Life on the inside

There is a chill in the air. After living in the Northwest my whole life I get a little frantic bracing myself for the dark morning and evening commutes by bus this time of year. The end of fair weather has come on too quickly this year, and I have to commute to school.

I am beginning to love Portland State University. I still haven’t written anything close to a thesis paper, but I’ll be trying to do just that this evening.

I am an undergraduate taking 13 credits this term. This is my first term at PSU. I really like the campus, and everyone I have met has been very helpful and generous. I have a newfound sense of purpose, and I take it seriously and want to get the most out of the experience.

Did I mention that I came from the real world? Well, it is true that it is very demanding and competitive out there. It’s not as fun as school. For one thing you will most likely have to adopt the corporate working personality so no one will know you giggle at Monty Python, have a sick sense of humor, harbor a problem with authority, or tune into “The Daily Show” for relief from the absurd business of politics and still watch “The Simpsons.”

I have lost friends along the way in the real world, but I have made new ones too. And as I am learning to balance life and school, I have been getting in touch with some people I had lost track of over the years. That is the hardest aspect of life for me right now –accepting that so much life has already gotten away from me. It is hard to stay in the now. I’ve found that it is easier, though, armed with a sense of humor.

It easy to not get enough exercise when your job requires you to sit at a desk all day, clicking a mouse. It is hard on the eyes too. Headaches, eye strain, carpal tunnel and crappy fluorescent lighting. Woo hoo! But you do get to drink coffee, wear all black and think outside of the box.

Am I bitter? Yes, but I prefer to use the term “seasoned” or “experienced.” Let’s just say it is a damn good thing they let me into college! You know, idle hands are the devil’s playthings.