality is that so many don't fully realize or utilize the gift of a safety net until they are out in the workforce and become independent. Then it's too late. Employeers are not as forgiving as professors when deadlines are missed, and landlords aren't as patient with angry parents when "Jonny's lost paperwork" means a housing application isn't filed on time. Extended adolecense is creeping from a cynical thoery into a commonly accepted reality and rooting itself to the psyche of American families.

But in college the safety net exists -- so that students can learn, make mistakes, have some successes, and ultimatly grow. I loved college, it was some of the best 4 years of my life. But by the time graduation rolled around I was ready to walk the tight rope without a net.

In tribute to the simple joys of college life and community living I present the following poem written originaly in 2000 or 2001 as part of a Creative Writing Poetry class I took under the direction of Dr. Bill Mottolesse. The poem was inspired by William Carlos William's piece This is just to say. Enjoy.

Note to a College Roommate

I have eaten
the pizza
that was in
the fridge

which you were
probably saving
for a drunk
snack

Damn,
it was delicious
perfect
and cold.

Inspired by William Carlos Williams’ “This is Just to Say”