It’s weird. I’m going to end up with an even bigger University experience than most people have, or will have. I deferred after my second year of a shitty Business Studies and Finance degree, and now I’m going to be doing another three of Broadcast Journalism. Under the new rates. Lovely. I’m fortunate, besides one rather stupid thirty-something who still thinks she’s 19, I have a really nice group of people around me, and I can call a lot of people there friends.
Said stupid thirty-something was in a pub with me and the rest of the group on Monday after a cancelled lecture, and she asked me: “Dre, what do you drink?”, and I said, “Nothing that involves Alcohol”. (I haven’t had alcohol in about 5 years now, I hate the taste, and the amount of peer pressure I got from my high school was rather pathetic). She then asks me “Do you do any Substances instead?”
“YES, I SWAPPED WHISKEY AND VODKA FOR CRYSTAL METH. I’M HANK FROM BREAKING BAD!”
As you can imagine, I wasn’t best pleased with said questions. It’s like I was being labelled by some woman old enough to be my mother (Or Grandmother, depending on how early you got the “D”, it IS 2012 after all.) Is this how all older people see young University students now?
I can see why to be honest. Look how hard Uni’s push things like Fresher’s Week now. They make a killing off of that shit. Why? Because Students love openly available booze and a cheap(ish) party. Right? I went to a couple of this on my two separate Uni fresher’s stints, and yeah…I didn’t enjoy them very much. And I think it’s because I actively didn’t drink. So that means, people can’t offer to buy me drinks, which doesn’t make you look very social.
What’s more, people who are drinking, like to drink together. So that alienates folks like me. I know, cry me a river, but it’s things I notice. Same things apply to smoking really, just exchange a few words here and there, like “drink” for “cigarettes” and/or “weed”.
I really do think I’m a club of maybe 20% here who actively live a clean lifestyle. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not condemning people who don’t – There’s nothing wrong with Weed at all (Infact, well played Colorado for legalizing it!), and drinking IN MODERATION (Stay away from cars people), but it’s like I’m being labelled as boring for not doing so. Is it a rite of passage or something?
I think it may also be something to do with people’s lack of social skills. All those people partying, are new people thrown together, often for the first time. Many people are too nervous to say things outright, so they “unwind”, by taking a drink or two first. I suspect people in 2012 lack social skills. It’s not really our fault though, we’ve grown up as adolescents with Facebook and Twitter, and the Internet masking physical emotions as we socialise (For the most part – Gotta love those emoticons, right? :P). You don’t need to socialize any-more frequently, just post a Facebook event on a wall, and send some text over. You notice this because the first half hour of any party, is always the worst, as people struggle to strike up a decent conversation. Then they had to the bar. Then it turns into that scene from Lock Stock and Two Smokin’ Barrels, after they stole all that money and super-weed.
I’m fortunate. I HAD to learn social skills growing up. I was born with Asperger’s Syndrome, and a Speech and Language difficulty. I’m 20, and even now I still slur my sentences sometimes, and I can be socially awkward at times. I spent many of my Primary School years being pulled out of English lessons and learning things like maintaining eye contact and finding topics to talk about. I found it REALLY awkward, even as an eight year old, but now, I’m glad I did, as I find it easier to approach people now I’m here – And you have to be, because after about three weeks of any new course, you find the social groups start to come together…And then if you’re not a part of one yourself, you could be in trouble.
I could be talking complete balls here, but this is just how I see things. Maybe I’m not alone on this one. Maybe I am. Just my personal experience and thoughts on the environment I’m committed too for the next three years or so. As last time, it’s going to be an interesting ride. Got any thoughts? Let me know. Sayonara.
Harrison101HD 