Looking Back

Last night, Peter and I went to his favorite bar Fregatt (again). I was sitting in the back where the band was playing, Peter was off socializing, and I was conveniently ease dropping on a group of girls, and two specifically who were clearly American. They dominated the conversation about their travels, what they were studying, and where they planned on going in the next few weeks. They gushed about all they had noticed, for example all American music they've heard in every country, "that's all like, from like 10 years ago."

The rest of the group tried to share their stories, which were promptly trumped by one of the two girls. "Oh yea, when I was there...," or "you were there for a week? I was there for like three." Alllll ego.

And then I remembered when I was 21, and traveling Europe. I'm pretty sure I talked like I knew it all, and that I would conquer the world based on the six months I had spent, "on my own." Turns out, I had no idea, and neither did they. I had no clue how well I had it. Everything was paid for, I didn't have to work, I lived in a great house, fantastic city, was getting $800/month in spending money, traveled every weekend with a fun group of girls, and had a boyfriend who was willing to drive me around everywhere. I was living the life!

A professor once started off class by explaining how good we had it as students. "You walk in to class at 2pm with your lattes, sit down, take out the laptops that your parents bought you, veg out for three hours, and then go drink away your weekends. You have no idea...life will never be this easy." Of course we all laughed hysterically. Jeeze, what's Dr. J's problem?

Turns out we HAD no idea. At least I didn't. Grad school came and went. That was a joke. And now, here I sit, and guess what...none of that stuff really mattered. Sure, you can impress yourself with all your travel stories, and where you went to grad school and spent $100k, but the truth is, no one else really cares, unless they are just as wrapped up as you are. I could have saved a lot of energy trying to prove how cool I was.

As the girls were preparing to leave, one said, "I'm studying accounting in Vienna, and then plan on going to grad school when I get back home."

So here's to the good 'ole days, when the illusion was still an illusion!