Went to the single fun party of this year, of course now there are slight problems...

College Life
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<p>The following is quite a long story, not all of it is necessary but I just feel like it. I might be a little overenthusiastic about it because A. I wasn’t the most social guy in high school and B. I’ve tried to have one but there really isn’t any social life at this school. I’m sorry if I’m repeating stuff and rambling, its really late at night/early morning. I just got some small problems from an otherwise great night, feel free to comment on anything else if you wish.</p>

<p>I just came back from a costume party. As you may have heard from me by now my school is very boring, there’s usually nothing to do and when there is its just a lame “event” in a meeting room with about ten people attending and enough food for fifty. Of course no booze, because its sponsored by a school club. There are no open parties ever for underaged kids; no one even wants to meet new people and hang out because this is the cliquey-est college in the nation and 99% of the student body is from one of the nearby highschools. Not to mention that almost half are commuters who don’t do anything here but go to class. </p>

<p>But anyway, this costume party was pretty packed for once, I couldn’t believe this was an official event from my own school. A lot of people dressed up, and were actually talking and dancing instead of just sticking with the friend they came with all night.</p>

<p>My costume was a leaf of pot. I saw it at the halloween store and just had to get it, I don’t even smoke that much I just knew it was the right one when I saw it. Its just a crappy leaf with a hole for the head and it came with a little sign that says LEGALIZE. I thought I’d get laughed at, because its just this big green thing and not elaborate at all like a character from a movie or anything. But I told myself, like I’ve been telling myself for a bit, don’t give a about anyone here because even if people think of me as a weird awkward kid I’ll be at a new school next year and I’ll never see anyone here again. Like, I may even see most of the kids from the party during the school day but I’m not going to lose any friends over it because the friends I have here are crazy and joke-loving too, not even going to lose any opportunities to make new friends because those are gone for the year haha. So I bought it and prepared for the worst, if it was lame I could always just leave.</p>

<p>People loved it. Like I said this school is run by cliques, no one makes any effort to interact with a stranger. Yet all night I had people walking up to me high fiving, shaking hands, taking pictures. If I wanted to I could have gone up to random people sitting down and then I’d have a bunch of new people to hang out with now; I’ll be kicking myself for not trying later but I didn’t feel like thinking up any interesting conversation past the topic of my costume. I was having a great time but too bad that wasn’t really my night to take advantage. </p>

<p>Anyway at first I just hung out with my friend and we were talking about these two girls we saw at a previous costume party (now THAT one was lame) with this guy we both knew, and he goes over to talk to them. We’re thinking he’s trying to pick’em up for himself even though we weren’t considering going up to them. It turns out this guy got them to come over to our table and we hung out with them the rest of the night. My friend is pretty conversational and got it going with them a bit, but probably the only reason they thought I was worth hanging with was because of the costume, as I wasn’t saying much to socialize. Still we were having fun, I guess I was content with all the attention from strangers and I acted as more of a sidekick to my friend with the girls.</p>

<p>The DJ announced the costume contest was starting, at first I didn’t think I had a chance to win, since their were people with realistic and elaborate characters and I was just a simple leaf. But my friend said I should try it and I realized it was all about the symbol. So I went up and competed. Each contestant would go one at a time and the ones with the loudest response from the crowd advanced, etc. My first round I got almost as many boos as I got cheers, I don’t think everyone realized what the leaf I was wearing meant. But it was loud enough for me to advance. And by the end it was too close between me and one other guy. This guy is a frat boy (no, fraternities at this school are really just clubs between a small group of friends. No parties, no real events) who dressed with the theme of the rest of his frat friends, which was roman style. Nothing special or creative, but he had a load of friends who made up all of his cheering. It was so close we each had to go up one more time; by now everyone got what I was and I waved the peace fingers. I barely beat him out, I won the contest. And for once in this school popularity wasn’t the deciding factor. By now everyone knew me as the pothead guy and my name when the MC announced me. </p>

<p>As I was heading back to our table I met this guy wearing a toga, and when I sat down one of the girls invited him to sit with us; now I really wish she didn’t. The guy was totally hitting on both of them and dominated the conversation, which killed mine cause I rely more on slower give and take, I’m not a fast thinker and its really hard for me to get into the banter when its like that. He so obviously wanted to take them home, especially when he found out they’re both 21. He’s a freshman and so am I, but when they asked me I don’t know why but I said I’m a sophomore. Earlier with the girls I kinda acted like I was around their age so I didn’t want them to think I’m just a little frosh trying to act cooler than I am (and… I guess that’s what I was doing…). I don’t know I just felt like high school kicked in and forgot that its usual to have friends of different ages in college. Stupid mistake.</p>

<p>There was music and this was a dance party, but I’m definitely not a dancer and I didn’t touch the floor, neither did my friend or the girls. But when the next song started playing the toga guy started pushing one of the girls to dance and would not stop, next thing its five of us in the crowd. God I hate dancing. The entire time I kept thinking how much I hated it. I didn’t really know what to do in a leaf costume (not that I would know if I didn’t wear that) so I looked over at someone else and leeched some basic arm and leg movements and pretty much repeated that the whole time. One friend, the guy who first talked to the girls, came in and tried to fix me. I think if my original friend hadn’t left earlier I’d have been a lot better off, I could have done some funny crazy stuff with him and I can only joke that much with people I know better like him. Eventually I got enough into the rhythm and beat, everyone else was having some fun and I was completely bored. But we only stayed for like 2 songs before we left. We lost toga guy as we left, and then some girls asked me to take pictures with them and by the time I caught back up with my friend and the girls they were just heading home.</p>

<p>So, I guess I’m kinda mad at myself for not using some opportunities that were practically thrown in my face, and for not taking it far enough to get the girls’ numbers or even last names to be friends on facebook. I definitely was not hoping or trying to get laid or drunk at one of their rooms, this school has taught me not to hope. It just would have been nice to be able to hang with some new people and pass the time… till next year… But I got no contact with any of them, it’ll probably be a while til I see one of them again and by then it’ll be harder to get anywhere.</p>

<p>But yeah, now the problems… There could have only been 200 kids tops at the small den we were at, but out of 5000 total students I’m a little worried that the word might spread a bit and everyone will just think of me as a total pothead when I don’t smoke often, actually the last time I did was last summer. And that they’ll be trying to hang out with me because they think I’ll have weed on me or in my room (in our on-campus apartments we could be evicted if we’re caught with any illegal drugs, so all the potheads try to smoke in other people’s rooms because then you can bolt it before caught). And then the two girls, if we end up hanging out a lot just as friends yeah I’ll tell them the truth but probably not if we just stay acquaintances, and then I’d need to worry about acting as a sophomore.</p>

<p>eh I read back this post and it looks really unnecessary and long, I’m sorry if you feel I wasted your time. I had to detune after the best night I’ve had and probably will have at this school.</p>

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<p>Oh wow you want to provide us with some cliff notes on all that?</p>

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<p>How the hell do sophomores “act” any differently than first-years? Are you worried that you are actually going to have learn your way around the campus, as opposed to standing dumbly in the quad every day with a map? Will you have to struggle to feign nonchalance even when your heart is breaking because the dining hall soft-serve machine broke again, though all the REAL sophomores have grown so embittered that being denied ice cream doesn’t actually phase them?</p>

<p>The only people in the world who are going to care whether or not you are actually a freshman are the folks at the Registrar’s Office and the people who you empower by acting as if being a freshman means you are not worthy of their time. </p>

<p>And to the point about the costume… get over yourself. Halloween costume contests are fun because people dress up for a variety of reasons… they dress to represent their likes, certainly, but also they dress as something they are not, or just as something random and stupid because it is Halloween. Are all the scantily-clad women who were there actually whores the other 364 days of the year? Most of them are not, I assure you. If people really harass you about this, just use the following line:
“Dude, I saw the costume and thought it was funny.”</p>

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<p>lol
you also win for longest thread ever on cc</p>

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<p>All I’ve determined is that you go to a lame school, and have severe social issues.</p>

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<p>You’re a freshman, which makes you 19± 1 year, and you were trying to chat up 21 year olds? Good luck.</p>

<p>One thing I learned in college is to be yourself. Don’t try to be someone you are not for girls, popularity, friends, whatever. First, your “friends” will see through your facade and know you are being fake (unless you are really, really good at being fake). Second, you will feel miserable in the long run.</p>

<p>When I first got to college, I wanted to become more popular and attended frat parties and such. I realized I’m not much of a dancer, partyer, socialite, etc. But that’s 100 percent okay, I found a bunch of friends with similar interests, and now I’m having a lot more fun than I did last year.</p>

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<p>As someone who also seems to have missed the day in high school where everyone learned how to dance and socialize, I sympathize with your situation.</p>

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<p>

Clearly, you’re a freshman.</p>

<p>And to the OP: Don’t worry about it. Nobody’s going to think you’re a total pothead; if they do, who cares? If someone asks you, tell them it was a joke. Who cares if those girls think you’re a sophomore? If you see them again, tell them you’re not (if you see them again at all).</p>

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<p>I agree with GoldShadow… I doubt most of your classmates will think you’re “a total pothead” just because you happened to go to a party dressed as a marijuana leaf. My boyfriend went to a party as the God of Pot last year (he wore a green toga, a gold leaf head band, and a ring of marijuana leaves around his neck) and he’s never smoked pot in his life. It was a costume of convenience (I" have a green bedsheet and I need the cheapest props I can find") which most people seemed to realize. Or, at least, no one has subsequently come up to him and asked him for a joint. I understand why you’re concerned, but I think you’re worrying a bit too much about this :)</p>

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<p>It was just a costume. Nothing more, so forget about worrying about the pothead reputation.</p>

<p>Unlike in HS, no one cares about your grade level. In college, it’s more about "are you fun to be around; can you carry on a conversation; can you respect others even when disagreeing with their points of view; etc. </p>

<p>Instead of analyzing every moment of last night, just enjoy it for what it was—a good time with a bunch of people.</p>

<p>Start making plans for tonight.</p>

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<p>Ain’t no party like a Ranger Hall party because a Ranger Hall Party don’t stop.</p>

<p>Kids in Racine/Kenosha sure love their weed.</p>

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<p>You got attention, you liked it; there’s no reason to start a thread.</p>

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<p>First off you had no chance with the 21+ year olds anyway so don’t worry about “wasting” anything. Also, don’t worry about “word getting around.” Nobody still cares about you and they ESPECIALLY don’t care about what you wore for Halloween. Third off you dance with your hips, not your arms and legs. Fifth off (fourth off was mean, I deleted it) you seem exceptionally socially awkward, and I don’t really think big parties are your thing.</p>

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<p>mephist, I’ve typed longer and I’ve read even longer posts.</p>

<p>I think many people misunderstood me because I didn’t quite know what I was talking about at 4AM a morning ago and because they don’t go to my school. I’ll try to sum it up, but I’ll most likely fail to get through to some. My school’s student body is 99% from the closest two towns, so everyone comes in here knowing everyone from high school. So they’ll stick with eachother and never try to be outgoing, because they don’t need to. Anyone from out of town, and especially from out of state, can’t really break in that much because there’s not much to do. There are no parties on campus because we have the strictest RA and security system I’ve ever heard of (our security team are actually real cops) so I’m pretty sure people have parties in their parent’s houses off-campus. In fact all of my friends here are from out of town.
So when I saw that party as an “advantage” to take it kinda was because I knew those people are never so open and something like this will only come once every so often. And I was really tired from taking certain other choices the previous few days and didn’t feel too social that night.</p>

<p>Scuba, goldshadow called you right on that one. And besides acting differently, there’d be things I’d have to remember to not mention or change when asked, like that I met this one friend at frosh orientation. But you do have a point about the costumes, yeah I guess now most people take halloween as a night to be something different, not express what they are/do.</p>

<p>lollybo and chuy, tell that to the toga guy haha. They came to us thanks to our friend, and they just came to talk, which was my intention as well.</p>

<p>Chuy I appreciate your attempt at being nice but I really don’t mind right now, say what you want. About the big parties, see that’s what I thought through high school, so I just played the hangout and chill card til now. Before I knew that Parkside would be…how it is, I wanted to experiment more and go to at least some big parties. Now that I’ve been to the first and probably only one, I like it so I should try it more, no?</p>

<p>Thanks to those who gave advice and sympathy. To the people who totally just “lifted the wool off my eyes” about my lameness, I could have left out everything and just noted the problems, but I took the time to type it all out to see the reactions.</p>

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<p>Yeah, I didn’t party at all in hs. Still, I’m a good student. But, I party too. It’s okay to be excited about big parties–I think you’re allowed. </p>

<p>Sounds like a fun halloween though! I had fun myself though I’m at the butt of all my friend’s jokes because of it…</p>