Friday, April 3, 2009

Just Keep Punchin'

As I was watching my roommate Alex dance with a girl during his dance class out in the amphitheater, I began to think about how much I enjoy college. The students were enjoying practicing the waltz, cha cha cha, and salsa in the outdoors while students walked by, with some even stopping to admire their skills (or lack thereof).

I began thinking what classes I could take that I could enjoy that won't cause me the stress I had with past chemistry and calculus courses. Then I began to think about how I won't be able to get the chance to experience these kinds of opportunities once I graduate. Because, of course, once one graduates from college, it is officially time to.....grow up.

While home in San Diego for Spring Break, I was reading outside on my porch, when my neighbor's kids caught my attention. They were running around on the street, riding their tricycles, playing with whatever toy they had, without a care in the world. I found myself envying their innocence, their lack of worries. I started to wonder when I had made the transition from a carefree kid to an adult having to worry about tuition, rent, books, and groceries. It seemed like only yesterday I was at La Presa playing soccer with my classmates thinking about what my mother was going to cook me for dinner. Now, before I can even go play soccer, I need to finish my endless homework assignments, and if I want dinner, I need to cook up whatever it is I have in the kitchen, which is usually just bread and turkey slices......I do, at times, do work and cook some mean enchiladas. I digress.

I am working hard towards getting my degree and starting my career, and the obstacles I've had preventing me from achieving this goal have been a pain, but the thought of being an adult makes me cringe. Work, bills, more work, more bills....what kind of life is that? Yeah, reading hundreds of pages, writing essays, and taking tests isn't exactly the good life, but it beats being an adult.

I don't know, I could spend my time worrying about this, maybe it's a quarter-life crisis, but I can't evade the inevitable.

To quote a classic, all-time great movie:
"You know, Stallion, it's too bad we gotta get old."
"Ah, just keep punchin', Apollo"

Despite having times where I find myself bugging out because of my age, or if I'm upset because the world isn't being kind to me, I always think of Rocky's line.

Just keep punchin'.

2 comments:

  1. That's right my brother, punch your heart out. Some of us have to punch harder and more often than others, but at least we have fists to punch and we get stronger with each obstacle. I love you and am proud of you. And yes, college rocks ... but that song called "I Love College" is not so good. :)

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  2. The secret to all this is to finish college in 8 years. That way, you can prolong the time before you are forced to become an adult and a prisoner of the MAN.

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