Observations

HashtagGero414

“My wife gets on me about cursing but you gotta understand. I had kids so late. I had kids when I was 38. That’s a lot of years of saying “fuck” all the time. Then I got a kid and now I’m not supposed to say it? Yeah that didn’t work out too well.”
-Dr. John Walsh, USC Professor

But actually… I’m going to miss that class a lot. It was a combination of quite a few things that made GERO 414 a great class for me. Dr. Walsh’s humor was a highlight and the fact that he cared so much about his students was awesome. He spent quite a bit of time trying to expose us on careers in healthcare besides the coveted title of MD that most of us pre-meds go to medical school for. He even brought in a physical therapist and otolaryngologist (ENT) surgeon to speak to us about what they do and give us advice on grad/med school. In lecture his severe ADHD kept him always energized and jumping around (both physically and on his powerpoints) and he would often digress into funny stories about his crazy college days, his family, or his weekend surfing adventures. I also feel like I took a lot away from the class in terms of understanding the most important and relevant bits of information, not pointless details like the complex neural pathways we memorized in my neuro class last year (UGHHH and honestly, I don’t remember a damn thing). At first I was frustrated by his disorganization, but over time I began to understand and even enjoy his style of teaching! Also he’s just a really kind guy who’s been a wonderful mentor to me this semester. Not really sure how this got so sentimental, but I suddenly feel sad. Ok back to studying physics I suppose… wow now I’m even more depressed… ok.

"I’m the one that’s got to die when it’s time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to."

I’m a cliché.

Feels like your average Tuesday night.  Yesterday was just Monday (dammit) and the weekend seems cruelly far away.  Yet as I sit on my twin-sized bed mulling over my psychology textbook which looks as dry and crisp as an autumn leaf, I realize I am a college student.

Now you say, “yeah no shit Sherlock, you’ve only been at USC for three years. welcome to reality.”  And that’s exactly my point.

In case you needed an image, I am currently sitting in pajamas with my hair in a knot somewhere at the top of my head, not really reading my textbook in my apartment room which is such an accurate reflection of my lifelong battle between order and chaos it’s a little frightening.  It is just about 1am and my neighbors are drumming(?) on our paper-thin wall which has become even more annoying than the faint “wub-wub” of a subwoofer from across the courtyard.  Then I need to remind myself that it’s only Tuesday and, despite the fact that I go to USC, the likelihood of someone next door throwing a raging party tonight is rather slim.  One could say I’m living the “College Dream.”  

But what struck me earlier tonight was that I almost forgot I was in college.  I mean, think about it.  I am almost done with my junior year and I have forgotten what it truly means to be here.  As a freshman I remember so vividly being hyper-aware of my new college life.  I occasionally had to slap myself in the face a few times to get used to the fact that my life was about to become a new ABC original series (à la Greek).  I was preparing for a true Elle Woods experience: studying with cute glasses in the library during the day and having sleepovers with my new best friends every night.  For the first month every walk past my hallmates’ coordinated pink animal print bedspreads and glance at the condoms on my RA’s door would prompt a starry-eyed glow and internal dialogue that went “omg, Francesca, you’re in college. like YOU’RE IN COLLEGE.”

I suppose being a Dornsife Ambassador in the midst of Explore USC season has been a reminder of what it means to be able to have this “college experience” especially at an institution such as USC.  Seeing and talking to all the fresh faces around campus makes me incredibly happy because I know that they are all having the same “freshman fantasies” I was living just two years ago.  It has really been a great few years, and my goal for my senior year will be to enjoy every moment here, even the ones that seem mundane.  For now, the greasy hair, dirty apartment, drab textbooks, scuzzy frat boys, and 8am classes are just another Tuesday, but one day, it’ll be a source of much nostalgia for me.

Alas, after snacking on cheetos puffs and taking a half hour tumblr break, I shall resume my studies at 1:45am.  It’s ok though, I’m a college student.

This is SO not the time for USC Wireless network to shit out on me.