Na Na Na

Being a teenager is just like being a boyband. Is that the most ridiculous statement you've ever heard/read from me, if so, you must not know me well. College is all about creating your own identity while also joining a community of young people. It's like singing the catchy solo refrain at some parts and being a back up harmonizer on others. It's a give and take. We can't all be divas or go solo like Beyonce (Sasha Fierce) or Joe Jonas. Get it together and scream those sugary sweet lyrics, na na na. One Direction "Na Na Na"

I feel like I say this all the time but that Folger's coffee commercial is totally wrong, "the best part of waking up, is having your roommate roll over and say wassup." But seriously, you all know the whole going to bed after am thing would come back to  ruin my life right. It's like my collegiate days are already written in the stars to be a colossal mess. I wake up and moan like a woman after she's given birth (oh, I know what it sounds like - maternity ward volunteer, remember?). My voice is raspy like I just smoked a pack of cigarettes, and one of my eyes just refused to open, not a good morning. I force myself to sit up, like a baby avoiding being fed in his high chair (BTW, I would love that), and read for HCOL and nod off every few minutes in between. It's time for biology which means the great fun of punnett squares and genetics. Hey people hey, all I've got to say is, your parents slept together (enjoy the scandalous lingo) and they created you, and you happen to resemble both of them. Cool story bro, tell it again (I would rather not). From there it was on to HCOL where we talked about sociology and all these cultural influences, however, when my professor mentioned that she was being interviewed by CTV (as in Canada's equivalent to the Big Three TV networks, ABC, Fox and CBS) which is Degrassi's network, all I heard was "teen drama" - "it goes there" and "it's about to get real." I come back to the dorms to search for Shan-Dawg, we're supposed to meet up and head over to the Health and Well-Being Offices, apparently they think that I haven't gotten all my shots yet. First of all, I'm not a dog,secondly, if people contract chlymadia or herpes from me, is not my problem, and thirdly, I think I remember that my daddy is a doctor, so I'm pretty sure I've gotten all my vaccinations. Na na na, those people best watch out, I'm coming for them. Shan-tini is nowhere to be found so I go to the Marché to get lunch and Double A. Double A has his freshly super-fired pot that resembles the Spongebob magic conch shell. Lunchtime is over and it's intense blogging time for Gotta Be You. I make my way to chemistry lecture and stroll on it and I full on bump into Mystery Model who's on his way out. We say our apologies and a "hey" and I take my seat. Class goes on, and Jandro passes out, like sprawling out on three chairs and snoring like a whining vacuum. Class finally ends, so he and I take a trip to central campus. I see Mireille's lab partner and generally chill kid, Bear (yup, it's his name), in the grass so I shout the obligatory "Sup bruh." Alejando and I talking about his narcolepsy in chemistry and he shouts at the top of his lungs, and I quote, "Tired this DICK" and there's a pack of people about 30 feet in front of us. One by one, they all turn around and give us a crooked eye look, including one in a wheelchair. I'm telling you, we dropped to the ground and died laughing, might be the most embarrassing thing ever. Into playboy Chasey-Chase'm's building, Chittenden, which is like a desolate compared to the Heights where we take up residence. I feel like I'm in a different world, and I'd most deff be Whitley ... (please get that Cosby Show spin-off reference). I break off from the bro squad and go get some corn tortilla tacos, and guess who's there. My boy-boy, Krabby Patty, just eating yogurt, as always. I come back to the room and huddle in my bed, watch the latest episode of the Secret Circle and stuff my face with Mexican goodness. Afterwards I unwind by obsessively watching an hour's worth, a straight 60 minutes of One Direction (my newest musical interest) YouTube videos, greatest moments, live performances, and interviews. I come back from boyband world to reality and go through the tumultuous task of figuring out my schedule for next semester. I just wanna be like na na na, I don't want my schedule to change. It means I'll have to make new friends, find people to sit with, and adjust, ugh. I'm tired and hungry so it's to Marché with Sam for macaroni and cheese, Swedish fish and soda, like what else is there? Jimbo asks us "out-of-staters" if we're liking UVM, and honestly, I don't know. It's great and all, and I like most of the people here, but at the back of my mind I wonder if I made the right choice in coming here. No worries, I get down to doing my biology lab and Sam does some homework and we just sing and knock that crap out. I gives none if I can actually sing or not, when I hear my songs I'mma be belting out those tunes right with them, I'm a na na na, pop star in training.



Tuesday morning I wake up in bed with my IPod still blaring the perfection of teen harmony that is One Direction in my ears. I get dressed for tennis class, throw on some sweatpants and head out in public (I know I broke the rules, but a sensibility trumps being freezing cold). On the courts we play tie breaker sets which is like totally confusing. I take down Katie first, but she was off her game having sprained her ankle, and then Pretty Boy Evan feels me wrath as well before I get walloped by Big Evan and his fireballs for serves. I'm sweating like an 8th grade boy at the playboy club, and I head to Alice's Café to get breakfast. I'm about to open the door when I realize I left my student ID in the plaid shirt I wore Monday, FML. I walk to my building and realize I can't even get to my room, but luckily some girl comes along and opens the door for me. I retrieve my key and head back to get some breakfast, succeeding this time. I see Sam and Grace from IRA (Inter Residence Association) and Business Bro, who recently just became a facebook friend. I have my hot and sweaty breakfast all over my bed effectively getting crumbs everywhere like I was trying to create a trail for Hansel and Gretel to follow. It's show-show time, but not before I brush my teeth (again), floss, mouthwash, shave, and facial cleanse. I'm telling you, I was loving the shower. Being naked just makes a teenage boy feel sexy and singing adds to the dream. I bellow some ballads like I'm live in concert serenading a special girl, and I rinse and dry myself. I finish my biology lab work, and get dressed. Krabs comes back and I'm going na na na, heading on out of there. It's to my biology lab where once again we're a complete mess. Luc-warm and Ry-Ry accidentally microfuge the wrong tubes of E. Coli of DNA (BTW, WTE do the get that from, is that safe) and the entire process of trying to isolate a plasmid (all I know is I shoot plasma pistols in Halo 2) takes the entire time period, as in we don't even finish. Me and Em-Spikes were on our A game, and I head to the Davis Center for some more chicken curry, a slice of chocolate cake (topped with candy corn) and a sour green apple. Don't judge me, I was having cravings like a second trimester pregnant woman. I come back to my room and do some more eating my bed, just stuffing my face like a truly deadly sinning glutton (not gluten). I do some chemistry homework and take a whazz before heading off to math class. My buddy, Yuzo withdraws so I've lost my only friend in there, however the kid who sits next to me makes funny bro conversation, and it could the start of a beautiful friendship. My teacher starts talking and I picture is the maze from HP4: Globet of Fire, and I'm more lost than Clark Kent in a corn field. Class ends and I saunter to the chem lab where I take a seat in the hallway. Here comes my chem lab partner with a buddy bromance, Danny Boy and we catch up on the week so far. Jimbo and Lax Bro Ben pop a squat across from us and I notice Jimmy's wearing shorts, mind you it's 43 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Ridiculous, we get into a debate and I'm telling him it's not normal, most people dress for the weather, as demonstrated by my classy peacoat. It's into the lab for a quiz, which we most deff beasted, and to begin determining the molarity of HCl and the heat capacity of a Styrofoam cup calorimeter. We titrate the hell out of our samples of acid with base, neutralizing like a Jamie Foxx "Errr" hand to the face moment. We try to start watching the changing temperatures in the calorimeter and we epic family. We do an extra trial and all is well. Danny boy is the best lab partner, like ever. Our TA Graham-Cracker brings the sarcasm in regards to the hoopty-ness of our heat measuring apparatuses. Danny Boy and I have our weekly walk back from central campus and the topic of discussion this week was abortion after seeing tons of chalk battling opinions on the sidewalk between the library and student center. 



Ooph, super touchy subject, but here's my opinion ... the father of the child should have a say in whether or not the mother gets an abortion, that's half his child as well and I would say that as a neonatologist that I would not train in abortive procedures in medical school (and yes you can elect to do so, it's your personal right). People shouldn't have sex if they don't understand that there is always the risk of getting pregnant, the best contraception is refraining from sex. Abortions because of rape, molestation, or the pregnancy having the potential to hurt the mother, I might be able to understand but you getting pregnant from not using protection or protection failing and you're not ready to have a child is not okay. Every child deserves the right to life and a loving family. Have the baby and give it up for adoption. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but let's just leave it at that.


Back to the world of the less political and so much more teenage, I make it to the Hall Council meeting and as always, it's kind of chaotic. We're planning a Fall Bash for this Friday and we're nowhere near ready, but as long as I'm apart of the group it will be a success or my name isn't Joteng. From there it's to the Marché with Jandro and Jimmy where another argument comes up (I think I'm seeing a pattern here) about acting a race. You can't act a race, that'd be completing a stereotype, this is who I am, deal with it. I see Paigey, another IRA representative and it's back to the dorms to save the Bash. I come up with the idea of making a music video to promote the event and end up only getting Jandro, Sam and Cullen to stick around to help out ... mmkay, typical. It's just me being super naive and then finding a dance party, NBD. Afterwards it's about 10:45 when the 4 of us yell out of a window at people walking by. It was literally hilarious, we see Northside Marcus who's skipping and we distract him with conversation and he completely trips and goes flying, too much to handle. About 30 people get random window talks from us before it's quiet time so we quit playing (games with my heart). Krabs wants to go beddy-bye, so I go to do homework in Jandro's room. Ky-Ky, and Shan-Dawg visit and get a lot done. Na na na, night night.



Being a teenager is all about learning to stand up and when to back down. Everybody has a flaw, and I would for sure say mine is taking things personal. It's helpful and dangerous at the same time. Sometimes figuring out if people mean what they say can be difference between making friends or enemies. Na Na Na means a love/hate relationship which is how some relationships are turning out. Brush the dirt of your shoulders, keep your chin up, let things go and move on. Not everything requires an argument.

My blog post question for the day is ... what's your view on abortion? You just got mine, bring your opinions.