HIGHER EDUCATION BLOWOUT SPECIAL

Exactly eight years ago today I started university -- one of the bricks of life that has helped build my memory hut. In the hut, this blog represents the "accoutrements" in the twenty-something sitting room next to the sports experiences fireplace. Are you with me so far? Don't worry, we'll now leave the abstract behind and head toward the...THE MEMORY HUT AHAHAHAHA. Okay, so university...

It was a really weird time for me because unlike most people, I actually had a great time in high school and was totally "cheefed" that it was ending at the height of it all. Most of my friends went to other universities in packs, so I felt extra nervous, even though pop culture had assured me that post-secondary institutions were home to the easiest, most buxom babes in the world and all you can eat fries and gravy on every corner.

Looking back, I was justified in being upset, but I did overreact a bit, thinking that we'd all drift apart and I'd miss all sorts of fun stuff at the other schools like lobster chugging contests and tuxedo beach volleyball. If you look at my friend line-up today, nothing much has changed, so if my past self is reading this somehow, don't worry, things are fine and you end up living in a big place with an actual girl - no dudes.

Here are some unearthed THIS DAY IN LIVEJOURNAL HISTORY'S from that fateful first day, Sept. 2, 2001

Big cheap beers were popular with students and so were nouveau lamps

In this first snippet from 1:45am (the night before I left) I was being overly sentimental and really eulogized the shit out of my high school years:

I'd like to say thanks to everyone in my life these past four years because they have been the funnest ever. For the first time in my life I felt genuinely comfortable around my friends and I felt like I was myself. It was like in the Blind Melon video for no rain when the bee girl finds the other bee girls in the field.

I'd post more from that entry but it's highly embarrassing, and I don't want to undo any of the hard work I've put into not being a wiener over the last ten years.

I got to McMaster and met my new roomate. Here are some passages from 2:35pm:

Then I met my roommate, who is a nice guy. He likes good tunes and plays guitar. He's pretty shy like me so conversation is a little awkward.

I really don't know what to do with myself. I think I wanna take a nap but I;m scared I'll miss some big event or something.

Boring. At nighttime I summed it up:

I've never been so overwhelmed with spirit in my whole life. It was like a fucked up daycamp. I'm so tired right now I spent the whole day doing cheesy games and cheers, which all in all wasn;'t that bad.

I wrote for the McMaster paper when I was there, which is a seed of this blog along with the website we used to have and a desire to be the next Dave Barry. I lost my faith in journalism when an editor removed a Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase joke from one of my articles, which I don't really remember except it probably had something to do with money and/or the Intercontinental Championship belt.

Next time I'll recount my first trip to a farm and the first time I tasted a "chicken strip".