College Kids

I know I don’t look like a teenager, but I think I could pass for a college kid in one of those college party movies. You know, one where all the actors are like 30? That one.

Brent and I were in Syracuse for a wedding this past weekend. It was a beautiful wedding, and it was on Friday night, freeing us up for some solid day drinking and tailgating action for the Syracuse football game Saturday. The game started at 12:30 and when we were talking about plans the night before my dad seriously suggested we leave the house at 9:45am. It takes 15 minutes to get to campus. He wasn’t messing around. 

We left the house a little after 10, found a parking spot a few blocks from the quad and began the walking tailgate up to all the action. We’re reveling in the festivities, enjoying the band, discreetly sipping our beers, subtly chatting up scalpers for tickets to the game since we don’t actually have any. 

We ended up getting really good seats. Close enough that Brent was next to a kid who caught a t-shirt thrown up at him from the t-shirt catapults. I’ve never been w/in reach of those things. Brent was pretty salty about not getting the shirt, especially since the kid who caught it turned and gave it to the group sitting behind Brent b/c they had a really little kid. I guess it was a nice gesture, but come one, those free t-shirts are always size XL, at least give it to someone who can wear it as a nightshirt, like me. 

We left the game w/ about ten minutes left, since I hate hate hate crowds and always try to duck out of mob scenes early. It’s always really hot in the dome, but outside it was a beautiful day, unseasonably warm for mid-October in upstate New York. We walked down Walnut Street, lined w/ all the old and impressive frat and sorority houses. Bunches of students stood outside the houses, and as we continued the walk, we were met w/ more and more students coming towards us. There were so many Brent and I couldn’t even use the sidewalk and just started walking in the lawns to avoid the masses. Many of them carried beer and were openly drinking. My initial reaction was surprise: is this what girls are wearing now? I couldn’t tell if they were coming from an 80’s themed party or these were the fashions. I’ve never seen so many cropped mom jeans and light colored denim outside of a John Hughes movie. And jean skirts? Are these back in style? I almost kicked myself for finally giving mine away last season.

We turned the corner onto Marshall Street and I couldn’t believe the hoards of students. It was as if we were in the middle of a street festival instead of Saturday afternoon on campus. I heard the group of girls coming toward me talking about how the party at Theta got broken up, so now what was the plan? Damn, Brent, Theta got busted, I said, and we laughed at how carefree our old college selves used to be. We walked by what must be Theta house, to about a dozen cops standing around a yard littered w/solo cups and beer cans. 

I always reminisce on my college days w/ rose colored glasses. And everything I missed about college was right in front of me: the terrible fashion choices, the 30 racks of Keystone, the close proximity to a dining hall. 

I was awed by these kids and their ability to party this hard at 3pm in the afternoon. Were they going to keep drinking and eat last night’s Chinese leftovers and spritz their cropped jeans w/ perfume for the parties later tonight? I was ready to go home and take a nap. As much as I try to fool myself into thinking I could pass for a college kid, seeing hundreds of actual college kids makes me realize I’m not about that life anymore. I’ve moved on to better things, like 30 racks of Bud Light from the comfort of my own home.