morrigirl | 101 Things I Learned in College

With Homecoming quickly approaching I thought it would be fun to look back figure out what I actually learned in college. I came up with the following 101 lessons. I have broken the list into seven categories, so's not to wear out your poor eyes.

I learned (that) / (how)

Academics
1) I didn't know as much as I thought I did.
2) To critique and analyze literature.
3) To enjoy "classic" literature.
4) To really love poetry.
5) To cite shit MLA style.
6) The value of liberally quoting source material when writing a paper.
7) I work well when given feedback.
8) English professors think everything is or should be about sex.
9) Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to postmodernism.
10) I can run, but I can't hide from Andy Rea.
11) I don't necessarily have to like a teacher in order to do well in their class.
12) State and City Colleges in New York can be just as challenging as private four year colleges elsewhere.
13) What an "AP" class is.
14) Race, sexuality, and individuality are all social constructions.
15) Procrastination is an art form.
16) Basic figure drawing
17) Majoring in any arts related field will not get you a job straight out of college.
18) Focus, rather than location, dictates how much studying will get done.
19) Some textbooks are worth keeping.
20) I am smart enough to make the Dean's List.
21) My brain and body are capable of far higher standards of work than I ever imagined.
22) Education is a privilege, not an entitlement.
23) A Bachelor's of Arts degree isn't worth a much as I thought it was.

Location
24) I can make any place feel like home.
25) New York is the exception, not the rule.
26) I am a true blue city girl through and through.
27) I like Chicago.
28) Pizza pies produced by chains are half the size of those made by local New York pizza parlors.
29) But chains make up for it by offering bread sticks and cheesy bread.
30) In the mid-west people stand in line, drink pop, and ask if you want to come with. (As opposed to standing on line, drinking soda, and asking if you want to come with them.)
31) All the boys in the mid-west are named Ben or Dave, all the girls are named Katie or Amber.
32) The weather in Illinois is schizophrenic.
33) There are still eating establishments in this country that contain smoking sections.
34) There are places where pedestrian street signals chirp when they want you to walk.
35) There are places where it is socially acceptable to leave the house and go about your daily activities in your pajama bottoms.
36) You will never feel as homesick as you do when you go away to college

Friendship
37) There are some people I can hang out with 24/7 and never grow tired of.
38) The power of the rumor mill and the joy of gossiping
39) I can become best friends with people who are my complete opposite in just about every way.
40) I am really drawn to people who are different then me because they can teach me things I don't know.
41) It helps to have friends in high places.
42) I like to befriend the friends of my ex-best friends as well as the past and future girlfriends of my ex-lovers.
43) Most of the people you meet on the internet are nice, normal people like yourself.
44) How to properly stalk someone. (Thanks to Faces, the Knox Directory, Yahoo, Google, and every social networking site in existence.)
45) Not all frat boys are drunken date-rapists. (Just Betas and Fijis)
46) Not all sorority girls are annoying bimbettes. (Just Tri Delts.)
47) I can be civil to people I don't necessarily like.
48) Sometimes you just have to step back and give others the courtesy of making their own mistakes.
49) New friends will constantly enter your life, and old ones will constantly exit. This is as it should be.

Sex and Relationships
50) One kiss is all it takes to get me completely emotionally invested in someone.
51) Sex does not naturally lead to love.
52) I am physically attractive.
53) I am sexually desirable.
54) I can land just about any guy I want if I put my mind to it.
55) It doesn't take a lot of effort for a girl to get laid if she wants to.
56) I can be a slut.
57) Just how fluid sexuality really is.
58) How to flirt.

Body and Presentation
59) My body is not as sturdy or healthy as it was when I was in high school.
60) Nothing soothes the soul like a good long walk.
61) I only smoke when I'm really depressed.
62) To layer.
63) To be comfortable wearing jeans in the middle of winter without leggings underneath
64) To put my hair up into a bun.
65) The best way to make my hair return to normal after teasing it into a gigantic knot.
66) To enjoy sun tanning.
67) Apparently, I smell nice.
68) I am not invincible.

Personal
69) I am not the greatest living writer on the planet.
70) I'm a pretty good actress.
71) With regular practice I'm a pretty good singer too.
72) I can dance.
73) I like dancing.
74) I am brave.
75) I am responsible for myself.
76) I can do things worthy of admiration.
77) I can inspire others.
78) I can follow-through on things when I really want to.
79) People become jealous of me on occasion.
80) I can be a bitch.
81) I am physically and mentally incapable of keeping track of my keys.
82) I can forgive.
83) I love my mother.

Miscellaneous
84) Quarters are worth their weight in gold.
85) Republicans actually exist in real life, not just in theory.
86) What the acronyms LARP, RPG, and DDR stand for.
87) To DJ.
88) I really like old school rap.
89) To like Tori Amos.
90) Be a "joiner."
91) To fear flying.
92) To surf the internet, send email, and use instant messenger.
93) The highly refreshing effects of a primal scream
94) The realities of class discrimination.
95) Pines cones make excellent substitute hockey pucks.
96) Llamas make terrific dinner companions.
97) It's okay to still sleep with a stuffed animal even if you are in your twenties.
98) There's nothing like a good suicide to test your religious faith.
99) It is impossible to look cool playing ultimate frisbee.
100) Young people lack self-awareness.
101) Life is a soap opera.