Aspersions and Expectations

Well, I guess not.

I think I set high expectations. For people, places, experiences. Life (usually) doesn't meet them, and I get my feelings hurt. But everything's a learning experience, and I like to think that I bounce back in due time. If I could just retain that knowledge for future reference, that'd be great.

I went to a panel discussion about traditions at My College. It was preaching to the choir. Among the topics listed were the dress code. The powers-that-be always say that students don't respect Sisters Chapel when they come in wearing sweats to 11am assembly. To which I say, I came in sweats not because of some profound disrespect for the chapel, but because I just came from a 9:25-10:40am class! As I'm sure others do. If the only class I have that day is convocation, I'm surely not going to waste good clothes to sit in a boring assembly, eat lunch, and do homework in my room for the rest of the day.

Someone even suggested etiquette classes. I only ask, are we in college or finishing school? Etiquette seminars as one-time or optional events are fine, but requiring it, in my opinion, is a little much. I'm all for tradition, like on Founder's Day and such, appropriate attire is needed. But to sit in what's basically a seminar, that happens to be held in the chapel, in the morning, and expecting students to dress business casual is just doing too much. The speaker even posed the question, "How can we get students to conform to the dress code?" I think we know that "conform" is the problem word here. How to bridge the gap between tradition and free expression is a general, ongoing, blameless discussion that certainly cannot be attributed to the excessive wear of sweatpants.

Before I forget, let's all send a celebratory shout-out to the birthday boy, Mr. Top Chef himself! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Somewhere there is a shot of Jose C. and a slice of Joe's on Juniper chocolate cake with your name on it. This weekend we shall celebrar tu cumpleanos in style.

I have to finish my homework. I might chit-chat with Dad, but I have to be careful. I'm a bit of a loose cannon here, and the right words will probably send me into a tearful frenzy. And I do not have that kind of time. The downside to one rough day? A better one is usually around the corner.