Per Chi??

Well, I slowly but surely am making my way through Eat Pray Love. I just finished the Italy portion of the book (she travels through Italy, India, Indonesia). And I said I was expecting this book to live up to the hype and change my life. well its not quite to that point yet, but it has definitely cultivated some thought on my part.

One part of the book described a conversation between Elizabeth Gilbert (the author) and one of her new Italian friends Giulio. He told her that the trick to discovering the tone of the city and whether you belong there or not is to discover the city's "word." The word would explain the theme of the city-the theme that "lived" in the heart of every citizen. What the city breathed and echoed. And if your personal word did not match the city's word, then you didn't belong there.
Giulio says that:
Rome's word is Sex
The Vatican's word is Power
Naples' word is Fight
Elizabeth says that:
New York's word is Achieve
Los Angeles' word is Succeed
Elizabeth's friend Sophie from Sweden says:
Stockholm's word is Conform

and they go on to question what the word of their families are, and then the more difficult question of what their personal words were.

well obviously this got me thinking....whats my word?

I feel like college is this fantastical tunnel that promotes growth and change and fosters an environment for discovery (that could have been taken from a college brochure and you would never be the wiser!). Like this magical land that you go to so you can live this wild life and get all your crazy experiences and rebelliousness out and done with before going into the real world when all of a sudden you have responsibility. These days, its hardly about getting an education. You choose a college based on its location, its clubs and activities, what sort of opportunities it offers its students etc. So right now I think my word is "discovery." but at the same time I feel like that's what my word should be. That that's what I should be feeling and acting and evoking. That I should be "one" with the mission of the U and all that it "promotes."

But, as my 1st semester draws to a close I have to admit that I'm just not feeling it. I don't feel that sense of discovery or the excitement of being morphed into this bright shining new individual with new insights and new exciting stories from my "freshman year". Hell I've never even been to a CRAZY party with girls dancing on tables and hundreds of wild college kids who later run frantically from the cops. What I've come out of this semester with is a knack for utilizing the metro transit system...

Maybe that's why I don't feel like the U is completely for me. Our words don't match! I mean I thought this was my DREAM college. and it still is! but on the other hand, now that I'm here, I just don't know...I think maybe I had way too high of expectations and they just have not been met. If the U could talk, it would probably say, "I'm sorry to say it, but it's not me. It's You." and maybe it is University! Maybe I'm not looking hard enough?

At this point in my life.....honestly? my word has got to be Confusion!

So, whats your word?

Happy Finals Week!

P.s Have i told you about my obsession with beyonce? no? well its true.