August 18, 2023 - GVSU
I write this just after a trip down memory lane. My very first year at college was at Grand Valley State University, or GVSU for short. It was the first time I was away from home. I failed that first year. I flunked both semester. Had to move back home. Start over again at Community college. But lets not talk about the sad times. Instead, I want to reminisce about the good things.
I stayed in a first floor dorm room. We had a very small window at the tip top of our room, on account of the room being 3/4 into the ground. My dorm mate was named Josh. He was amazing. I got incredibly lucky with how awesome of a roommate I got. We would talk a lot. We would hang out and play video games or watch Game of Thrones (we binged the entire series). I have many found memories of conversating over nothing with him. We haven't talked since then. I should reach out.
In the first week of school beginning, we got hit with a tornado warning. I vividly remember stumbling into the main area of the dorm building and seeing a bunch of college kids aimlessly standing around. None of us, not even the RAs, knew what to do. We just watched the TV news until we got bored and then went back to our rooms. I guess we didn't care. It was an exciting, and in hindsight foreshadowing, event. It was an intense storm too.
Nearly every night I would walk around campus. Not going anywhere, just walking. There as a little walking path area that I would circle for over and over. I also enjoyed the walking by and admiring the Tower. I still see it in my dreams from time to time. Foreboding, but impressive. Ironically, I did not like walking to class. My dorm and the classrooms were on opposite sides of campus. I hated walking in the cold moorings. I did not like trekking that path for class, but loved it for aimless walking.
This last one isn't too much of a happy memory. Its heavy. One night, while doing my usual late night sandwich intake and scrolling social media, I came across a post that stopped my heart dead. A report of an active shooter at UofM. My home is near there. Most of my high school classmates are there. I cannot describe the fear that gripped me in that moment. Pure panic. At first, I didn't even move, instead staring at the post and rereading it over and over and over. I dropped my sandwich and left. I practically ran to my dorm room. I turned on police radio, informed Josh, and began doom scrolling. I remember calling my parents at one point as well. Tears. Thankfully, it was not real. Apparently, some kids were popping balloons and screaming. Pop and scream. American school kids have learned that sound well. Some immediately ran upon hearing the sound, which led to a cascade of all the others following suit. People barricaded themselves in. Chairs stacked on doors. Cops were called. But thankfully, it was misinterpretation. Nothing changed while I was in high school, Nothing has changed while I'm in college. But it will eventually.
On a happier note, I discovered a lot of good music then. The highlight was Post Malone. Specially, his new-ish album BeerBongs and Bentleys. I fell in love. That album was my anthem.
Better Now - Post Malone