MOWER

MOTHERS WEEKEND COLUMN Remembering the real college life

Daniel Mower MOW01002@BYUI.EDU Mild-Mannered Alter Ego

"College kids are interesting.”

That’s what my mom observed as we waited for a concert to start in the Hart Auditorium.

I looked out over the crowds of students searching for their seats.

“What do you mean?”

“You’re just so . . . different.” She had a look of amusement in her eyes.

I know my mom, and I’m pretty sure what she meant was weird, not different. I watched as my fellow students greeted each other with enthusiasm, filling the auditorium with the dull roar of conversation.

I didn’t understand what was so “different” about the scene until I tried to picture my parents wearing beanies, pointing excitedly at their friends and shouting “what’s goin’ on, dude!”

I’m not sure whether the weirdness my mother noted was generational, or whether it was the whole college atmosphere that had become foreign to my parents.

Either way, if you’re reading this article and it’s been a while since your college years, it might be good to review what the real college life is about — not as a parent looking back, but from students’ points of view.

“Right now I’m juggling work, studies and recreation. And I guess sleep, too. Sometimes you just don’t have time to sleep enough,” Joey Thompson, a freshman from Idaho Falls, said.

Sound familiar?

“I had friends who went to college and partied,” Thompson continued. “For me it’s been a lot of hard work — less than I expected, but I’m only in my first year. It would be easier if I didn’t have a job, but after I get home from work it’s hard to want to study.”

“One difference between college and home life is that you can’t blame anyone else for what happens to you. You’re in charge. If you don’t get homework or something else done, it’s your fault and no one else’s,” Erin Thurman, a sophomore from Macomb, Ill., said.

We as students are adjusting from the virtually painless illusion called high school to an intense pressure to perform. At the same time, we’re adjusting from life on a platter to life on a paper plate.

“College is a lot more fun if you’re poor,” Utahna Hurst, a freshman from Juniper, Idaho, said. “You gain an appreciation for your family. You start to realize how much toothpaste and toilet paper cost. “

Other students noted that in addition to college being about responsibility, it’s about learning about oneself.

“This time of life is about figuring out who you are,” Kristin Hatch, a sophomore from Caldwell, Idaho, said. “A generalization out there is that college students are indolent, a little irresponsible. Yeah, we are sometimes, but it’s because we’re learning. We’re not brilliant and educated. We’re learning.”

“Sometimes I find myself becoming a little more serious, more worried about consequences of things. I don’t know, I guess I’m just becoming more of an adult,” Thompson laughed. “You should probably prioritize fun higher so you can stay sane, but it doesn’t always work that way.”

My mom was right. Maybe we are a little weird, but you’ve got to give us a break. Look at all the things we’ve got to deal with — roommates, money, education, the future, dating, marriage … it’s enough to drive anyone to the brink of insanity.

Take advantage of this weekend to make some observations.

If you’re a student and your mother is coming for the weekend, pay attention to how she reacts to the college scene. It’s interesting to see what a different point of the road of life they are on. As Hurst commented, “We’re probably a little crazier than our parents.”

If you’re a mom on campus over Mothers’ Weekend, and you wonder why everyone is jammin’ to their iPod and wearing a beanie (that’s a stocking cap that doesn’t cover your ears) don’t be alarmed. It’s OK. Just think of the student body like half-baked banana bread – it’s a good recipe, it just needs to cook a little longer.