November 7, 2007

I'm bored with the USA
Adulthood for dummies (or maybe just Americans)

Ryan Lowell | contributing columnist

“These walls are funny. First you hate them, then you get used to them. Enough time passes, you get so you depend on them. That’s institutionalized.”
 –The Shawshank Redemption

For the first time in my life, I’m realizing that freedom can be a dangerous thing. Before I left, I heard war stories about underage Americans heading abroad and getting drunk with their newfound power to well, get drunk. Seeing as I’ve already turned 21, I thought the dangers of freedom would not apply to me; big mistake.

Now mom and dad, before you pick up that phone and ask Royal Holloway the figures of my bar tab, I assure you, it’s not at all necessary. Actually, I’ve been hitting the pubs a lot less, it’s just every other aspect of the respect and leeway I’m being given that terrifies me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s liberating that all of my professors treat me like an equal and a respected adult, it’s just something I wasn’t prepared for.

For 15 years under red white and blue skies, I thrived in the “institutionalized” structure of the American school system. From the days of snack milk and show & tell to kickin’ it with the Catholic hippies in Colchester, I’ve had solid marks, excellent attendance and a  well balanced, nutritious bagged lunch courtesy of my mom. Apparently I’m pretty good at spitting back the information that has been spoon fed to me (and good at eating my mom’s cooking).  In no way am I trying to criticize the wonderful people who have taught me so much and made my life so easy, it’s just that for the first time in my life this semester, I’m really, truly, on my own, and let’s just say my time in the states wasn’t the best training camp for the big game. Those safe walls of institutionalization have been hit with a wrecking ball, and now I’m picking my jaw off the pile of the bricks on the ground as I try and make my way into an unstructured universe where decisions on education, leisure, nourishment, and general self preservation are essentially completely up to me.

To really explain what the heck it is I’m talking about, some knowledge of the way British kids are schooled could come in handy. Before the end of their high school careers, British students must choose a concentration and focus on their strengths, whereas students from the land of plenty can stay undeclared in the magical realm of liberal arts land until the end of their sophomore years. These blokes don’t have the luxury of having everything spelled out either, as professors expect the students to read all of the material in their own time and essentially come to their own conclusions instead of writing a paper verbatim from the teacher’s obviously stated opinions. In general, essentially every explanation or bit of help that I have come to expect to help me coast through my studies has been removed because my professors apparently ‘respect’ me enough so that they don’t want to patronize me. Why can’t I be treated like the 21 year old child I really am again?

And to think, a couple weeks ago I was bragging to my friends because I only have to show up to classes two days a week. With five day weekends and no tests until the end of the semester, I’ve been spending the last couple months snapping pictures of myself at the Guinness factory while pondering why my teachers have been so kind as to allot me built in traveling time. But as the end of my tenure abroad draws near, I am slowly coming to grips with the fact that I have 4 semester encompassing papers staring me down, each one counting for 100% of a grade for one of my respective classes.

During my travels, I also should have taken note that none of my British flat mates were jetting off around the continent every week. I figured everyone in England must just have a fear of flying, but it turns out there was actually plenty of work to be done, and the locals knew enough to take their weekend trips to the library. The 18 year old “Freshers” who live with me may be three years younger, but they seem way more equipped to deal with this crazy, free thinking, unstructured, look out for yourself world  that I’m now living in.These kids are assertive and self motivated, and essentially more grown up. I guess Aaliyah was right when she said age ain’t nothing but a number.