I decided to walk it out today. I decided to sweat more than the small stuff. I decided to stroll along. I decided to walk to the beat of my own drum. My own drum told me not to drive my car to campus across the street for my trip to the campus bookstore. My own drum is "so DUMB" as "Chris" would say! Why do I listen to the beat of my own drum? It might have something to do with the complete and total brainwashing of "Sesame Street" telling me to be my own person. I'm sure I'm not the first to hop across the highway to campus, though.
On the way there, I got a lift from one of my roommates. I just hopped into the bookstore and got a massive pile of text books, larger than I'd ever had before. Strange titles like Interpersonal Communications: an Indepth Look stared back at me before I hefted them into my bag still having to carry the two smaller ones.
I then headed immediately next door to pick up the latest issue of the campus newspaper where my seven articles were proudly displayed!
When I exited the UC, I noticed a horrible scene! The huge lawn and drive that cut the walk to class in half was GONE! The beautiful trees my friends and I played in four weeks during spring semester were wiped away! The beautiful grassy lawn where we blew bubbles, played guitar, and had a giant snowball fight during one snowstorm was replaced with mucky Carolina clay, cement blocks, bulldozers, and a large chain-linked fence. I was at first shocked, appalled, and now saddened that our amazing playground has been demolished. I only hope they replace it with something equally beautiful instead of the sudden concrete/brick courtyards that have been popping up everywhere like between Blue Ridge (that could have made a beautiful garden!) and beside Walker Hall. I am beyond disappointed.
So on I walked, around the construction, past the Courtyard dining area, under the Balsalm/Blue Ridge arch, past Belk, and through the back lot of the Fine and Performing Arts Center. Well, it's starting to get rather hot, and those books are starting to get really heavy. This is the beginning of regretting my decision. Through the front parking lot of FPAC, across the street, past the freshmen parking lot, between Cullowhee Creek and the football stadium/basketball court, past the overflow parking to where I finally greet the highway. I dash across one side, hit the grass median, wait for the light to change, then dash across the other two lanes finally coming to the road that leads to my apartment. Up the road, across the winding drive til I get to the 65 degree hill where my apartment sits the very top! After all of that, this hill was the back breaker. I was hunched over like I was being buffeted by wind instead of strolling up a hill on a sunny day. This thing is MONSTER!
Down the sidewalk, up a flight of stairs, through the door, down the hall, and I crashed in front of my giant fan and sat there for probably 10 to 15 minutes cooling off. Never had air felt so amazing! I wanted to drink it up!
This whole trip makes me wonder what I'm going to do to get to class tomorrow. Should I wear a bathing suit, suck it up, and walk? Or do I take my car for the first couple of weeks until the heat cools off? Seeing as Father pays the majority of my bills, including gas, I know exactly which one he'd pick!! Actually it'd be more like what
he'd do. "Lex, I'd suck it up and just walk. It's just sweat! In fact, I jog every evening no matter what the temperature." Ya, ya, Father, and you ate all your peas every night at dinner. I know, I know! ;) God bless that wacky man!
