I have to go be a civilian now?

I spent a few hours this afternoon in the BYU Bookstore. I went to pick up my dad's Christmas gift and ended up browsing around. I love that place. I love its bargain book bins and its French editions of Harry Potter and its international chocolates. I especially love it right now when everything in the store is an additional 20% off because of Christmas. Also I love that all the actual students are stressed out over finals and I'm not. I get to glide through the panic, smiling benevolently, even at this one girl I saw today who was dressed in a long blue t-shirt, a black cow-girl-looking vest, a belt, a white knee-length peasant skirt, black leggings (curse you black leggings!!) and thick black Ugg-like boots. Despite her clothing I really felt like I want her to succeed both in her studies and as a person.

It has just hit me that for the first time in 9 years I will no longer be affiliated with a university. I was a student for 4 years, worked at a university for another 4 years, and then went back to school for 1. This makes me feel a bit sad. I like universities. I like how there's always something going on. I love all the great cheap cultural events that are actually of very high quality. I didn't take enough advantage of Lboro's events, but possibly that's because most of them involved copious amounts of alcohol and 17-yr-olds. I love that BYU will just cook free hot dogs for people in the quad on a sunny day (or sometimes in the snow) in the hopes that somehow free hot dogs will encourage people to stop dressing like trashy hos.

And now it feels like I'm being kicked out to the World of Learning and Creativity to join the World of Capitalists. Of course, technically I'm joining a public library, which is not exactly a "Down with Learning" kind of place. There will be books there. But still. It'll be an adjustment.

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