College Life, Greeks, Creepy Guys with Houses

I was just thinking the other day about labels, putting labels on people, and the problem of labeling. In one of my classes this week, I was notified by a student sitting a table who was mad at the others around him. He looked at me and said, "They called me blonde!!" Hmmm. I thought, is that a bad thing, I mean teacher girl here is, umm, blonde. I've always kinda liked my hair and never paid attention to blonde jokes. Another student in second grade was upset and came to tell me, "They are saying that I'm OLDER than they are!" Well, hmmm again, somebody has to be older, but not me, I don't even want to talk about age, ha ha.

I guess it is not always about what is being said, but who happens to be saying it. If they don't like you, then it can't be good. Take the Teenage Hunk who is now College Boy. I'm not labeling him, that's what I call him. College Boy, however, is too busy to call his mom so I hear from him infrequently and usually when he:

Runs out of money

Runs out of food

Runs out of homework excuses

I do have to give him credit for laundry. He does his own quite well. He was actually voted best dressed in high school. Seriously, with two older sisters, this kid can appreciate a shopping mall with the best of 'em. I'm learning a lot about campus life these days as College Boy, who is still technically a Teenage Hunk is taking over the world at the university. Sadly, I do believe that the labeling system which is put into place in Pre-K is still alive and well in college. College Boy was just explaining his social life to me the other day. His social life consists mainly of a fraternity, and I must say, I have never really thought that was a good idea although I must say again that the local college has many Greeks (the inclusive name for all sororities and fraternities) that take on many terrific community volunteer causes.

Many people believe that these organizations formed to continue the clique lifestyle that we all experienced in high school. By many people, I specifically mean Bowling for Soup as evident in their song, High School Never Ends. Anyway, after all the dirt settled, College Boy was cut from his first choice of Greek Coolness, but seems to be happy with the group that he landed in. He was apparently thankful that he did not end up with a couple of fraternities as he commented:

"The TKEs and the Sig Eps, well really mom, they are just creepy guys with houses."

Of course, that is his assessment and not mine as I am completely ignorant regarding who is this or who isn't,but I'm sure the second graders will be informing me shortly, and now I strongly caution all of you to stay away from those "creepy guys in houses." Also if you are going to label someone else, make sure they are truly creepy.

Photo Credit: The Scream Meets Creepy Clown by A-Dawg13 @ Deviant Art.com

Wrecking the Empty Nest

Driving out west and confronting all that open highway provided me the perfect opportunity to think about the years, where they went, why they fell in a mountainous heap and sifted through my fingers like the white, swift sands of time. We drove onward as the highway cut through red canyons, and Voila!....it's exactly a Thin Lizzy song.

Somewhere out there is buried treasure forgotten by Coronado, or so the legend goes. Rattlesnake paradise, real working cowboys and Texas Tech spirit permeates this area as Tech flags hang from abandoned buildings, small gas stations in these tiny, almost ghost towns dotting the way to the campus.

It's official – I'm an Empty Nest Person, emphasis on empty. I took my young, handsome, remarkably suddenly grown-up son (when did that happen???) and deposited him on the grounds of this massive institution.

We have been through much together. Baseball games, basketball season and lots and lots of football. I wondered where was that 11 year-old who used to whine for every Pokemon card he could get his hands on? Skateboards, hungry friends, sleepovers and Advanced Reading tests that he was always behind with. Poof! It's all over. Many things finished, yet the future looming as if it was just right over the big, orange streak lighting that western sky.

The move-in was as massive as the campus, kids everywhere, parents with carts, a mini refrigerator bonanza. All of a sudden, it's dinner time, then I'm hugging a young man towering over me who used to be the little boy tugging at my hand. It's ok, it's life, you know. He's not the first to grow up, he won't be the last. Soon (I hope), I will be out of my semi-sobbing state and on to other things in my life.

I look around the campus at the buildings rising up from that flat land, the library in the distance, and I think about books. And possibilities. I think of my own school days in the library on a cold November evening, and a research paper I didn't care about as I read snippets of great literature flowing like a grand paper fountain at a small table where I could look out at the cold dusk as little freezing droplets of water reminded me that I should get going.

Then I was back on that highway again going home. I was sad but also happily optimistic for my young man with the promise of a bright future unfolding like that wide open highway that connects me to my only son.

[embed width="123" height="456]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66pE67m_Hf4