Hanging Out With College Kids: A Highschooler's mindset

Michael Whitcomb

Vape clouds filled my cousin Danny’s basement, illuminated blue by the lights of the PS4, brought over by Danny’s friend, Matt. Snack wrappers and an entire tray of Ore-Ida French fries sat on the table in front of the tv. We had been playing FIFA on the PS4 for almost an hour and a half, and I was thinking to myself “wow, this is college.” I sat back, thinking about how these three college kids should be at some party, not hanging in a basement with a high school junior. What actually possessed them to just hang out down cellar on this Saturday night?
Don't get me wrong, I love hanging out with my cousin and we've always had a brotherly bond, and I consider him as such, but I was confused as to why he'd rather hang at his house with me than be at a party. Maybe every college student still has to be childish every now and again, just for a few days out of a few months to stay sane. They (going off of my cousin’s experience as he's explained to me) spend the first few months of school cramming in essays and finishing homework the night before they're due. Anxiety and stress pour over them with work along with the daunting and overwhelming fear of having to find a career to pay off their tuition and college loans. Maybe they just need a break.
I always had a picture in my mind of what college would be like. Going out every weekend, crashing parties and staying up until the break of dawn. Then just as you try to remember all the exciting things that happened that night, you are forced to sit through lectures and take exams during the day. Then after class hang out in your dorm room with your friends and joke around and just have a good time, and this cycle would just repeat itself.
From what I can tell, most college students still have the personalities of high schoolers. I asked my cousin if he had matured at all (I didn't think he did, but I asked anyways) and he replied “no I'm still a weirdo.” I thought for a second about what I would be doing on a Saturday night right now if I weren't with my cousin, and I figured I would probably still be doing the same thing, sitting around with my friends playing video games and joking around. Maybe this was true and he just didn't change.
I have a feeling that some college students go into their first years with a negative capability, where they are comfortable in a new situation knowing that everything in this new step of life is unknown. However, others may be the exactopposite. Many may be extremely uncomfortable and unaware as to what to do with themselves. This may be the same concept with parents of these newly sprung young adults.
 I was lucky enough to spend another night with my cousin this week. We stayed up until around 1:30 on Thursday night with his friend “Chiz”, who had earned his nickname at UNH. We watched the golden state Oklahoma City game, admiring Steph Curry and how unbelievable he was. Unbelievable, just like how it was unbelievable to watch my older brother( still my cousin, but more or less the same) go to college a few months earlier. It's difficult to comprehend how people go through elementary, middle, and high school and make so many memories as a younger kid, and before they know it they're in college in the blink of an eye. I feel as though we all know that college will inevitably happen, but it doesn't feel as if it's a real thing until someone you usually see everyday isn't there anymore.
College students are an entirely different species than the regular human. Hanging out with a small pack of them in the wild was an interesting and insightful learning experience for me. I learned many things, such as how to get into fraternity parties, and how to hide contraband in your dorm. These young minds are influencing me, and many others, and I feel as though I shall be prepared next year when I attend my first year of college.                                    

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