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| Image source: http://www.intoxicatedabroad.com/ |
A younger cousin of mine (she's 18) has recently started university. While she sounds to be having the time of her life, her facebook updates have reminded me of the less noteworthy experiences of being a full-time student:
* Drinking 'goon'. The lovely bottles of sav blanc I indulge in these days may come from the cheaper end of the Woolies Liquor shelf, but thankfully bear next to no resemblance to goon. I think I'd blocked the word 'goon' and it's associated memories from my mind, until this week that is, the moment I signed my first job contract.
* Having to do assignments on non-class days. I'm fortunate to have the kind of job where work is only done at work. Of course days off do involve housework, but you can get away with giving it some cursory attention and put off doing it properly almost indefinitely. Or at least until you have a rental inspection or the parents come to visit.
* Having to share with dorm or flat mates. Think kitchen pigs. Waiting for the bathroom (only to find the sink clogged with someone else's hair). Chocolate nicked from the fridge. Goon nicked from the fridge. Loud noises at all hours of the day and night. Noises you'd rather not identify coming from your housemate's room at all hours of the day and night. It's a list with no end, really.
My place is no luxurious haven, but I can keep it pretty much the way I like. The husband's attempts to get away with leaving everything from shifters to socks on the kitchen table notwithstanding.
* Not having a licence and/or not having a car. Many uni students do have both these days, of course, and this bit of gratitude is prompted by the experience of my sister-in-law who, for various bureaucratic reasons, has just got her Learners at age 21. I've always lived in regional areas where the public transport system, if it exists at all, involves a bus coming by about once every 10 days. I'm not a big fan of driving (I prefer to be chauffeured, darling) but I am a fan of being able to take off somewhere whenever I feel like it.
This post is part of the lovely 'I'm Grateful For' link-up by hosted by Maxabella Loves.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this post! You can enter a comment below:
Hello. Yes there is some comfort when you can feel a bit more graceful about your ventures. Leaving that chaos behind. Good luck with your adventures. Take care ,
ReplyDeleteJIll
I hear ya! I've been grateful for YEARS to have left flatmates and cheap plonked behind... And the 'pleasing' of others too. Great post and thankyou for linking up. x
ReplyDeleteOh yay, yes, love my age too. Seeing i married my teen love from Uni, i avoided much of the dating drama & didn't drink (no goodie two shoes, just couldn't metabolise it, handy - i was the driver!!) But to go back to those early adult days, pretty happy to just reflect, not relive!! Ha, with a high schooler already, i'm about to witness it from a whole new angle. Finally, never heard of a 'goon' box until we lived in Darwin, we just called them wine casks & blew up the silver inserts for pool pillows. Love Posie
ReplyDeleteOh the memories! Deciding wether to spend my 20$ on petrol or a weeks worth of groceries....
ReplyDeletei never knew it was called goon!
ReplyDeletesuch a funny post, yay for growing older with some style!
lovely post - never heard of Goon, but i must say i'm glad that my uni days are behind me....gee if i had to study and write essays again I'd be in trouble xx
ReplyDeleteCheap drink of choise was spumante in my day. Don't miss any of that. Love being mid-30's. Great post!
ReplyDeletewhat a great list! Yes goon is something I would rather forget too! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm turning FORTY this month, so that would explain why your title caught my eye. Having said that, almost without realising, last weekend was spent with high school friends becoming seriously jolly with margheritas. Still recovering and so, so glad uni days are over!
ReplyDeleteShare housing with uni students was.... um .... interesting.
ReplyDeleteVery grateful that is in the past!
I love being the topic this week! And I would prefer uni to boarding ANY day! Beautiful writing. And you can definately believe facebook, I am having a wonderful time!
ReplyDeleteWhoever said school was the best years of their life must have been a loser as an adult! I'm glad uni days and my early 20 somethings are well and truly behind me. I enjoy being in my 30s. It's just everyone else who has a problem with it but it is their problem not mine!
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