Homecoming

Two posts in one day. Keep that in mind. Check out the one below as well
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Yesterday was the Bronx Science homecoming, a day that was a lot more surprising than I figured, but not for the reasons that I thought they would be.

I met up with Alvin around 830 in Flushing and it was off to Science. Taking the 7 express to the yellow line to the 4 train was all very nostalgic. The same graffiti tags, the same sounds and the smells all reminded me of the treks I made to school and back. When the train announced "Bedford Park Blvd-Lehman College", it made things seem way weirder and surreal. Making the walk, the stupid truck unloading bell chimed and class was already well under way. First stop, Mr. Fox. I just basically slammed into his room and disrupted the class. It was all good and dandy to see him. Sampson and a few other students showed up as well. Him asking the same java questions he asked yesterday made me glad that college taught me something, something that Science really didn't do.

Fox: "What does the toString method do?"
Me: "I know I know!"
Fox: "I know you do Nick and if you didn't I'd be extremely disappointed"

There were a few other stops. I saw my english teacher, who joked around that I decided to keep my short hair. A few seniors visited all at once, and so we imparted our wisdom and experience. Then some dude asked what would happen if Devry was his reach. I don't wanna know.

I expressed how I felt about college to Ms. Philips, Ohkawa-sensei and Schoor. All were glad that I liked RIT and that I would stay. Philips, fresh from college the other year, told me that college is way more liberating and there aren't as many rules, which is why college is probably the better experience for me. Schoor, after mentoring so much, hoped that I would continue pursuing the game career path, and Ohkawa-sensei told me about the work the I would encounter next quarter since she was familiar with the textbook I would be using. If it's one thing I missed, it's the relationships I forged with teachers and I'm sure others would agree with me.

Throughout the day, I met up with friends, giving hugs, talking about the old times and taking pictures. They're gonna be on the facebook. I decided to join Josh and crew to watch American Gangster and then eat. Then the train ride home.
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The biggest thing that happened to me during homecoming was my epiphany. I figured out why I was so angry during high school.

It was because I went to high school.

7th period, I went to see Ohkawa-sensei to check out her freshman class. I must say, as the years pass by, the rowdier and stupider the kids get. They were so smug, talking to sensei in a sarcastic tone, not doing the easiest homework. Come on, it's freakin hiragana and sentence structure. I admit. My class was loud and rowdy, but HOLY FUCK. Maybe it's having her for 4 years but DAMN I wanted to break these kids legs for being such ass' to a great teacher.

And then it hit me. I had one of those jaw drop moments. I haven't threatened someone since I left high school. All my time in college, I was so chill, so relaxed and very rarely did I raise my voice and use some form of physical pain to get my point across. You know why? Cause as far as I know, no one is a freakin idiot. People are willing to listen to you. Sure there's a douchebag here and a douchebag there but not enough to the point where one would feel they're surrounded by them. Ms. Philips said so herself. I was exposed to more, and there are more people that I could relate to. It was something high school really didn't offer.

People didn't change either, for better or for worse. Josh is still Josh. He has the grand plans sometimes, but he still doesn't lead. It's pretty sick that his brother cleaned himself up. People are still stuck in their cliques and don't venture outside of it much. It's a reminder that I really didn't relate to a lot of kids 100% at science. I wasn't part of any one clique.

However, there was one thing I was appreciative of out of all this gloom that had to do with students. It was George's attitude. He knew what I would be getting myself into, but he was "more power to you if you like where you are" cause partying and the kind of social life most people are accustomed to might not be that necessary, so long as you like where you are.
That and Dan and Joe. Dan still is a crazy jew and Joe seems more insightful. Hope that music gig works out for ya.

So homecoming was bittersweet. I got to see my friends, but I had to let go and say bye. I realized a few uneasy truths, but as Vernon pointed out, you might need to leave to figure out why you were the way you were during high school. Maybe I'm some old man at heart or too grown up for my own liking. In any case, thanks, V.