Monday, April 19, 2010

The Passion Pit

You've heard this message a thousand times. I'm not trying to drive home the point or anything. I just feel like it may be beneficial to think outside the bun for a change. A black bean burrito could only hold so much. Plus, Italian food is better.

I know you've gotten the memo, but college is a time to explore. Sort of like Prince Henry the Navigator. Actually, not at all like prince henry the navigator. because he has a destination.

Destinations are bad. Really bad.

I know, I know. Without a destination you could be more lost than Desmond. But honestly, I think that's the whole point brotha.



my dude.

What i'm trying to tell you is that you should explore, but don't pre plan you're route too far ahead. If you do, you'll only be focused on the end product, the end route, the end goal. Everything you do will be focused towards that. nothing else. because you don't have time for anything else. All you have time for is your stuck up ambition to be a doctor or whatever, so you have to study at lau for hours on end just to maintain a respectable GPA so that you could go to med school, and do the same exact thing there. Its a never ending cycle. A cycle, might I add, that has become so ingrained in your routine that you could do it in your sleep.

I don't know about you, but I'd like to be awake when i'm alive.

Take the high road and be a crystal baller for once. If worse comes to worse, you could always navigate your way back to the main road. there is something called GPS. Make sure you don't get Garmin though. They have god-awful commercials.

Sometimes, the high road has a really good chinese restaurant that you would have never been aware of had you stayed on I-95. Sometimes, the high road introduces you to some really sweet band that automatically becomes your favorite because they are just the best, and then because you took the high road, it leads to an interview with them on your radio show. Sometimes, the high road allows you to find your passion.

I came into Georgetown as a naive, bubble wrapped young laddie. "You should major in government," said the ambitious voice inside my head."

"Its Georgetown," it continued. "You could become some big wig lobbyist someday. With a degree in government, you'll make the cash flow more than Ace Hood."

I took some government classes. They were pretty good GPA boosters, and they probably would have lead me down the road to ca$h money.

But as I started traveling down that road, I fucking hated it. I saw pretentious ostentatiousness. I saw bullshit that I simply didn't care about. I saw a passionless, souless, probably divorced big shot who was in many way similar to Mr. Potter from its a wonderful life. I looked in the mirror, and the reflection was nonexistent*

No, I am not a vampire

Enter, sophomore year. "You like psychology," said the voice. "Take it. Its somewhat of a hard science, and it'd look good on your resume"

Again, I listened to the voice. I signed up for intro to psych.

It was somewhat interesting, but the class was harder to sit through than a 3 hour seminar about the history of wood lice. I ended up skipping class more than my lou. I studied hard for the midterms, but in the end my lack of passion didn't cut it. I ended up with a B+. Not terrible, but coming from an ambition ridden family where you're older brother is a big time investment banker and you're parents expect you to bring home just as much bacon, terrible.

"You could have done better," said the voice. "Take some more psych classes. Actually, minor in it. It's a good supplement to majoring in American studies."

Again, I listened to the voice. I signed up for three psych classes.

Almost a semester later, I now realize I made a bigger mistake than Grady Little when he left Pedro in during game 7. To put it simply, I am struggling in all three classes. I'll study really hard for the finals and salvage a manageable grade, but certainly nothing that'll impress the scouts.

I took the high road. Judging from what I just said, you probably think that I made the wrong choice.

Not exactly. Digressing was perhaps the best thing that ever happened to me. Stuck in the regurgitation nation that is psychology classes, I also found my reflection.

Clearly, my classes weren't satisfying my academic zeal. So that I quenched my intellectual thirst, I started a blog. I started to write. And write. And write. And write. 

Yep, the italics were totally necessary. Totes Magotes.

Maybe i'll hit a wall someday. But right now, I couldn't be happier. My GPA may be taking a hit, but when everything is said and done, numbers are just numbers. Passion doesn't have a value.

Everything in life is a choice. I could choose to never post anything ever again. I could choose to hold grudges. I could choose to stop hating doritos

pshh, like that would ever happen.

Don't follow your mapquest too strictly. Because the last thing you want to do is to be looking at the world through your rearview, wondering what if.




song of the day: Third Eye Blind, Crystal Baller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMXDPFOo3wQ


**P.s that med school comment was not a shot at anyone or anything. If thats your thing, go for it

9 comments:

  1. i fucking like med school lance. but i also like your ideas man. maybe the key is finding something you enjoy enough that you can enjoy your life even while working those long hours into the night. miss you buddy.

    -rainbow

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  2. not going to lie, this was a pretty inspiring post. I was contemplating going to bed, now I think some work on our side project is a better way to embrace that crystal ballerness
    -Rogers, Mr.

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  3. Exploration is as key as dreams my man. I know medical school is for me--bio-related class is more interesting and exciting than almost all I've done in my life.

    But I'l never lose sight of dreams. I'll be a pilot in the near-future (gotta find some dolla dolla bills). I'll backpack through Europe to learn about other people (and check out Germany's free med schools) I'll learn to SCUBA and get really good at it. And I'll be who I want to be--not a med school junkie but a real person who has time for a family, vacations, and just being with people.

    My album of the month: Even if It Kills Me (MCS)

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  4. Very good Lance. This is the kind of stuff that will put the Generation Y Revolution on the map.

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  5. Must you bring up Pedro? That wound is still fresh.

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  6. Ha, I just realized it was actually Grady Little, not Francona.

    Rainbow, Coach, Ivan Drago, and Alan Rickman, thank you for the positive feedback. It makes me feel good (to be a gangsta)

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  7. Great stuff dude, the positive, discover life attitude is awesome (but Lost is a waste of time...)

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  8. Thanks for the compliments, they are appreciated...though you clearly need to re-prioritize your television preferences

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  9. grady little left pedro in not francona... its ok just make sure you dont close it and youll be fine

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