A friend, probably more accurately described as a little brother asked me today "how's life in the 'real world.' " Given that he has just recently started his freshman year of college I assume that the 'real world' he refers to is the post-collegiate world. In Gainesville, Florida aka Title Town, USA aka the home of the Florida Gators there is no such thing as a post-collegiate world.
Like many current and former Gators, I was not satisfied with a mere four years of college life. 6 months as an Iowa Hawkeye plus 4 years as a Univ. of Florida undergrad wasn't even enough. I needed a whoooole 'nother year...so I went to graduate school. Finally, I was forced to stop being a student enter the so-called 'real world' of a full time job. The transition seemed rough at first. I thought getting to 930 AM class MWF was rough, but not when compared with getting to work at 730 AM MTWTF. Weekends took on a whole new meaning, no longer did they represent mad money making ability bartending or waiting tables, they were the time for sleep and relaxation...that is, until I realized that my 615 AM alarm clock had become internal and the concept of sleeping in had come to mean 730 AM.
While at the time it seemed to be a traumatic and drastic transition, I realized this morning that my 'real world' life is actually eerily similar to my 'college world' life, especially during football season. I actually dreaded football season in college because I worked in restaurants and boosters (specifically bull gators) are by definition assholes. They donate thousands (and when I say thousands, I mean thousands more than I lived (and currently live)) of dollars to the University of Florida and somehow that has convinced them that for them, a well done steak should take less time to cook. I doesn't. NOW, I lurve me some football season. I get to go to the football par-tays and 'watch' the game with a beer in hand on a comfy couch rather than catch snippets on the bar televisions in between tending to my tables. The liquor and beer I consume at said par-tays is of far better quality, not to mention legally consumed. I don't need to temper my Saturday night good time with thoughts of the homework that needs to be done the next day because there is no homework tomorrow. My days off are actually that, days OFF. It's an amazing concept that I don't fail to appreciate each weekend.
Today, in true college life fashion I had a drink in hand before noon (it had OJ in it and was consumed AFTER my coffee so I maintain it counts as breakfast,) I watched a butt ton of college football, I took a nap on the couch and rallied with a beer afterwards. Currently, the main topic of conversation is whether this season's Gator football team can rightfully be termed 'the best Gator football team ever or if making that statment is inherently asinine after only the second football game.
ahhhh...the 'real world' how do I love thee...
No comments:
Post a Comment