I haven’t had a normal bowel movement in two months. I know that may sound weird and disturbing, but I can guarantee that the majority of my grade, and maybe the school, shares the same sentiment.
The last seven weeks have been tumultuous and stretched. During those seven weeks, I’ve had many experiences that can be categorized as “Tufts canon.” I’ve walked into the wrong class and meeting, I’ve sat at the football tables and watched them give me the craziest side-eye, I’ve been accepted and rejected from a certain live music concert on Thursday nights at an undisclosed location, and I’ve waited in the long line at Pax for lunch.
My first seven weeks have been full of learning. Whether it be in or outside of the classroom, the continual absorption of knowledge has been a constant.
Let me bring back my patented list format to convey some of my Tufts expertise:
Crosswalks are abysmal and optional. The Cummings intersection is just a free-for-all. Cars versus people. Back in Chicago, anyone who jaywalks is hit immediately.
Carm sucks. I’ll say it again, and I’ll continue to say it.
Many students just waffle and yap. Speak your heart, sure, but come on. Sometimes peace and quiet is compulsory. People who have conversations in the Tisch Library basement are bad kids.
Everyone is super friendly and chill. Quite the loving community. Except anyone named Tim.
The Sink is so funny. I’m convinced the workers have an ongoing bet to see who can get a customer to wait the longest for a coffee.
No one looks cool going down the hill.
While those are all little, whimsical tidbits, there is one thing of substance I’ve learned: College is split into two sections.
One section is composed of things that you can control and the other is things that you can not control. Here, the things that we can’t control outweigh the things we can.
The phrase “it is what it is” is a staple of college. Dewick chicken is dry? It is what it is. You can’t watch the live band on Thursday night? It is what it is. Someone vomited in the hallway? It is what it is.
I’ve religiously used that phrase. But there is truth behind it. Much of college is out of our control — especially as freshmen. And, for a controlling person such as myself, it’s been a rough transition.
While I’m not perfect and I’m still learning how to let go, I’ve accepted that college is not about how much effort and work you put into the things that you can control, but rather how you move forward and react to the things you cannot control.
So, whenever I leave the restroom, the first words out of my mouth are “it is what it is.” My bowel movements are out of my control. To be honest though, I should lay off the Dewick pizza.
