It feels crowded everywhere, nowadays. The library barely has an empty computer, the tables by the window are all taken and good luck finding a cubicle that doesn’t have someone directly next to you or in front of you or behind you eating an apple or some other crunchy food. Side note: food that should be banned from the library includes apples, chips or any variety of salad because the mastication of such foods produces the absolute most distracting sounds. I don’t know about you guys but I prefer to not have the smacking and smashing sounds of teeth and tongue on food near my ear. Just me?
Additionally, the champions from the Office of Admission have been leading an unprecedented amount of tours. Newly admitted students are being led through the hallways of our sacred buildings, shown around our dorms and generally just disrupting daily life. I mean, it’s okay, I guess. We were each one of those bright eyed innocent youngsters once upon a time. I think it just feels like a lot more because our dear sophomores have returned (except for Buenos Aires). You can tell someone has just returned from the distant lands of Study Abroad when they walk around campus with one of two expressions: jet lagged or starry-eyed. Everything is suddenly so meaningful to them. And believe me, I was one of those returners who floated around campus, bothering everyone to hang out with me because I had missed them and take me to Malibu Yo because I had missed frozen yogurt. A general disruption. Oh well. Again, I mean, it’s okay I guess. This time of year just makes the ratio of students to campus-square-space much less favorable for basic functioning. For example, the bathrooms are always occupied. Also, it is near impossible to not walk through the Caf and be accosted by some returning sophomore who just wants to squeeze the living daylights out of you.
All of this brings me to my main point: everyone needs a spot. Do you know what I mean? Like a spot no one else knows about. A spot where you can go to think or sing Disney songs really loudly without anyone hearing you or to indulge in a little sunset watching. A spot tucked away somewhere or on top of something or anywhere, really. Confession: I have this spot that I go probably more times than I should. It’s where I’ve played with glowsticks ($9.99 on Amazon, no shame), read my Bible or studied for my next exam, practiced for auditions, or just prayed a little. It’s a special spot to me, because it is mine. It’s nothing beautiful per se and it’s not like I gain some grand inspiration every time I go. But it’s comfortable, it’s mine and I never realized how much I needed it until I had it. More than a physical spot, though, I have come to realize the importance of finding my spot among my friends, on this campus and kind of like my role in making Pepperdine my own.
What is exactly my role? Am I the jokester? Eh, I’m the only one who really thinks I am funny. Am I the studier? The overcommitted one? The chef? The nerd? The gangster? Insert more mid-college crises. I think we are always in a constant state of finding our spot with the people around us. Maybe your spot is as a friend, a boyfriend/girlfriend, proudly single, or soon to be married (gasp ring by spring). Maybe your spot is on a sport’s team or a worship band. Maybe your spot is on your bed, offering your roommate Chocolate Therapy because her high school sweetheart dumped her last week.
Whatever your spot is, make it your own. Escape the crowds a little, perhaps, and seek out a spot on campus. Or off campus. Or in between campus. Find a beautiful view or a bowl of coco puffs and take a deep breath. Stress will always be there. Work will always be there. Your spot will always be there too. So make it your own. And ayo waves.
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Follow Taylor Nam on Twitter: @nam_nam330
