It's funny to me now, how 'tired' I was in undergrad. Spring Break was 'so necessary.' I'd come back to school feeling refreshed and ready to knock out the rest of the year.
What I wouldn't give right now for Spring Break. I am tired of being tired and while I could take a few days off, I know that work will be right here waiting for me. Hell, work might just interject itself on my mini-vacay.
I miss the simpler days, when broke was just broke. It didn't mean that you'd never be able to buy a house or that your credit score went from numbers to letters. It meant that you might actually have to use dining dollars, instead of ordering in. Broke meant that you were intimately familiar with the dollar menu(which is still the case), but your waistline wouldn't reflect your menu choices because you walked everywhere anyway.
School provided insulation from the pressures of the 'real world' and you were cocooned from real-world expectations, prices (student discount anyone?), and in some cases consequences.
Fail a test? You had a good shot of being able to talk yourself into a better grade during office hours.
Fail a work project? Please clear out your desk by the close of business.
I know, you can't go back. I don't think I could deal with even attempting to 'go back.' I am, however, wistful of how good that time was in my life. I feel like I'll be saying the same thing about my haphazard 20s ten yrs from now.
4 comments:
I know I'm supposed to say that you should go back, but dont - lol. Graduate student broke is on a whole OTHER level.
I cant recommend that.
"when broke was just broke. It didn't mean that you'd never be able to buy a house or that your credit score went from numbers to letters."
when broke meant you hope someone buys you a drink at the club you got into before midnight -ladies night of course.
I'd go back in a heartbeat. to HU or FAM. and by go back, I mean, 2000-2005, not 26 y.o in undergrad!
my aunt said she would never ever relive her 20s. she didn't know herself and spent too much time worrying (how FAMILIAR). she would LOVE to redo her 30s. i think what you touched on is part of the issue. we remember the good stuff and the time when we were having a blast all the time and it's hard to reconcile that with this life we're living right now. patti is right about grad student broke ESP. if you've had a job and you've had 2? it will be a nightmare. i'm getting loans out the wazoo to pay for it all buti can def. say i enjoy my coursework. i had spring break and now i need another one. def. wasn't like this in undergrad.
I remember clearly a time my mother came to visit me on campus and walking down the street whining, "When is life going to get easier?" I was taking 18 credits, making a documentary and working as a bartender, and I felt pulled in every direction. The answer is that life NEVER gets easier. We just get older, wiser, and more capable of coping. I wouldn't go back to my early twenties for anything, but I'd sure like to slow down and simplify my late twenties!
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