Homeward Thoughts, 9/5/13
I am finally more-or-less settled back in to the collegiate life.
Leaving home and everything I love about it is always difficult for me.
It has become easier since freshman year, but I always leave a piece of
myself in Chattanooga when I must depart. It’s my homebase. It’s where
(many, BUT not all) of my friends have their homebase. It’s my family’s
homebase. It has Cracker Barrels. I could list reasons why I love
Chattanooga until the text box won’t let me type anymore, but suffice it
to say, just like Carrie Underwood, I “thank God for hometowns.” My
Thanksgiving and Christmas plane tickets are booked. I love all the
opportunities that living in DC presents, but I can’t help my
kid-in-candy-store excitement for homeward bound confirmations.
But the good thing about this world is that it’s easier than ever to
connect to home. My mom and I talk at least daily, of which I have no
shame. She is my Snuggie. She laughs at my jokes, even when they poke
fun at her. She listens to my trials and tribulations without rolling
her eyes. She understands my quirks, oftentimes having said quirks
herself, like . She and I are very close, and I am proud of that. I
don’t know what I would do without her. My dad and I talk too, but he’s
usually trying to explain something antique car-related that goes over
my head. He is quite the car fanatic. Car shows, car auctions, car shows
AND auctions on tv, toy car models. He really enjoyed the
transportation section at the Smithsonian American History Museum. Cars
are his kid-in-candy-store thing. Too bad they, like plane tickets, cost
a little more than candy does.
I’ve also started calling friends more often. If you followed my
internship journey on Facebook, you know how close I have become to the
eight crazy yet wonderful people of the clerk’s office. I had forgotten
how heartwarming phone calls can be. I am guilty of choosing texting
over calling time and again, but since these fabulous folks grew up with
real phone calls, they are helping me adjust that habit. I can’t say
enough times what a great group they are. The diligent yet playful
dynamic of the office made every day a treat. And since they still talk
to me, I didn’t scare them off with my aforementioned quirkiness. That
makes me smile, because they are all caring friends.
Tonight is our first Philodemic (debate society) meeting, which I
already know will be eloquent. Philodemic is my Georgetown family. They
have been my DC homebase since October 2011, when I “studied” them as a
subculture for an Anthropology project. They welcomed me with open arms
that next April and again this past January. And they are still helping
me overcome my fear of speaking to a group whose faces I can see. I
always learn something while listening to the keynotes and speeches, and
I have no doubt that learning will continue over the next 2 years.
Tonight we will debate whether Edward Snowden is a traitor or a patriot.
My hope is that the freshmen who attend will become just as inspired as
I was to join the Society and will enrich their Hilltop learning
experience as I have. Here’s our new website if you’d like to learn more
and if you want recaps of our weekly debates. ELD love, my friends.
http://philodemicsociety.org/
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