A "Real" College Experience

When I think back to the time before "real life" started (you know, career, house, bills, baby, the usual) it seems like a different universe. Life was so carefree, so laid back....I mean, I thought I had it rough because I worked 15 hours a week and had to study occasionally. Tough life. My college experience wasn't exactly typical, but I wouldn't trade the years (and years and years...seriously, it took me seven years to finish)  that I spent living that life for anything.

I started college at the University of Central Oklahoma (what, you've never heard of it?) in the fall of 2003, right after high school graduation. I went to school full time my entire freshman year, then took a couple of classes the following year....not near enough to count as it being an actual "sophomore year" though. I had never wanted to go to college, and decided to go on a whim just a month or so before classes started. Then, during my freshman year, this boy I just thought was the love of my life broke up with me, and it really threw me off a bit. I was so unhappy with everything at that point, and being in school just made it seem unbearable since I never wanted to be there in the first place. So I had a nice long chat with my parents and did the logical thing: I quit school and moved to Los Angeles to try to make it as an actress.

Freshman year...look at those little babies!

I only lived in L.A. for about a year...and the funny thing is, the entire time I was there I would spend time on MySpace and this new site for college kids called Facebook (isn't it crazy to think of Facebook as something "new"?), and I would see pictures of my friends in college and think "I wish I was getting that whole college experience". What a twisted little woman I was. Somehow, I just knew I was missing out on something amazing.

So back to Oklahoma I went. After a year of working at the mall and taking classes at the community college, I knew I still wanted that real college experience. So, that same old guy who broke my heart years earlier convinced me to give college yet another shot. This time, I enrolled at Oklahoma State University where he went, again just a month or so before classes started. I really like to leave things until the last minute apparently.

Starting out at OSU was a little intimidating. Literally the only friend I had there was my ex, and needless to say that wasn't a great friendship to rely on. Luckily I met several fun people right away, and settled in pretty easily. The very best friends I made were actually met through the ex, and I'm still super close to them to this day. Also, I met Arsen through one of those girls. Isn't life funny? If that ex-boyfriend of mine would have never convinced me to go to OSU, I would never have met the love of my life, and I wouldn't have this gorgeous baby boy or my sweet little tiny dog.

The 2 1/2 years I spent in Stillwater were honestly some of the best times I have ever had in my entire life. I wanted the college experience, and let me tell you, I got it. I have never had more crazy, more hilarious, more fun things happen to me than I did in that town. I wish I could share some of the stories with you...but I think it's best we leave that side of Celeste off the blog :)

Back to the Land of the (OSU) Cowboys

As soon as we get off work today Arsen and myself, along with little Addison Jane, will be heading to the great state of Oklahoma. This weekend is officially the first weekend of OSU football, which is a big deal in our household. I myself am (obviously) not a huge football fan, but Arsen has been counting down the days for months now.

I'm in it purely for the social aspect of things. I love going back because I get all warm and fuzzy inside remembering how amazingly fun and care-free college was, and we get to reunite with friends we haven't seen in awhile. Tailgating is a big deal in good ole' Stillwater. Actually, everything about football season is pretty big in Stillwater.

 

 

So can't wait for that.

Our first stop will be at my dad's place this evening. His birthday was actually Tuesday, so I made him a cake (from a box, don't be too impressed) and we have a special little gift for him. He has informed me, however, that the grasshopper invasion (discussed here and here) has reached an all-time high, so we've been plotting ways to get me in and out of his house without being attacked. His latest idea was to wrap me in a sheet and then for me to run inside....we'll see how that goes. He actually said that they will jump on you and bite you, and that there are literally thousands of them. Apparently it sounds like your car is being hailed on when you drive down his driveway, which sounds like my worst nightmare. I want to cry just thinking about it.

The rest of the weekend will be spent seeing other family, tailgating, and hopefully relaxing. Friday night we are eating at our favorite restaurant of all time, Tokyo Pot, in Stillwater. It's a shabu shabu place, and if you've never tried shabu shabu, do it immediately. You cook your own meat in a boiling pot of flavored broth on your table, and eat it with rice and veggies, and it is like heaven in your mouth. I'm drooling a little thinking about it.

So this will most likely be my last post for the long weekend....I am going to soak up every minute of free time that I have until next Tuesday. Hope everyone has a fabulous Labor Day weekend!!!