It’s been a while, Campus Basement. I’ve been, you know, living my life and stuff (#yolo, but I don’t think that’s a thing still #outdated? #sorry #ugh). Doing work. Sleeping. Going to Trader Joe’s. Watching Portlandia. Grumbling as I try to find a radio station that isn’t playing that stupid Bruno Mars song. Harboring a crush on half the men I interact with. The usual.
Insert a smooth transition here, using your mind.
My family is really into holidays. Back when I had a lunch box, my milk would be dyed green on St. Patrick’s Day. When my family come to LA last Thanksgiving, my Mom brought a flag with a turkey on it and a bunch of festive confetti. Across the country. To spice things up in my barren apartment. Then she insisted I get a small Christmas tree (it’s still up and decorated, Mom).
The transition from Super Holidays to College Holidays has been rougher than I’d like to admit. Today is Easter. My 23-year-old sister flew down from New York City to hang out with my parents. I would like to emphasize that she has been out of college for two years and is a working professional. I am fairly certain the biggest reason I was missed today was because she didn’t have any competition in the Easter egg hunt. After being texted pictures of her Easter egg loot (she’s 23, should I say that again?), I began to pretend to be misty eyed from my allergies. I decided to listen to a mix on 8tracks, which led me to this mix. The Goo Goo Dolls started playing, which NATURALLY made me think of middle school. Then started to think of all the other things college makes me miss. I’m glad I walked you through my thought process for this post.
1. A fridge with non-expired food
Home – that mystical place where there is ice in the freezer and fresh fruit in the refrigerator and bread hasn’t gone stale from your inability to consume it quickly. Also full of things I cannot bring myself to spend money on (cheese, meat, etc.)
2. Consistently clean clothes
My life is measured by when the last time I did laundry was. Febreze is my best friend. I hate hauling pounds and pounds of laundry to the Laundromat. I hate quarters. I hate not knowing Laundromat etiquette and almost getting punched at the UV (IT HAPPENED). It’s been a week and a half. I have no idea why I’m almost out of underwear again. This would never happen at home!!!
3. People who are genetically obligated to love me
This really doesn’t serve a purpose in this post beyond showing that I was an adorable baby and maybe that’s why my family tolerated my incessant crying.
That’s the thing about parents! And siblings! They like me, they really like me! We have our GENES in common, how crazy is that?! They even loved me when I wet the bed and pooped my pants and babbled instead of talked. They loved me when I was going through my ~emotional~ “I hate everything!!!” phase during eighth grade (ugh that was the worst!) Family is the best.
4. A television that is not a computer
I do not have a TV. Some of you might. Good for you. My computer is my television. There’s something more rewarding and stimulating about watching the whole Back to the Future trilogy on a widescreen than on a fifteen-inch computer. Don Draper looks much more dapper when he’s on that big screen. Also my parents’ midlife crisis culminated in a massive suede beanbag chair being upstairs across from the TV (I told you, they’re the best). Thinking about that and cable makes me misty eyed all over again.
The world’s greatest midlife crisis.
5. The comfiest bed in the world
Realistically, my bed is not the comfiest bed in the world. I realize there are beds with silk and Egyptian cotton and probably like five feet of comfy-fluff. But it is my bed. And that makes it my favorite bed. Plus, my dog is usually there, which makes it doubly great.
Now that I am done whining about vaguely first world problems (I don’t know, a few of those things are definitely on inexplicitly on Maslow’s pyramid), I wish you a happy Easter or happy Sunday or happy “it’s nice outside, the rain has cleared up, go play” day.
I blame the Goo Goo Dolls for this post. And Easter egg hunts.
