Gobsmacked

Being a teenager is all about is getting caught off guard. You may think you're prepared for everything that comes your way, but no one and I mean no one can ever be completely impervious. You can't predict the future. You can't know what's going to happen - what do you think this is That's So Raven - no this is real life. You can only sit back and let things happen organically (not like the chemical science), and get awestruck, flabbergasted - hell, gobsmacked.

College is one of those places that truly has no boundaries. I feel like it's everyday kind of thing where lines are not only drawn but crossed like a freaking Teen Wolf powder circle. You never know what people are going to say or do, it's only up to you to be in control of yourself and take responsibility for what you bring to the world and more specifically your campus. There are so many times that I think, "I would never ... say or do that" - and while that might be absolutely correct, I'm the only me, and for sure not everyone thinks that way. It's like Bill Cosby's old show, "Kids Say the Darndest Things" - that's the truth, it's a total bag of potpourri when it comes to people's actions, thoughts, or even comments. This week was definitely an eye opening experience for me to see that. I'm so aware of myself, I take time to think carefully about what I have to say and I'm so hyper vigilant when it comes to preventing awkward moments or less-than perfect social interactions. Not everyone is super concerned as I am, and that doesn't necessarily mean other people don't care. It's just that they're not me and I'm not them. Just have to be prepared to respond accordingly - drop the jaw, and stand there gobsmacked.

Gobsmacked - if you're wondering is a bit of British slang. Reasons why British people do it better, their accents, slang, clothing style, humor, and pretty much anything about them. Now we return to our regularly scheduled blog post. Wednesday, started off with some mundane HCOL ridiculousness - I just sit in that damn class and vegetate, unstimulated, almost always offended by legit everything my professor has to say. Chem lecture is quirky and Scottish as always with our dogs bullock (thank you Jack and Finn Harries for the slang JacksGap Slang) professor kilt-man (BTW's he's yet to wear a kilt, but I bet if he did we'd all be intrigued by it). Religion class marked me actually participating once again (look at me contributing to society) and looking a smoldering hot ball of teenage boy (like everyday). Lunch time is all about me myself and I somehow using IRA work to procrastinate from doing actual homework, eating, and YouTube hard - like I mean hard. It was on to biology lecture where it's another unbearably dry class, which ended in sheer mob mentality when we all tried to sort out our quizzes. I did okay, and acknowledged my newfound acquaintanceship with Jiley (Josh & Kiley - the mad pops seniors; who aren't involved by exist as a package deal of friendship in my mind). I book it (like almost ran) up the stairs and to the bus stop to catch a ride to Redstone campus for my office hour (yeah, singular). More of me being awesome and semi-royal (Prince William has got nothing on all of this). Another bus ride and it's back to the Heights to meet up with my roommate, Patrick and proceed to the student center. I do a quick photoshoot with the former SGA president, Julian and wish my showmates good luck on Dirty Pop - check out the episode here Season Premiere - and get some food and head to the 4th floor to pretend to do homework. Patrick and I get nothing done up there, and soon it's time for me to turn on my outgoing-persona and lead my first IRA general body meeting. It goes super well, awkward ball of questions, quirky cool stories, and I definitely am absolutely excited for the group this year. This is going to be our year, we'll be doing it in the halls. I spent the night working on my chem lab and late night bro-talking about everything weird in the world with Krabs (aka Patrick). Gobsmacked and plum-tried, call it a night.

Let me tell you that this whole slang thing is like the new big thing. If you're not in the with latest lingo, then you're going to left in the dust of the omnipresent social race known as college. Thursday, I woke up feeling like death itself. I wore a full sweatshirt #thingsthatneverhappen to the office and got lots of work done. Back home to change and go off to tennis class where we working on aiming serves and returning serves with cross courts. Truly, tennis is awesome because it's physical and powerful, but also everyone looks going playing it (at least I imagine myself that way). Back to my room to shower, eat some Poptarts (whole ones, I always break off the crust - so that was new) and finish preparing for chem lab. On my way there I was by the library and who do I almost run into one of my newest campus crushes, secretly known as henna girl with no flaws whatsoever. I'm just flustered and running a little late, so I just say sorry, smile and head to my lab. We were distilling wine, and my lab partner, Miranda, and I did work on that gangam style. I was sniffling and took multiple water breaks but we worked well together, and I even noticed supes-pops girl Kiles (nickname alert) was even in my lab as well - besties. Done with lab and my meeting with my adviser was cancelled so I grabbed food and retreated to my room. I scarfed down that food and fell into a coma of overworked overachieving superman sleep to the sweet sound of One Direction. I woke up an hour later to knocking on my door and who could it be other than my former suitemate, Alejandro, who was visiting for the week. It was a curiously awkward social interaction, like not much was said and I blew my nose, turned around, and he was gone. Who knows what happened, not me. Sam texted me about One Direction's new song & music video for "Live While We're Young" and hell broke loose as I discovered the epicness that was all of that. The song is catchy, subtly sexualized (as we teenage boys do) and the music video is pretty cool (ringtone changed). After that it was off to the Davis Center for a fraternity pow-wow. On the way there, I ran into my original college #dreamgirl, and almost mustered up the courage to say "hi" but panicked and didn't at the last second. I'll get it together one of these days. Derrick, Jake, Dom, Joe, Connor, Bela and I sat on the green roof talking about how we want to see Phi Mu Delta grow over the next two years. It was some good discussion with the witty banter strewn about in there. Afterwards, Dom, Derrick and I grabbed dinner which was even more bro-time. Honestly, I cherish the time I get to spend with my fraternity brothers, they're all super genuine, open, and real with what they have to say. Info session with some of the guys, and back to the Heights to read super deeply into the Bible (back to my roots) with Jimmy & Patrick making commentary along the way. Interesting day, not the way I thought it'd be but it worked out. Gobsmacked and more than done.

Being a teenager is all about taking things in stride. Things will never got the way you forsee them. You're not the Martian Manhunter, nor Emma Frost - we're just college kids trying to figure out this place. We can only have dominion of ourselves, and no one else. At the end of the day that's all we can do, be aware of ourselves and hope that people take the time to do the same. Stuff happens, ish goes down, and the crazy gets let out - we'll screw all that, I'm plain gobsmacked.

My blog post question for the day is ... when was the last time you gasped? I would have to say finding out One Direction's music video for "Live While We're Young" was released after it got leaked was too much for my mind to wrap around.