The First Day

So. Hello all and welcome to my blog, the point of which will become clear soon. But not right now.

I would first like to introduce myself, go over the fun little ice breaker things that everyone has to go through on the first day of a) pre-school b) summer camp c) group trip of any kind and of course d) university. Yes, for those of you who did not get to go through the stunningly mind altering awesomeness that is saying you name and an adjective that begins with the same letter in order around a circle, my first day on campus at WU, we did ice breakers. Ok, ok, so they weren't that bad, though everyone always groans when a leader says, "So, to get to know everyone we are going to...". Right. Rant over, on with the show.

Name: Lovely LPin
Year: Freshman
Home State: OK
Current Location: Ambiguously abbreviated university in Missouri
Major: potentially Spanish with and English or Writing minor
What I Want to Do with My Life: Physician, unknown specialty

If you can't conclude some things about me from my OCD intro, stop now, and turn back. This is not the blog for you. Or, continue reading. Honestly, I could care less what you do. I suppose that's a bit callous, but I have an essay to write, two hundred pages in biology to read, a club event to plan, and right now I am locked out of my room because I locked my card key in my room. Hopefully my roommate will come back soon... anyway, yes the point. Alcohol.

Like any other university, college (I'll be using the words interchangeably), vocational school, and (hard to believe, I know) high school in the country, alcohol and drinking have a large place in the lives of the students. In my life. Sure, we're all under the legal age limit. Yes, it's bad for us. Of course we do it anyway. It's college. Everyone does it. Right?

Wrong. Though my use of "we" might lead you to infer otherwise, I do not drink. At least, not in this country where it is, oh, how do I put this...ILLEGAL!

Ok, lol, you caught me. No, I do not not drink solely because of the law. Yes, I still am a non-drinker, for my own reasons that, perhaps, will be revealed later.

Anyway, yeah, everyone always says, all college students drink, you've got to do it, just let loose and have some fun. Everyone's doing it. It's college.

And it's true. Many students do choose to drink. Pre-gaming getting buzzed, drunk or somewhere in between before parties or activities, is pretty much a given. Glassy eyed and giggly, partiers walk through the door already prepped for a good time. It happens and nothing short of an adult in every dorm room is going to stop it.

But that's for later blogs. Right now, it's early Sunday afternoon and people are up and around, slowly, watching TV, eating, with some people working on what they should have finished yesterday. No one I know will drink tonight. Tonight is frantically working on the essay, biology reading, problems sets, etc. People here a WU have a saying, "Study hard, play hard". Not the most original thing in the world, but accurate. Students here are in it for the long haul. I know other universities have drop outs and other such things, but I know no one even vaguely considering that option, though I have heard of one guy who either dropped out or transferred.

WU students drink. But they also know when to cut the crap and settle down in front of the books for five hours. Today, alcohol affects life through the leftover taste after passing out with one's clothes still on and the slightly dulled reactions that their owners do not notice. Today, alcohol does not play a large part in life. So, happy studying and good luck with life.