Part of being a senior in college is that your 21st birthday is likely about to happen or has already passed. For me, I turned 21 in August, so I came back to Hoboken with a fresh new ID, ready to take the world by storm. Back on campus, ready to hang out with all of my friends who have been waiting months for me to be able to have a drink with them, I was excited. So I walked into a liquor store, put my pack of bud lights on the counter, and checked out. The only issue was they never asked for my ID. I strolled out of the store slightly disappointed, but sure it was just a fluke, a one-time mishap, so I moved on ready to be ID’d the next time with my head held high. Then a week later, as a newly-of-age college student would, I headed back to the liquor store with the determination to show off my ID. I went to a store that was known for asking for ID and was confident. The people in front of me were asked for their IDs and left with their heads hung low, so I stepped up to the counter once again with a look of determination, checked out, and left the store without being asked any questions other than “how are you?” I was defeated! The nail in the coffin for me was when I left a liquor store and the people that got turned away from buying, likely first-year Stevens students (oh boy) asked me if I could buy them alcohol. That was crazy, and I had to think to myself, where did the time go?
I feel old (I probably need a beer), and I think that will likely be a running theme of my column during my tenure writing senioritis for The Stute. But I cannot get over it! I remember my first year at Stevens, everyone was locked away in their room over fear of COVID. I felt like I wasted my first year, always sitting around doing nothing, or wasting my time with people that did not feel like my crowd. Granted, I had the excuse that I was not allowed outside, but it still felt miserable. So I remember making the goal of going out and doing things once I was allowed to, which happened to be my sophomore year of school. This technically felt like my first “real” year of college, I was able to go out, and everything felt better. I guess the goal of senioritis is for me to give out advice to those younger than me who may be in need of it. So, I guess for this week, my advice is to be spontaneous, go out, and enjoy yourself when you can because eventually you will feel sluggish and tired and likely not want to go out. Make the most of it while it counts!
Being 21 is weird, I feel like I have all the options in the world of what to do, especially given the location of Stevens. Yet, I prefer to stay local, and just hang out with my close friends. The burden of options can be overwhelming, so I recommend taking a leap of faith and trying new things when you can. Even in my old, decrepit state, I think I need to be more willing to do that sometimes. Make your first couple of weeks of the semester count, whether it is your first or sixth year, it is never too late to start anew. I am going to spend these next few weeks trying to get outside of my comfort zone because I guess we can all learn things from my vast wisdom.
