LATEEN KNOWS
COLLEGE- THE GOOD,
THE BAD, AND THE
REALLY UGLY..
By: Alexandra Posada
Mami and Papi have helped to pack the car
up to the brim; posters are visible from the car
windows along with your mountain of shoes
and the life size Orlando Bloom cut-out you’ve
had since sixth grade. Mom is holding the tears
back (at least trying) and Papi is reminding you
to never leave your drink unattended (alcoholic
or not!) Overall, they are prepping for their
kid to take the next biggest step in their life.
Believe me this is one of the proudest moments
that they’ll ever experience. Now as for my
experience, it was just Mami telling me these
things AND some… and a little bit more. Mostly
about birth control, watching my whereabouts
at all times, and of course before we left the
house my abuelita (Nani) gave me la bendición.
Then we were off for South Florida.
If you are anything like me, you’ll have the
worst picazon to get the heck out of there!!
(Been there, done that!) The weeks before
you’ll anxiously be in touch with your future
peers and exchange pictures of what new
items you’ve picked up for the dorm and have
long text exchanges about how badly you can’t
wait to get out of your parents’ house, and
how much fun college is going to be! Before
you know it, you’re moving in and there is this
overly peppy (pill popping kind of excited) R.A
(residential assistant aka- the biggest pain
in your hall beside the drunkard three doors
down.) In your face telling you that you need
to get x, y, and z paperwork to housing within
the hour, meanwhile they’re trying to be as
nice as possible but it comes off as rather fake.
Regardless, they will remain to be cute, but
seriously annoying. Then once everything is
settled in, Mr. Bloom has his designated corner
next to your poster of Frida Kahlo and The
Great Gatsby. Those damn floral Christmas-ish
lights are put up and the bed is made- it’s time
for Mami and Papi to head out. Holy Crap.
This is where it gets real. I got really lucky that
I was a member of a leadership program at my
school that gave me an opportunity to network,
it all began with a weekend in the woods,
bonding over fun-ditory events, crappy bunk
beds, and surprisingly good food. At the end of
the weekend we were “initiated” into the group
by candle lit chanting and eventually a pinning
welcoming us into the group of campus wide
leaders. Following this ceremony I remember
thinking to myself “Okay cool, I know a few
people now and we’re going to run this place,
sweet!” This was before two things, classes and
rowing practice at 4:30am.
As the following week eventually rolled around,
so did classes and practice. Being a studentathlete is already trying, try being a studentathlete who is simultaneously a student-leader.
There are a few who have managed to master
it, clearly the force is with them and the Yoda
train completely missed me. The first day I
was actually so nervous that I was shaking,
although I tried my very best to have a cool,
calm and unfazed appearance; of which
included sweaty running shorts, sneakers and
a soaked old regatta t-shirt from high school.
It was Monday at 9am and I was lined up to
have my first college c