Taking it Slow

I recently realized how much my life has improved from taking life slow so far during my 20's. I don't mean slow like slowly sipping my long island, or waiting it out for the right "one" to get laid, or driving below the speed limit. I mean slow as in taking the time to apreciate the world around me, I aim to see and experience things most people miss. I think they miss them because they are too wrapped up keeping up with the Jones's, they keep the blinders on to get the goal (graduate, get a job, work, secure a partner, have kids, drive a car their parents didn't buy them, etc.) I totally support these goals, but I really want to experience it all.

Take college for instance. I've gone to two, took off half a semester, found out that while I've benefited from psychology, I can't stand taking psychology courses. I've also realized that four points don't happen for me easily, but if I take a lighter class load I can get them, its abobut quality not quantity. If I had not realized that I might have graduated two years ago with a one point gpa, if thats even possible. I've taken my time perfecting the best ways to mix school and ADD, something that takes longer than 4 years. Most of my friends have graduated by now, although its interesting how many have expressed how they wished they were in my position still. I'm betting thats because they were waiting for grad school replies, or were having trouble finding a job (it seems like you're more likely to get struck by lightening than land a job you really want that puts your skills to work), or were ambivalenet about the future. I know I will be feeling all of these things in a while, but I'm in no rush. I've been able to change my mind about my possible interests more times than I can count. I have a library of information in my brain about everything from historic preservation to the Ottoman Empire, to guache. I could have a communications degree and have been working as a paper pusher in some office for the past two years, although I highly doubt I would be content, I love learning more and more about everything. I'm finding my university career to be too rewarding to speed through it, I want to really find out what I love, and I get closer every class each day, every week each semester. Too many people think not finishing your bachelors degree in anything more than 5 years is a stupid slacker, one of those "problem" people draining resources reserved for those people who do things in a timely fashion.

I also live at home. If thats not slow I don't know what is. Not really, I came home to save money so when I do move, I'll have enough money to support myself comfortably. Also I've lived in at least 5 places in the last 5 years; Abbott Hall, my sorority house, my apartment with Ange, My apartment in Ypsi, and most recently, at the Village sharing a kick ass apt with CPD. Had I done everything in 4 years, I would have missed out on all of the fun I had at any one of these places. I could have missed the mutated chipmunk in Capitol Villa, who might never have been able to walk up and down walls if it weren't for us, or how there really is no good place to do homework in a sorority house. I never would have been able to apreciate how smart my cats were had I not lived in Ypsi. And I learned so much from the VIllage experience I'll have to write a whole other post on it. I've done alot, been many places, and I've taken my sweet time with it, savouring the good, the bad, and everything in between.

As for love, which is number one in my book right now, well, thats the best to take slow. You miss to much if you rush. I credit being in a happy, stable, and trusting relationship for over 2 years. A record for me, and a surprise to Colin's friends who never pegged him as the commitment type. I guess things are a-changing. Aside from the frequent inquiries about when we are getting married (Try the merry month of maybe, not that it is anyone's business anyway), which gets a little old, we feel perfectly natural together, I cannot imagine my life with out him. Each day I learn something new, and figure him out a little bit more, its like unwrapping a present each day, with each one being more interesting and complex. For me, this is really something. Something I never thought I'd be lucky enough to have.

Ok we're getting sappy now. The slower I go, the more I learn- about school, various subjects, the world around me, my friends, my love, and what I want in a home.