Lights, camera, textbook: Is Corban for reel?

Growing up I watched a lot of movies; many were comedies while most were chick-flicks. I would watch countless television shows ranging from criminal investigation (NCIS, Bones, Psych) to comedies such as Scrubs and New Girl. The first time I visited my grandparents in Texas, I was thoroughly surprised there were big cities like Dallas, instead of dust covered, tumbleweed blowing, abandoned towns I grew up watching in Westerns.

College always seemed a far off event I would never get to, much like the rapture and the rest of Revelations. However, I found myself on the precipice of this four-year adventure this summer turning toward movies for advice on what to do next. Tending to my severe case of senioritis with remedies of college-set movies: Sydney White, College Road Trip, Sorority Wars, Legally Blonde and She’s the Man to name a few. From the plethora of movies, I established some expectations for college.

1)      Making friends who would become frenemies, then a life-shattering event would occur and we’d become friends again. I haven’t made any frenemies yet and I hope I won’t make any. The wisdom I have gained since coming to college six weeks ago, tells me frenemies are hard to develop when practicing forgiveness and mercy in our relationships.

2)      Sororities and Fraternities. Corban doesn’t have any, but I would argue each dorm on campus acts like they are. PVG is known for the late nights, dances and constant hangouts. Balyo bros, need I say more. Davidson has the movie nights and study parties. Aagard and Farrar (Fraagard) have theme nights and numerous shenanigans. Each hall hosts special events the Lumberjack Games, Halloween Bash, Pumpkin Smash and Mr. VG.

3)      No pressure of paying for college, ever. The Corban Promise is my best friend.

4)      Romance and a happily ever after for everyone. Ring by spring is real. Couples are everywhere and so are temptations of curling up into a ball and watching Netflix for the week…end. The pressure to couple-up feels like you’re suffocating until you find like-minded single folk. Once you discover those like-minded single folk, never let them go. Ever.

5)      A group of friends that will last through all obstacles. When I was in middle school I would watch marathons of FRIENDS and become sad thinking towards the future with doubts of ever having a friend group as solid as they were. Six week in, I can honestly say I have one. Without them, I probably wouldn’t have made it this far enduring homesickness, family life, laptop crashes, debilitating sickness and studying sessions.

As college students it’s often heard these four years of our life are the best yet. The memories made will last a lifetime and these friendships and connections will get us far.

College is not like the movies. There is no script to memorize or marks to follow in each scene. Nevertheless, if it were a movie, homework would be the bad boy misunderstood, students would be the underdog, professors the unsung hero and godmother figure, Common Grounds and Aramark would be the gathering place, classes would only last two minutes and weekends would last much longer.