"a majority of things are permissible...but come on, let's not get ridiculous"

It's been a good weekend. I love July 4th. Sure, you've heard it all before, but I've always been a huge proponent of excessive lounging, bodies of water (kiddie pools, in this year's case) and needless to say, fireworks. It was so perfect hanging with an assortment of my favorite peeps and watching people I hardly know put all pride and thoughts of self-preservation aside to chug brews and fall on their asses playing dizzy bat. Not to mention, drinking 5 out of the 7 seven days this week made me feel a lot like an American, don't ask why, it's obviously twisted logic.

Despite the impressiveness of how wonderful this weekend has been, I shouldn't trick you innocent readers into thinking it wasn't without its minor glitches. For similar to the birth of America, in all her glory, she wouldn't be the country we know and love, without tyrannical King George and buffalo hungry Native Americans (I rarely make racist remarks in this blog, please don't hold it against me.) Anyway, tears were shed, shoes were lost, territories invaded, all leaving me to analyze one of the more pressing matters of my life. Since when have I retired my mature womanhood to act like a FRESHMAN?

Allow me to elaborate. I've been in college for three years. Three wonderful years. I've 'grown', 'matured', 'found myself' 'become the woman I am today' and lots of other trite cliches that you're supposed to do whilst becoming educated. It was a process mind you, a series of trial and error, living and learning. I mean, one doesn't turn 18 and in the blink of an eye become a refined sophisticate, there are stages.

Freshman year for example, is what I like to refer to as the 'anything goes' stage. It's the year you spend losing your dignity and gaining story material. It's common knowledge as a freshman you can't be held responsible for your actions. Every poor decision, drunken regret and slutty halloween outfit is easily shrugged off because let's face it, you're 18 years old, in the grand scheme of your college career, it doesn't matter. You can attend Delt Mekong dressed in camo, drink hidden Smirnoff from your dorm fridge and makeout with someone you've known for 2 hours, all without shame or fear of repercussions. Well..at least nine months of no repercussions. If the constitution has taught me anything, it's that as an 18 year old, acting ridiculous freshman year is an inalienable right.

Luckily, for the sake of our livers and self-respect, freshman year is just that, one year. Sophomore year comes, and with it's arrival, a certain element of experience is achieved and freshman indiscretions are a thing of the past, never to be revisited again. But wait..

What happens if the cycle is disturbed? What if, in Robin Williams like fashion, the board game Jumanji is reopened releasing killer monkeys, life-sucking plants and enraged rhino's into your once civilized environment? IE: What if after three years, as a 21 year old, you find yourself exhibiting similar behaviors and actions of an 18 year old idiot girl..or boy? Maybe it's summer. Maybe it's being legal. Maybe it's new found freedom. All I know is since I've turned 21, I've been acting more like a freshman than I did when I was actually 18.

The problem is that there's something mildly disconcerting about the thought of behaving the same way I did during my 'anything goes' phase. It's not that I'm TRULY worried about it. I'm not accidentally drinking punch laced with muscle relaxers and crashing Kappa Sig late nights, but I am casting aside my better judgment in lieu of living in the moment. It honestly doesn't sound half bad when I put it that way. And come to think of it, maybe it isn't half bad, maybe it's just another 'stage'. Maybe the summer before your senior year is the "a majority of things are permissible, but come on, let's not get too ridiculous.." stage. It's kind of like, I've already learned the lessons, most of them the hard way, so now it can just be a refresher course.

Whew. Freak out averted. Close one.