Photo courtesy Flickr user Ed Yourdon
There are times that sheer laziness challenges social norms.
I spent last Saturday night in, trying to recover from Emily’s housewarming party the night before. My lazy Saturday also included an inclination to not cook dinner so I ordered a meal from Moby Dick’s House of Kabobs. The restaurant’s proximity to my house made it a very attractive option (it’s right across the street) and fifteen minutes after phoning in the order I was faced with a difficult decision: whether or not to change out of my PJs to pickup my dinner.
This wasn’t a situation where I was in sweats and a T-shirt, something that could be passable for public appearance. I was wearing sleep pants and a long sleeve shirt that screamed, “I am ready to go to bed and I’ve been in that state all day long.”
As I pondered this important decision I remembered how this wasn’t much of a big deal in college. When I was in college I would walk across the street and eat dinner in my PJs without a moment of hesitation. Some even take it to the next level and just show up to class in PJs. You guys know who you are- don’t lie that you’ve never once did this.
But alas I’m not in college anymore, and I’ve noticed there are things I do now and things that I don’t do now I’m out of college.
1. I don’t dare leave the house in your PJs.
Proper attire required.
2. I don’t go all out in back to back nights.
Back in college the weekend started on Thursday night and you didn’t look back until Sunday morning. Now sometimes I’ll stay in on Fridays because I am too tired from work. More often than not I’ll catch myself saying, “aw man I’m taking it easy tonight- had way too much to drink last night.” They call them weekends of destruction for something- such weekends just destroy me.
3. I don’t leave home without checking the weather.
Do I need an heavier coat? Do I need an umbrella? Actually I never bring an umbrella but I always check the weather when I’m packing for a trip or just going out for the night. I remember the days where I’ll go through wind, rain, snow, sleet, or hail to hit up Hooligan’s.
4. I don’t stay up past 1 AM.
This isn’t a hard and fast rule but I remember nights where 2 or 3 AM was fine since I didn’t have any 8 AM classes, and even if I did I could always nap at 11 AM. Both 3 AM nights and 11 AM naps are long gone in my life. However I still struggle to go to bed before midnight.
5. I’ll never eat Ramen Noodles or Easy Mac ever again.
I mean 4 years on the stuff probably makes most people hate the college food staples.
6. 5 PM is the new Primetime.
Now if it was the weekend you’ll probably leave the house somewhere between 10-11 at night when you go out. Now you often strive to make it til 5 PM to get out of the office and into a Happy Hour. In fact the whole happy hour culture doesn’t really hit you until you have a 9-5 job.
7. I make appointments with friends.
Now that my friends aren’t in constant contact with me, either in classes or down the hall I find myself actually making phone calls, sending e-mails to book time with my friends.
8. I never worried about health care.
I know some friends that still have cell phone bills paid by their parents but one of the things that really pounces on your after you graduate is the realization that you need a job with benefits. I could also use a friend with benefits but that’s another post.
9. I didn’t have friends that were engaged, married, or pregnant.
Sure we all knew that couple in college that were pretty much married, or that girl that got knocked up, but once you get out of school friends get engaged, some get married, and some even pop out some kids. I like to think I’m still too young to see the latter but I’ve certainly seem a lot of the two former.
10. I was never unsure of where I was going in life.
When I was 18 I knew I was going to graduate high school and go on to college. When I was 21 I knew I was going to get a job and move into the city.
Now I’m almost 26 and I have a good idea of what I want to do, but I know that once that quarter-life crisis hits- you are sometimes left wondering.
What has changed with your post college life?
