Boston

The minute I decided to begin training for a half marathon, I became immersed in the world of runners. I suddenly understood how such a strong connection could be had between thousands of complete strangers. Runners get each other. We know how hard it is to get up early on a day off for a long run, how hard it is to take those first steps when all you want to do is lie down and do anything other than run. At the same time, we understand and have experienced the euphoria that can only be obtained through completing a run once thought out of reach. Running is our joy, not our punishment. What other sport can claim that? We runners are a family. We accept anyone who wants to join, for we were all once beginners ourselves. We encourage others to join and cheer them on, for we remember those strangers who cheered for us. Not only runners are included in this family, but the actual families of the runners. That being said, one can easily understand how absolutely horrible it was for a runner to hear of and see the actions that took place at the Boston Marathon.

I was in a state of shock when I heard what had happened. I was, and still am, angry at whoever did this. How could a person take away the feeling of euphoria that comes from these races? I was horrified and scared and speechless. Then I found out that the bomb was set off from within the crowd of family members and friends...the supporters, the main reasons most of us are able to do what we do. I went from angry to livid in record fashion. How dare someone hurt these people? How dare these idiots take away three lives that were so precious and encouraging and loving? How cowardly those responsible must be.

The bombings at the Boston Marathon made me realize how lucky I am to be healthy and physical intact. I am SO lucky to even be able to run, and I never want to take that for granted. Thus, I have decided to run a marathon (my first ever) next year. I have not decided where I will run this marathon, but I know I want my race day shirt to say "For Boston." I am running a marathon because there is no reason for me not to, and because I want to show those cowards that they cannot scare this family of runners. We are strong, able, and full of life. You cannot bring us down. You will not destroy our spirit. We will always be a family; we will always cheer each other on; we will ALWAYS be runners. And our fans, our supporters, will always be number one in our hearts. 

When You Hate the New World College Has to Offer

Jr. High consisted of the worst days of my life. I was shunned by my friends one year, laughed at for stretch marks from losing a lot of weight another, and humiliated countless times a day. The one though that kept me going was: High School will be better. I counted down to the last day of eighth grade, made plans with my friends for the summer and anxiously awaited the wondrous new life High School would introduce me to. I was not disappointed. Though I didn't party or drink or have sex while I was in high school, I had fun! In my mind, I didn't need to be drink off my ass or completely smitten with a boy to have a good time. My favorite memories were made by just hanging with my friends (sober). Whether we went to a movie or stayed at home, my friends and I created bonds that were made to never be broken. Yes, the majority of the time I hated school. I hated the constant drama between petty girls and idiotic jocks. I couldn't wait to get away from the "popular" kids and build a new life with people who hadn't known me through all my awkward stages. I knew I would miss my friends, but I also knew that I had to get away.

"College is a whole new world!" That's the mantra every college student I knew would tell me when he or she would visit; the mantra I kept repeating to myself when I thought high school graduation would never arrive. College will be better. This time, I was completely disappointed.

I have been a college student for nearly two semesters, and so far it has been nothing like I imagined it would be...not even close. Expectation: I would have new friends who I could hang with a lot and spend Friday and Saturday nights going to parties or just chilling around town. Reality: I have no friends I hang out with consistantly, and my weekends are spent either working or watching TV while doing homework. Expectation: I would get invited to parties or to hang out with people. Reality: I don't get invited to do that stuff.

Basically, my social life in college sucks. I could use the excuse that I work on the weekends and therefore don't have time to go to parties, but here I am writing this blog on a Saturday evening when I don't have to work with no plans to do anything social tonight. And it's not for lack of trying. I tried to go to social events, even by myself, but people always ignored me. Even now, no one ever tries to get to know me well enough to eventually hang out away from campus. I hate my life here. I am so far away from happy, and I have no idea what to do about it.

The fact that all of my other friends have made plenty of new friends at their colleges doesn't help. All I hear is, "---- and I are going to do -----" "I'm going to a party tonight!" "----- is coming to stay with me this summer!" All I see are pictures of my friends with their new friends doing fun stuff. And all I can think is that my life sucks here. What happened to the "new world" college was supposed to offer? What happened to my expectations? Everyone else is living in that new world experiencing what I have always dreamed about, and I'm stuck here, complaining about my lack of social life on a blog no one ever reads.

Seriously? I have to lie every time someone asks me how college is going. I say "Oh, it's great! I love it! So much better than high school!" Am I the only one who is this way? Am I the only one who has failed to make actual new friends in college? Am I the only one who feels like she made the biggest mistake of her life by choosing to go to the school that was the cheapest instead of the one in New York or Ohio?

College sure as hell offered me a new world. Too bad I'm the only one populating it.