Growing up in New York City always made me feel like a small fish in a big pond. This got me thinking about my life in Hanover, NH or life as a brown fish in a white pond. I am not going to lie: Dartmouth really took me out of my comfort zone and it was a daunting task to adjust to rural life. I grew up where I could find food joints open past 2:10 AM, shop at stores not named The Gap, use public transportation that works at least ½ the time (that’s right, there is transportation system worse than the MTA) and other minute details that I really took for granted.
I think people need to get out of their comfort zones and try new things. A friend once told me, “College is the one time in your life where you can try bizarre things and attribute them to the College aura.” This is the most opportune time in your life to study abroad, binge drink and play Frisbee. If you want to have a contest to see who can put the most cheese puff balls in their mouth or if you want to want to smoke salvia (legal in the US, fyi), then seize the opportunity. People won’t judge you for doing stupid shit because they have probably done a lot of idiotic things themselves. And if they do judge you, screw ‘em; remember Dr. Seuss’ famous quote: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind”
Dartmouth has provided me with so much intangible experience that I am actually grateful to go to school in the woods. From joining a fraternity whose letters are better recognized as a white supremacist group (read: Ku Klux Klan) than the Greek organization itself to running around a 40 foot bonfire 112 times, I have really attempted to be an adventurous person. By no stretch of the imagination am I condoning placing “risk taking” above schoolwork; I am simply advocating doing things that you don’t foresee yourself doing in the future. So far I have jumped off a ledge into a pond when I can’t even swim, lived with an Italian family for 11 weeks even though at first I couldn’t even say something as simple as “Can you please pass the bread” and logged countless number of hours dancing on a wooden table with some of my best friends. Be spontaneous because “all the crazy shit [you] did tonight, those would be best memories.” (David Guetta, Memories)
Make the most of your four years. I sure as hell am trying to. So I guess this post is my way of saying: “Thank you Dartmouth. You were more than just a school.”
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Chivalry vs. Equality
I’ve grown up in a world where a man is expected to treat a woman “equally” (i.e. pay her the same wage, consider her opinion in discussions, etc) whilst treating her like a queen (i.e. paying for dinner, opening doors for her, etc). To be quite frank, this is complete horseshit.
Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought for women’s rights so that women would not be oppressed. I know the only joke funnier than women’s rights is Helen Keller (kidding obviously), but let’s be honest ladies, if you want respect then earn it. Don’t bitch about how he didn’t pay for you at dinner or how he didn’t start an unnecessary fight to defend your honor. I hope you realize if I pay for dinner and you come over and have sex with me (whether it’s oral, vaginal or—my personal favorite—anal), you’re an inadvertent hooker. So you think I’m cheap because I don’t pay for meals on dates; oh right I forgot the economy only affects women and anyone with a Y chromosome got a pay raise. Take your head off cloud 9 and come back to earth. Also, I am sorry I didn’t start swinging at some brainless moron for saying “Ayyy mami whatchu got unda dat dress. I was hopin’ nuthin” (note the spelling). There are many creepy guys out there and I shouldn’t be expected to defend you every time because someone decides to be a jerk. STOP being dependent on men; you’re way too young to be throwing your life out the door like that.
That being said, I don’t want women to think I am being an elitist or anything of that sort. There definitely are situations where a man would pay for dinner or get into a heated argument; all I am saying is you should not EXPECT it. Chivalry started in the Middle Ages when the only rights women had were cleaning, comforting and cooking. I promise you I can be chivalrous all the time if you promise that you’ll act like a woman from the 1300s.
This is not a two way street. You can’t have your cake and eat it. Your move ladies.
*Note this post is for people not in serious relationships. If you’re in a serious relationship it should already be going both ways. More importantly, I don’t expect this blog post to change millions of people—or anybody for that matter. Rather, I just want others to open up their mind and see the world in a different way, a Deeper way.*
Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton fought for women’s rights so that women would not be oppressed. I know the only joke funnier than women’s rights is Helen Keller (kidding obviously), but let’s be honest ladies, if you want respect then earn it. Don’t bitch about how he didn’t pay for you at dinner or how he didn’t start an unnecessary fight to defend your honor. I hope you realize if I pay for dinner and you come over and have sex with me (whether it’s oral, vaginal or—my personal favorite—anal), you’re an inadvertent hooker. So you think I’m cheap because I don’t pay for meals on dates; oh right I forgot the economy only affects women and anyone with a Y chromosome got a pay raise. Take your head off cloud 9 and come back to earth. Also, I am sorry I didn’t start swinging at some brainless moron for saying “Ayyy mami whatchu got unda dat dress. I was hopin’ nuthin” (note the spelling). There are many creepy guys out there and I shouldn’t be expected to defend you every time because someone decides to be a jerk. STOP being dependent on men; you’re way too young to be throwing your life out the door like that.
That being said, I don’t want women to think I am being an elitist or anything of that sort. There definitely are situations where a man would pay for dinner or get into a heated argument; all I am saying is you should not EXPECT it. Chivalry started in the Middle Ages when the only rights women had were cleaning, comforting and cooking. I promise you I can be chivalrous all the time if you promise that you’ll act like a woman from the 1300s.
This is not a two way street. You can’t have your cake and eat it. Your move ladies.
*Note this post is for people not in serious relationships. If you’re in a serious relationship it should already be going both ways. More importantly, I don’t expect this blog post to change millions of people—or anybody for that matter. Rather, I just want others to open up their mind and see the world in a different way, a Deeper way.*
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