Behind the Scenes

Being a teenager is all about getting the full story. It's about discovering the real person inside the person. It's about getting past all the surface stuff. The fronts we put on, the superficial quirks we pretend to have, and the masks we put on to hide our true selves. College is the time to dig a little deeper, pry just a little bit more, and ask the questions that you've always wanted to. Smile your on candid camera, no wait - we're behind the scenes.

Behind the scenes is all about learning. Learning about not only yourself but the people around you. It's about asking those questions that make people think, that force you to be frank with yourself, and that take everyone of out their comfort zones. Check this vlog extra for more on "going behind the scenes" with stories from my week, random dancing and a movie of  "the Perks of Being a Wallflower."

Getting a sneak peek into the classically deranged world of my teenage life may or may not be something people should actually see (I promise I'm normal). Truthfully, scouring the innermost depths of my persona is a task that no one should ever have to endure - we're all complicated people, bottom line. There's so many things that make us the way we are, how we got to be the people we are today, and what experiences have shaped up. We're all different, and it's because of our memories, and all those experiences that we are who we are (cue Ke$ha, BTW, homeboy loves "Die Young"). Now, fast forward through my week to Wednesday afternoon. Fresh out of biology lecture and all of a sudden the sky breaks open to let little water droplets splash around. I book it Waterman to pick up posters from the most decrepit parts of the basement (do you ever go to a place where you know you feel you shouldn't be). Outside into the dripping skies and onto the Redstone Express (first time on that bus route) and down to the office. Oh boy did I put in some work before heading to poster the hell out of the Davis Center - boom! I grabbed some food, did some homework before leading another meeting which really brought out people's real passion for improving our campus. It really was empowering to get to say that fierce side that people get when they deeply care for a cause. I'm all about that. It was like a behind the scenes look at people that you wouldn't normally see in that capacity. Day ends with chemistry lab work write ups with Jimmy. Thursday morning I was a complete mess, woke up late for my office hours and somehow sped over to WDW. I had a candid talk with my advisers - seriously, it's actually really hard to tell the absolute truth because sometimes you say things and you wonder how people's opinions of you will change or whether or not they'll see you in the same way. It's scary, but you have to take that chance and let people peer behind the mask and see who's in there. That's what I did and I'm proud of it. On to tennis where I was a double-faulting king in there (aka fail city). Chem lab was good, finally did an extraction and recrystallization properly (for once) with my awesome lab partner, Miranda. Back to my room where I sat brooding, and smoldering like the angsty teenager I'm supposed to be for a few hours where I listened to my future wife's (Keke Palmer) new mixtape (that thing is fire - download that ASAP). I watched the pilot episode of "Arrow" from the CW with Stephen Amell and Katie Cassiy (perfect) - watch it! I went to a Phi Mu Delta info session and walked back with my bro, Zach, which always entails a great conversation. Peeling back the layers, getting to the core - behind the scenes.
 
You never know when you'll have one of those eye-opening conversations. When someone has the courage and straight cajones it takes to let you in, that's when you know you've really connected. "Anyone can share the good in their lives but few will share the bad, it's the bad that connects us all" (y'all can quote that, from yours truly Joey O). Friday for me meant waking up late (again, please notice this recurring theme) for class, but I was beyond it anyway. I went to the ALANA student center for breakfast and it was off to chemistry lecture and then religion class. Both fly by seamlessly and then it was task time. I ran errands like a freaking boss. I stopped by the ATM, got food, and went back to my room to watch the season 4 premiere of the Vampire Diaries (it was intense as hell, Bonnie always gets hurt and  spoiler alert I wish Elena could have stayed human). I did some postering of a couple of residence halls before sitting through another biology lecture - too much. I caught a bus from central to Redstone and my friend Bret's bf, Jesse, was on the bus (now that's a chill kid). That this was crowded so hard like a pregnant women with triplets. I walked down to the office and ran into my good buddy, Nicholas who was doing some mentoring (cause NBD) and we caught up a bit. I did some designing, sliced some papers and of course cut myself with that big ass butcher thingy and bled (story of my life). I gathered the stuff for our upcoming event and caught the bus back to my part of campus. Soon it was time to catch the city bus downtown and head to the movie theater with Sam. We saw the Perks of Being a Wallflower (the movie was deeply moving on so many levels - check the vlog above for a proper review). Guess who I ran into, President Sullivan - my college's president; just finishing a movie (seeing people in different contexts always reminds you just how human everyone is, on some level we're all just average people who happen to do extraordinary things). Sam and I walked back up to campus with our friends from H/M, Mike, Christian and Khalil. We all talked about the movie and discussed it's relation to the book (which I haven't read). Later I was walking to a friend's house with my suitemate Jimmy, and some girl dropped 5 bucks, so I picked up and attempted to return it to her. She looked at me and like jogged away a bit, and until she finally stopped and I gave it back to her (awkward bias incident anyone?). I went late night grocery shopping with my fraternity bro Zach and we were blasting 1D and Big Sean all around town, too funny. Night ended with bro-bonding talks with my roommate Patrick (aka Krabs, and newly referred to as baby bear - because I'm weird, deal with it). Getting to know him has been a genuine pleasure. Now you know my week, you've seen me behind the scenes.
Being a teenager is all about setting yourself free. It's about unlocking the inner you. Discovering your potential, making those connections and saying what you actually mean. Beating around the bus, speaking in metaphors, and withholding the truth has it's place, but if it's all the time for you then who are you. Let it you become you. Behind the scenes.

My blog post question for the day is ... why don't people let others in? I think people are afraid that people won't like what they see. I think we're all scared that people won't like the real us for who we actually are, not just the fronts we put on.