The Self Made Man

Abraham Lincoln. When most people hear this name I would imagine they think of our 16th President, the man who pulled a nation through Civil War and essentially ended slavery. Maybe you think of Daniel Day-Lewis and Steven Spielberg. I won’t pretend that this post isn’t partially driven by the success of the recent movie about the legendary man. I would like to focus not on his accomplishments so much, but more on how he was able to put himself in a position to make them happen. 

Abraham Lincoln was born to a poor farm family in Kentucky. He lived in a series of small cabins with his family in the woods of the Midwest and spent only a small amount  of time in a classroom  in his youth. He learned to read and write with help from his step-mother and became literate through self-perseverance. He had a rough childhood, his father wasn’t exactly a warm and supportive man, especially after his mother passed away when he was just a boy. If not for the love of his stepmother, he may have been lost in a world of grief and anger.

Can you imagine what kinds of sorrow he must have experienced? A life of hard labor as a young man, a father hardened by the work he had to endure just to keep his family alive, and then losing his mother? Of course, death was more common in the early 1800’s, many common ailments we endure today often resulted in death back then. Even so, I imagine that a young man’s loss would have the same impact then as it does today. Many historians agree that Abe probably battled depression throughout his life, enduring bouts of sadness and despair.

Abe never let his struggles keep him down for long. He was determined to make something of himself, and he left home shortly after he came of age. He found work where he could, as a clerk in a general store, working his way up to postmaster, doubling as a land surveyor, all the while educating himself in law and politics. He gained notoriety and eventually threw his hat into the political ring and was elected a member of the Illinois House of Representatives on his second try (Basler, Roy P.).

In the midst of his growing success came the news of the death of his sister. Another tragedy that must have deeply saddened and troubled the young man. But onward he pushed and after a stall in his political career, he began to practice law in Springfield, Illinois. He couldn’t stay out of the ring for long, however, and he was soon back in the Illinois House of Representatives. He was then elected to Congress and from there, as we know, he was chosen to move into the biggest house on Pennsylvania Avenue (Basler, Roy P.).

Wow. Inspiring to say the least. A young man comes from the woods of Kentucky, escapes his most likely fate of a life of farming rocky soil, educates himself and busts his hump all the way into the White House. He started with no money and no means, often struggling to pay debts. He was no doubt filled with resentment, working hard and long hours, battling the pangs of depression and sorrow from years of loss. Yet, he persevered.

Think about what it would take today for someone to come from a farm in Illinois with no education and end up the most important man in the country. It would be the equivalent of President Obama having only attended kindergarten. It’s simply not possible. Were people dumber back then? No that can’t be true, we elected Arnold and Jesse “The Body.” Are there just too many distractions nowadays? No that can’t be true either, we have the answers to everything at our fingertips (I just found the names of Jesse Ventura’s wife and kids on my phone). So how did Abe Lincoln do it?

Simply put, he was one of a kind. Now I know that 1850 was much different than 2013, that argument is not lost on me. Everything is more complicated and technological. Becoming the POTUS now is a completely different endeavor. But that shouldn’t take away from what Abraham Lincoln endured to change his future and even our own. He is a model of success that every man, woman and child should admire.


I think we all have times when we feel like  life has given us the short end of the stick. At those moments we should think of this example and remember that our fate is largely in our own hands. Of course there are outside factors and other people who influence us along the way, but what we put into life with our own hard work has the greatest importance.      
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Basler, Roy P. “Timeline of Abraham Lincoln’s Political Career.” Timeline of Abraham Lincoln’s Political Career. N.p., 2012. Web. 24 Jan. 2013.
       

The Silver Lining of Struggle

Life is a struggle. Love is a battlefield. No pain no gain. All overused clichés, right? Yes. However, there is some existential truth behind the pop lyrics and sports mantras. We need to struggle at some point in our lives. Struggle is good for us, it teaches us to work hard and to appreciate the good things that we have. Without hardship, life would be one big bowl of rose scented ease. It would be slow and relaxed. Where’s the fun in that?


There is a general belief in our society that I would like to point out. We are told to save for retirement as soon as possible so we can play golf and sit on the beach in Florida as soon as we hit 62. Buy a big flat screen, 3D, HD, smart TV so we can really enjoy our leisure time. Call a stock broker so our money can make money for us. We save our pennies so we can buy the products that are designed and marketed to encourage our leisure. This is all well and good. I want a big screen TV some day and I wouldn’t mind playing a little more golf (or I should say some at all), but before I get there, I know I have a lot of work to do.


There seems to be an increasing notion that the ultimate goal should be to lead comfortable, leisurely lives. The idea of struggle seems to suggest that we are doing something wrong, that we have somehow failed. We expect immediate returns on our investments and if we’re not living comfortably according to plan, we messed up somewhere along the line. If you agree with this statement, then what I’m trying to convey here may be hard to digest, but here goes. We are supposed to struggle through life. Now, I’m not just making a blanket statement that I blindly hold onto as truth because I’m not what most would consider “successful.” This is no statement of hope for a better life somewhere down the line. God said it and history proves it.


“If there is no struggle, there is no progress… This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle.” These words were delivered by Frederick Douglass in 1857 in a preface to the Civil War (Taylor, Quintard). He was raised on a slave holding plantation taught himself to read and write and eventually became a respected writer and public speaker for abolition and women’s rights (Fremarjo Enterprises). He knew the value of hardship. Obviously slavery was far from a necessary struggle, but general adversity is an important step toward the appreciation of life.

Jesus was a man who travelled from city to city preaching about love, both of God and of each other. He recognized that there was struggle in life and even told his disciples “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Whether you accept the man as your savior or not, he recognized that he had to endure the greatest struggle of all in order for his message to forever impact mankind. He was tortured and killed by the very race of men to which he had been preaching the power of love. He endured the ultimate struggle in order to preserve the idea of goodness. Death can sometimes result from struggle, but without it the world would never change. Out of struggle comes new life, better life.


Okay, let’s bring this back down to earth and present day. How does this apply to our daily lives? Well, most of us struggle on a daily basis, right? No matter how small or large that struggle is, doesn’t it make those moments of peace and serenity even better? What if you won the lottery today? You took home some exorbitant amount of money that ensured you would never have to work again, that all your bills would be paid forever. What would you do? How would you live after that? Buy a huge house and a couple cars, all those products made to encourage your life of leisure? How long would that actually make you happy, though? What would you do all day every day, with nothing to occupy your time? Most, I think, would start a non-profit or volunteer their time and resources to helping others or solving one of the world’s problems. Essentially take on another struggle. Circle of life people.


From the beginning of life we go to school and we study, we work hard to learn as much as we can. We go to college to learn even more and to prepare for a career. We have to study a little harder than we did before. We then land jobs that require us to work hard to accomplish a common goal and to earn a living. We fall in love and get married and buy houses. Then the cycle starts over when we raise children of our own. All of these stages require effort and determination. We work for that ideal retirement, for that cold beer at the end of the day, for the Sunday of relaxing and watching football. If all these luxuries just existed without the necessary hardship, how would our world be different? Would we be uneducated and lazy? Sounds like a terrible existence.


The investments that yield the most rewarding profits are those that require sweat and will power, time and energy. Someone who takes care of a home with their own two hands will more fully enjoy the benefits of that investment. Someone who pays for their own education and diligently studies to earn a degree will more completely appreciate that accomplishment. Someone who dedicates time and effort to a marriage or parenthood will truly value the love received in return. Put in the work, enjoy the dessert. Work before play. More clichés (yeah I’m a poet).  


We should also understand what that work does for us, beyond the results. Beyond hard work is the general concept of struggle. Be it in application to civil war or working your way up the corporate ladder, it is encompassing of all the exertion a certain need requires. It is tough to simplify this concept into one word, but struggle makes us stronger. Struggle teaches us about ourselves and allows us to adapt and grow. It allows us to discover how to best survive.


I’m thankful that my life hasn’t been a cake walk. I know that I’m better suited for the ways of the world. So, next time you’re having a self-pity party, crying into your Ben & Jerry’s pint, just remember that your struggle is valuable. You are lifting emotional weights that are building emotional muscles that will serve you for the rest of your life. Struggle is good for you, wear it like a badge.  

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Taylor, Quintard. An Online Reference Guide to African American History. n.d.
Fremarjo Enterprises, Inc. A Short Biography of Frederick Douglass. n.d. Fremarjo Enterprises, Inc.

Catch-22

I was struggling to come up with a new topic this week when I had a dream that someone randomly told me they had enjoyed my post about the social disparity between men and women in the dating world. In reality, I have been formulating this theory for a few years now and I guess that was the push I needed to put it into words. So, here goes.

My girlfriend and I rarely fight. Sure we have disagreements, but we are generally able to put our egos aside and compromise on most issues. Probably the most heated debate we have had does not involve politics or national security, but of course revolves around the controversial relationship between Taylor Swift and John Mayer. Now, I’m sure you can guess who sided with which celebrity and you may even be thinking, “How can you not side with sweet, innocent TayTay.” I will reluctantly admit that I am (or was) sort of a John Mayer fan, as much as a 26 year old man should be. Out of the catchy acoustic singer-song writer he emerged as one of the best guitar players of his generation. The brilliant “Continuum” is one of my favorite albums, but ever since his music as well as his character have taken a collective nosedive. I’m aware that he may very well be all of the scumbag the media portrays and this is in no way meant to be taken in defense of the man.


With that disclaimer out of the way, John Mayer may not be the poster boy for this argument, but nonetheless our debate lends a pathway to the thesis of this post. Namely, that there is a real catch-22 when it comes to the dating scene.


John Mayer has been linked to a slew of attractive female celebrities. He has also said some very disturbing things publicly which contributed to his far less than sterling reputation, but for the sake of this argument let’s say that all we know about his private life is that he has dated a lot of women. There are certainly men out there who are looking to use women for their own satisfaction, with little to no regard for the feelings they may hurt or the hearts they may break (the cast of a certain MTV show comes to mind). I would like to leave these men out of this discussion, I certainly agree that they have earned their unscrupulous reputations. I do, however, genuinely believe that the majority of men are looking for love and ultimately a life-long partner. These are the ones to which I am referring in this discussion.


Now let’s get down to brass tacks. A man who date several women in succession (not at once, that’s a whole other issue), will always be given a reputation as a womanizer. Even when his intentions are strictly above the belt, if a man tells a woman that she isn’t the one (you probably shouldn’t use those words, but let’s be honest we all know what “I’m just not ready for a relationship” means) she will call him a dog. To his face, maybe, but to those in her social circles, definitely. If a man does this with several women, then he is doomed to roam the earth labeled as someone who can’t be trusted.


I think it is commonly agreed upon that most of us will sample a few rotten apples before we find the best one. Men and women, gay and straight, will have good and bad relationships that will come to an end. Breakups are messy and hurtful things, not envied by anyone, but they are a virtual certainty. My question is, once again, why must the man who initiates a breakup because he has decided that the woman is not a good match be deemed a womanizer? Obviously he shouldn’t just carry on in the relationship when his heart isn’t in it, that wouldn’t be fair to her. The best thing he can do is to have an honest discussion about his feelings toward her, using carefully chosen language to cause as little pain as possible. It didn’t work out, move on. But it almost never ends there. He must then be dragged through the mud, his intentions distorted to appear dishonest, when in fact the exact opposite was true.


So, the well-intentioned man, having dated several women in his attempt to find love, suddenly has a reputation mirroring those reckless and decadent men mentioned above. And thus, women have come to not only think, but openly declare that all men are out to use women.
Just as I have acknowledged that not all men have devious intentions, I should probably also recognize that surely (at least hopefully) not all women have this view of the opposite sex. Additionally, I’m sure there are also women who have short sighted, self-pleasing intentions toward men (there are plenty of names dedicated to the description of such women). However, women haven’t been grouped into one destructive stereotype, as have men.


What about an honest women with the intention of finding love? Does she not sometimes initiate a breakup or tell someone she’s just not that into him and cause a man heartbreak? Of course, and when she does her reputation doesn’t suffer, she isn’t lumped in with the aforementioned group of women (with the not so nice names). She’s just looking for “the one,” just looking for love. Which is true. So why is the same not true for men? Catch-22.


I’m not trying to start a gender war or anything. Women are great, superior to men in so many ways. They mature faster, smell better, and are statistically better educated. All I’m saying is, take a look at John Mayer’s dating history compared to Taylor Swift’s. Not much different, both long and full of good looking celebrities. Yet, he’s a dog and she’s a victim. In this case it probably has something to do with her sweet and innocent demeanor and the fact the he once used the “n” word in an interview with Playboy (again not a sterling example). Maybe the disparity is penance for centuries of gender inequality. I can’t argue against either case, but the fact remains that men have a social disadvantage when it comes to courting a potential spouse. I’m here to raise awareness. Ladies, we’re not all bad. 

Oh and John Mayer, please make another “Continuum.”             
            
  

The Grown Man's Hero

Batman has been a hero of mine for pretty much the entirety of my memory bank. When I was just a little guy it was because he drove a crazy cool car and had a belt that could do more than a million Swiss army knives. Now, as a completely grounded and mature adult...okay, I still haven’t ruled out a Batmobile retirement project. Anyways, a few things have changed.

The idea of Batman is intriguing and even inspiring. He is the closest thing to a real life superhero anyone can bring to the big screen (and then eventually our living rooms). He has no special powers beyond what human beings are capable of, and is therefore looked upon as an attainable sort of realistic hero. People can relate to his desire to help others and to fight injustice, they just don’t have the resources. Bruce Wayne (spoiler alert: Batman’s actual identity) has a fortune at his disposal and in the most recent film interpretation, an entire department of a billion dollar corporation dedicated to creating advanced military technology.

But he is still just a man. Very mortal, with red blood in his veins and real emotional issues in his brain. In fact, we see Bruce Wayne as a broken down man in “The Dark Knight Rises.” He limps around with a cane, his body deteriorating from years of crime fighting. He is struggling with the loss of his love interest and his perceived failure in saving those he set out to.

Batman is an actual hero of mine, and yes that may be juvenile and sound ridiculous coming from a grown man. But it isn’t, and here’s why.

Bruce Wayne has struggled with some very real psychological issues since he was a young boy. He lost his parents and seemingly blamed himself, at least in part. That’s heavy stuff. That single instance shaped the way he viewed people and society as a whole. Before his death, Bruce’s father was able to instill some very important and righteous values. While Bruce is tormented, struggling with self doubt and the evils of society, he still has an unflagging desire to make a change. He is determined to stand for justice, to protect those who can’t protect themselves from the oppression of the powerful.

I personally share that desire with Bruce, to stand for justice and protect those who need it. Batman is a symbol of strength for the weak and the meek, someone who has the ability to make known their needs. He is powerful and feared by those in power. In addition, Bruce Wayne is the wealthiest man in Gotham. He could charter a sailboat to the Caribbean every week and enjoy a life of leisure, or even worse dedicate his time and energy to becoming as wealthy and respected (feared) as possible.

This seems to be the mentality a lot of the powerful and wealthy in America possess. Money equates success and the ultimate goal is to be successful, so money is sought after with sometimes ruthless abandon. As a result, there is a huge gap between the rich and everyone else (mainly those who don’t necessarily associate wealth with success). Sure there is money given to charity and time spent reading to sick kids, but most of that is for self esteem and image.

What we need is someone with resources who will stand up for those who need it. Someone with a large inheritance they have been blessed with who chooses to use it to fight injustice. America needs a Batman. What we have is a bunch of Donald Trumps and politicians out for their own agendas. It seems that a majority of the men and women in power have become more concerned with their own success than that of our nation. We need someone who’s going to make the concerns and needs of everyday Americans their own. He or she doesn’t have to fight crime in a bat suit, but tackle injustice with the power that has been given.

Batman is my hero. And one that America needs right now.

Post College Community

When I graduated from college in 2009, the economy was slowly spiraling downwards. Well, I guess not so slowly. After a year of the so called "real world" I decided to share some insight with those college students who would soon be joining the struggling work force. I recently came across the article I had written for the student paper of my alma mater, and although it was never published (for reasons unrelated to content) I wanted to give it some light.  It hasn't been edited or changed since it was written almost three years ago.

So, here is a view of life from the perspective of a recent college graduate in 2010. Hopefully it will help those who are struggling to adjust to life after college and give those shortly facing the same challenge a leg up.

I’d like to start by saying that worry is a wasteful habit. However, habits are not easily broken. Perhaps the most important lesson that I learned during my time at this wonderful institution of higher education, is one that has little to do with books or professors. Life is unpredictable. The pattern of events, the sequence of time that will define our existence is impossible to determine. But have no fear, it is also largely under our own control. Hard work, honesty, and perseverance will almost always allow us to attain our goals. More on that later. Let’s take a little journey through the months surrounding graduation from Saint Anselm College, shall we?      

One year ago, as a senior, I was spending my days as an intern for the United States Probation department, and my nights searching for and applying to job openings (okay a few nights here and there). From that effort the only promising interview that I was able to secure wasn’t found on careerbuilder or craigslist, though. A friend suggested I visit the website for a youth home and apply for a position (she will probably still try to take full credit for my job offer there). Time sped by without so much as a pause and before I could even wave to say hello, it was time to say goodbye. After all the laughs and tears of leaving St. A’s in a black cap and gown with a rolled up piece of paper in my hand, the reality of graduating in the midst of the worst economic downturn since the great depression began to set in. It hit pretty hard right around mid July, when the job offer I had received was repealed due to a “hiring freeze”. Almost three months of job searching lost in a two minute phone conversation. So, what to do?     

Between days working part time for my father’s tree care company I was spending tedious hours searching for jobs related to my criminal justice degree (which is still rolled up on my bookshelf, but Father Jonathan I promise I plan to buy a nice frame for it). A few interviews later, I was offered another job. I wish I could tell you that I am now happily employed, working within my desired field toward a comfortable future. However, I am currently a Field Support Representative for Ikon Office Solutions (a supplier of copy machines). Such is life, however, and I am thankful that I have steady employment and the opportunity to gain some work experience. 

Back to that important lesson I spoke of before. Lets say that I were to jump into the DeLorean time machine with Doc Brown, set the time circuits to April of 2009, gun it to 88 mph, knock on the door of D2 and tell my past self what I would be doing in a year. Now I know that theoretically the universe would be destroyed (sorry, if you’ve never seen Back to the Future you won’t understand this elaborate reference), but getting back to the point, I would have thought that future me was fit for a straitjacket. Most days at the end of my college career I worried about what I would do for a living. What did I want to do? I had only small inclinations (even now I am less than confidently clear about what I would rather be doing). I worried about comps, I worried about writing my thesis sized internship paper, I worried about finding a job, I worried about moving back home. But you know what, all those things came and passed. I worked hard and prepared myself for these inevitable happenings and I realized that worrying about them is useless. I had a quality education, a supportive entourage of family and friends, and an open minded determination.

Now maybe you're thinking, why should I listen to this kid who couldn’t even get a job in his field? Well you would certainly have a valid point (even though I’m working on that), but I’d still like to offer some insight to you seniors who may be able to relate to my message.

First, stop worrying about jobs and apartments and bills and loan payments. Those things will all show their ugly faces soon enough. All you can do is be prepared.

Second, don’t put a label on your future. Expectations are made to be broken and they probably will be. Most of mine were shot after about a month in the “real world”. Now, I’m not saying that this is necessarily a bad thing. I’m just saying that you should be ready to roll with the punches and adjust to change. This flexibility will be a huge asset which will put you miles ahead of your competition in any field, and it will also allow you to pounce on opportunity when it presents itself.

Third, be ambitious but not foolish. Most of us need to find a happy medium between settling for something that is too far below our abilities and only reaching for our dream job. There is nothing wrong with living off mom’s cooking for a while (I definitely miss momma L’s Shephard's Pie when I’m eating a grilled cheese sandwich in my apartment).

A few weeks ago I found myself back in a state of worry. I was worried about females (go ahead and laugh), I was worried about bills, I was worried about hating my job, etc. It’s definitely tough to break this habit, but I have found that life is a journey most worth taking when you don’t worry about the ride. As long as you’re prepared. So, fill up the tank, charge the iPod, check the oil, and say a prayer.

           Saint Anselm College was the best decision I have ever made, it’s a spiritual place that can never really be duplicated. Last words of wisdom: enjoy the rest of the year. Take pictures, go on cruises and drink (water) outside with some polish horseshoes. Drag your cheap uppers couch outside and soak in every second of it. Oh, and don’t worry (not sure if I said that yet), life after SAC isn’t so bad.

Back to the Present

People often say that it’s funny how life turns out. I think the more appropriate saying would be ‘it’s funny how life doesn’t turn out.’ Most of the plans we make never come true. Most people will never make their grand vision for life come true, for one reason or another. Now that’s not to say that we shouldn’t strive for anything and I’m not suggesting that life will never be as good as we anticipate. Life will be as good as we make it, as good as we want it to be. I’m simply stating that it’s funny how different our realities are from what we envisioned ourselves being. 

If you had told me four years ago that I would be living and working in Boston I would have said “cool, I can see that.” If you would have said, “you’ll be supervising in a business environment,” I would have laughed in your face. But then when I subsequently realized you were from the future and that this statement would in fact become reality I would have probably cried (for several different reasons). In fact, I would have had a Marty McFly moment. You know the one in the graveyard in Hill Valley, when he finds his father’s headstone in the midst of a violent thunder storm. Marty had unknowingly been sent into an alternate reality that played out more like a nightmare (if you haven’t seen these movies, do yourself a favor and move them to the top of your Netflix queue). 

“Back to the Future” is a great metaphor for the phenomenon I am now addressing. We have a vision for how life will go and we just assume we will get there one way or another. And then things happen, or don’t happen, and our vision changes. The future we once envisioned is nothing like the present in which we now exist. And that’s okay.  

Every once in a while, when I am feeling nostalgic and philosophical I will begin to dwell on past ideas of how my life would play out. Where did I think I would go? What would my reaction have been to the present? Suddenly lost in these contemplations, my prospective shifts. Like waking up in an alternate universe, where everything is extremely different, I have a moment of panic. This is not where I am supposed to be and not what I should be doing. I can’t find the Delorean or Doc Brown and I am stuck here in this strange world. 

Don’t worry, Marty always gets back to his original existence (or a better one) and I always snap back to my reality. Eventually I understand that these jarring moments of skewed perspective, while they can make for good 80’s movie references, aren’t particularly helpful.

What I mean is, the most effective way to live is to have a proactive attitude. Expect things to work out how they work and always be prepared to face adverse or unexpected circumstances with a positive attitude. Believing that our lives have become something other than what we expected or wanted is probably only going to cause anxiety and disappointment.

Most of us get caught up in big picture type thinking and we neglect the small steps that are right in front of us. That big picture is going to change and if we try to get there as quickly as possible in large, leaping bounds, we are more likely to fall. 

To avoid the distress of not living up to our grand expectations, we should set small goals for ourselves and then work hard to achieve them, focusing on what is immediately achievable. Setting aside time for family and friends and hobbies is vitally important, but our goals should never never fall by the wayside.Don't be a slacker McFly. 

The Peter Pan of Academia

I recently enjoyed, for the fourth time, the alumni weekend festivities at my alma mater. There are several fellow alum at my work place and as I was very excited to begin that particular weekend celebration, I expected them to reciprocate. To my surprise, every one of the mostly older alumni were not planning on heading back to campus. As I pondered this finding, a theory began to formulate in my mind. It is that very theory, in its fully developed form, that I would like to share with you now.

This is going to sound weird up front, as a general statement, and especially for guys, but bear with me. College is Neverland, alumni weekend is Peter Pan, and those of us who have graduated and moved on my friends, are Wendy.

You see, we know that Neverland never changes, as it is so named. Nobody gets older and the good guys are forever youthful. College, as an entity, shares almost the same existence. College students will always be the same age. It is a constant, as is the idea of life in Neverland.

Once a year, alumni weekend comes around and (some of us) get excited, make hotel reservations, and do our best to get out of work early. It is a window to our past, an opportunity to go back to a place we learned to call home and where we made great memories with good friends (alcohol a possible contributor). We look forward with great anticipation to that one weekend a year. As we know, Peter Pan would once a year fly through Wendy’s window to bring her back to Neverland for some good ol’ fashioned adventure (and pirate bashing). Alumni weekend, therefore, is like Peter Pan. It comes around once a year to carry us back to a more youthful time and place in our lives.

This is where it all comes together folks, brace yourselves. As we saw in the extraordinary film, Hook, Wendy’s anticipation began to fade as the real world took its toll. As each year passed, she was less and less enthusiastic about a return trip with Peter (until she eventually just handed over her granddaughter, which is a little weird). The same can be said for college grads. As we get older and garner more responsibility in this real world (kids, homes, jobs further away), we, Wendy, are less likely to acquiesce to the request of our Peter Pan, the alumni weekend.

Fortunately, there is no Captain Hook in this analogy (well maybe the price of tuition or textbooks could be portrayed as Captain James but more on that at a later time). Another correlation I found was the company that I share when I return to Manchester for alumni weekend. I had an amazing core of friends and still remain close with a majority of them, and we make a big deal of returning to our alma mater once a year. Without that nucleus of people to build the anticipation around, it would probably not be as much fun.

Oh yeah one last thing, “BANGARANG!!!!”