Betting On Black – College Move-In Day

As I’m writing this, it’s college move-in day and I’m jealous of each and every one of those kids. It was my favorite day of the year because me and my buddies could see all of the incoming freshman gir…. STUDENTS moving in. (Donnie!!! Your wife could be reading this).

Anywho, I grew up living within walking distance of The College of New Jersey and Rider University was just about 2 miles away. Living in a college town is awesome, but it also has its flaws especially during move in day. You might get the occasional beer can on your yard or hear students as they walk down the street late at night. My parents HATED when a beer can ended up in the yard. Being the men in the house(dad was probably at work), my brother and I devised a plan to stay up late and wait for one of those students to drop a beer can on our lawn. Georgie had to be about 16, so I was 12 years old(thank you math teachers) We waited on our parent’s porch in the dark like creeps hoping for a can to fall. It never happened… but if it did, what were us 2 scrawny kids going to do? We weren’t fighters, we were way too good looking for that. (My brother told me to write that. He’s not wrong).

That same brother left for a college in Delaware that no longer exists (Wesley College R.I.P.) in 1999. I remember we took 2 cars to bring all of his stuff. Who brings this much stuff away to school? He did! Also, in the car, was his high school girlfriend. It was super awkward because I knew their fate even if they didn’t. (A break up was imminent) Now, I love my brother to death, and I was pretty sad that he was going away to college, but now I was going to have the house to myself AND an extra room to make my own. My mom cried just like she always does. My dad had to keep a calm demeanor like he always does, but I know he was sad. His oldest was leaving and now he was stuck with just me and my mother. I always wondered why he took on more shifts at work after that. Touche Pops!

I was FINALLY the only child. First thing to do: Change his answering machine message! It went something like “whats up, you’ve reached Donnie and I can’t get to the phone right now, leave a message at the tone. I’ll Get back to you when I can. Peace!” I’m pretty sure I had a cool song in the background as I recorded this message. Moving on after that embarrassment. I, was now going to college in 2003. Wouldn’t you know, I went to the same school as my brother. It’s par for the course with me trying to follow in my big brother’s footsteps. I’ve done this my whole life. He quit baseball, I quit baseball. He likes rap music, I like rap music. He even tried to teach me to dance like him and that’s where I draw the line. He’s a great dancer but I’m on another level!!! Maybe this is a story for another time.

My brother was doing his 5th year in college and me? I was now a freshman! The day came where my parents had to drop me off. My mother, once again, cried like a baby as did I. I was always a big mommas boy so I cried as well thinking “how in the world do I get Tylenol or Afrin Nasal Spray when I need it?” I didn’t realize that actual stores sell them. Nope, mom always had them at the ready. It was like she had a factory in our house that nobody knew about and concocted all of the medicine we needed. That lady was a magician! I know the people who read this article are most likely not college students. This is for the parents. (College students can read it too, I don’t discriminate). Having a kid go away to school can be tough. I don’t have kids, but I’ve been a kid before and also went away to college so I know everything. I was scared because…who is going to wake me up for school? An alarm? Will I like my roommate? I have to go to a cafeteria and not eat what my parents have always made me? It’s all new but it’s all good stuff.

Parents, you’ve raised those kids right! College was one of the greatest times of my life(besides my wedding, just in case my wife is reading this. It’s number 1 on my list honey). I still keep in touch with my college buddies and we still reminisce about all of the times that we barely remember. For the kids going to college, here is some advice… Make friends with really smart people in your classes. My friends and I steadily skipped class! We could have used those friends.

I’m sort of kidding. Good luck in school!