Take Me Home

Being a teenager is all about making your way home. It's about packing up, loading up your stuff, and hardcore peacing out. Say your goodbyes, squeeze those hugs as tight as you can, and say something meaningful and then let go. Turn around, walk away, and don't look back. If you cry, let the tears fall down your face and then wipe them away and smile. We're out of here, getting into summer mode, and it's time to take me home.

*Check out my vine (6 second video editor app for twitter) from the crazy day here:

Are you ready for another epic adventure (shoutout to Teennick for finally air the final episodes of Bucket and Skinner's Epic Adventures) from yours truly? No advice, no morality, just a classic adolescent story of going home, quirks, chaos, randomness, and all. Saturday was my last day in Vermont for my sophomore year. I woke up completely dazed and confused as to where I was, contacts in, no retainer, and completely dressed from the night before. I rubbed my eyes and rolled over to realize I was in my old roommate's basement. Patrick came barreling down the stairs to say our goodbye as he was off to work and I had a crazy hectic day ahead of me. I got up, called up my homeboy, Tanner, and went to work getting myself ready to head out. I thanked Patrick's mom for her hospitality, and said my goodbye to Boomer (his exceptionally affectionate dog) and rolled my excessively heavy suitcases (I have a lot of clothes okay - looking good is a daily process) out to Tanner's car. From the get go, I knew it was going to be a weird day but a fun one at that. Tanner and I rode around Essex, Burlington, Colchester and Williston deciding on where to go for breakfast/lunch (aka brunch). We settled on this place called Sneakers and we got our pager and decided to walk around and explore. Waterfalls, hydroelectic dams and a long range pager induced run later we were sitting down to order and eat our food. Let's just say the aftermath was not what we expected, Tan-Tan ended up not having any of it and puking in bathroom. There's my eventful morning for ya. From there it was off to see our buddy, Christian, at his house. I got the VIP treatment and the exclusive tour of his humble abode. We all just kind of laid around playing with this ferocious remote control helicopter, and then I waxed them both in Boggle (yo, board game day) before it was time for a heartfelt farewell to C-Money (alias CLewis). Tanner and I went to his credit union (apparently it's a different from a bank, and I don't know how or why) where I got a cherry lollipop and then I had the idea to go waste some time at a car dealership. This day just got more and more random. We were bumping and cruising and we got this supercar lot called Automaster. I got my Benz fix (someone had a G-Wagon in the back) and checked out the new GLKs before we got quasi-not-so-serious with the Honda people over an Accord. Just spent a couple of hours car gazing (get it, haha ... no) before we went to get some fro-yo from SoYo. I got this maple vanilla flavor (it's Vermont) and it tasted nothing like maple syrup, but I put mangoes on top and was vaguely pleased (in Ohio, it tingles in your mouth). I checked in for my flight and paid my baggage fee via mobile and we stopped at Moe's to pick up Tanner's friend, Brandon, and we played with their awesome Coke machine (check the vine here: Soda Mixer). We visited campus one more time to drop off my office keys to Drake and it was hugs all around before I gave my saddest goodbye to Tan-Tan at the airport drop of spot. I had an amazing day with some of my favorite people but it was nowhere near over. Get ready for lift off and take me home.  

Hope you're enjoying this story! I'm aware it's long, but condensing one day into words, pictures and videos is like totally super hard. Into the airport I went as the flight agents weighed my bags (just barely under weight) and I proceeded to security. I took off my belt, lost my shoes, and placed my laptop in its own tray before moving to the security scanner. Then I had to get my right leg patted down (apparently my preppy cuffed skinny jeans looked suspicious ... I might just have to pull the race card. The guy behind me accidentally went through with his pocket knife and didn't have anything happen to him ... mmkay) before regaining my composure and heading to my gate. I sat there for a couple of hours and blogged "Never Neverland" while my flights were both supposed to already have been delayed. Neither of them were and I officially went into airplane mode (like literally, iPhone 5 and all) as we took off. Up into the clouds we went, and it was absolutely beautiful. If you don't know this about me, I love clouds. I think they are the most fascinating aspect of nature, hands down and I always sit next to the window when I fly (which is frequently nowadays). I put in my headphones and knocked out asleep in my own row (yay for no neighbors). Soon enough we were touching down in Philadelphia and I had to pee like nobody's business. Straight to the bathroom I zoomed and I relieved myself promptly. I boarded a interterminal bus to my next gate and stopped for a philly cheese steak pizza. I accidentally bumped into this hulking mass of neanderthal and nonchalantly apologized (it was actually his fault, he walked right into me) and he just stared me down and puffed out his chest like he was for real going to hit me. Homie please continue perpetuating stereotypes and living that thug life, it'll take you far - love the privileged and civilized suburban socialite you did not intimidate whatsoever. I got my eat on before boarding my next flight. The flight attendant bore a striking resemblance to Tamar Braxton and it was supposed to be a full flight. That's when the nonsense went down. The twenty-something lady who was supposed to sit next to me took it upon herself to take over the row in front of me, even though everyone was needed to sit in the seat they were assigned. The people who were actually supposed to sit there had to sit somewhere else and it held up the flight trying to figure out what was going on. Then I coughed once and that same lady gave me one of the dirtiest looks I have ever received. The rest of the flight she sat there on facebook (stalking her ex-boyfriend I assume) and would periodically clutch her purse tight and turn around to look at me between the cracks in the seats (why yes scared white woman, I'm going to rob your fake gucci purse while we're flying in a plane ... think with your mind not your racism). I got another row to myself but it was the most patronizing flight I've ever been on. We hit some major turbulence and I held on for dear life. We land in Cincinnati and I was out of there like the place was about to blow. Off to pick up my luggage, and the most satisfying part of it all waiting outside for my mommy and daddy, the lady was out there. There they come in one of the three Mercedes-Benz we have to pick me up, and I waved and we drove off. Suck on that with your prejudiced and broke ass. We drove home and I reconnected with my sister as we made fun of everything and everyone on instagram, vine and facebook. Missed her more than anything and I was back at my house. Operation take me home, complete.

 
Being a teenager is all about heading home. You're done, finished, and you've made it. You've got nothing left to do but ship on out and go home. Return to from whence you came, and get ready for the best summer of all time. Break out your brightest colors, show some skin, and roll your suitcase with the pep in your step and like you got swag in your bag. Roll the windows down, blast the music, roadtrip it out, bus it up, train it on, or take it to the sky. Your family and friends are ready for you, don't keep them waiting, this night is fading, take me home.

My blog post question for the day is ... what's your best travel story from college? You all have heard most of mine, along with everything else that goes on in my life.