How I Became A Sheets: Part 2

First Impressions

Welcome Week ended and my freshman year was off to a great start. I managed to not embarrass myself too badly, but sometimes that proved to be unsuccessful. One day I was rushing to my biology class to take my first test of the semester. I was totally nervous about what to expect from this hard professor, but I felt like my study efforts would prove to be worth it! I was almost to the science building when I felt something on my head. Out of reaction, I reached up to smooth out my curly fro, and that is when I felt it…white, warm, stinky BIRD POO! I stopped dead in my tracks while I tried to figure out what to do. Do I go back to the dorm and clean my hair making myself late for my first college test? Do I go to the nearest bathroom and just wash out the ‘damaged zone’? Do I go to that bush over there and hide forever from the people who are laughing at me right now??? Ahhh!!! I chose plan B and headed for the nearest bathroom to attempt to wash out the now-hardening bird poop out of my curly fro. Fortunately, no one was in the bathroom, and I frantically ran my fingers over and over through my hair. I tried to check myself out in the mirror from all angles just to make sure it was all out. I got it all out. I ran upstairs to class, sweaty out of embarrassment, nervousness (for being late to class), and from rushing around in a hot bathroom in August heat for 5 minutes. It took me a few minutes for my hands to quit shaking, but eventually I was able to fill in those little bubbles and complete my first college test. After that class, I headed to my next class, then my next class, and then to chapel. FINALLY, a safe refuge to finally tell my story to B (roommate). But before I could get anything out of my mouth, she asked, ‘What’s that in your hair?!?!’ Mortified, I asked her what color it was. Her reply, ‘white’. Yes. I had sat through one test and gone to two other classes with white, crusted bird poop in my curly fro and NO ONE TOLD ME! That is about all I remember from freshman year. The rest is a blur of meeting new people and figuring out how to make it on my own. Near the end of my freshman year, I was introduced to a guy, whom for the sake of privacy, I will call Guy. Guy and I started hanging out on a pretty regular basis, and I started to like Guy! This was very exciting for me because he was a great Christian person, and we had a lot of fun together. As the summer quickly approached, Guy and I had to figure out what we would do with our new relationship with 350 miles between us. We decided to just keep things as they were and we attempted the long-distance relationship. Everything went great that summer, and our relationship survived the long phone calls and the few random meetings in the middle of our hometowns. As fall of our sophomore year started, Guy and I got a little more serious. We really enjoyed one another, but another road block was quickly approaching- pledging. Both of us decided to pledge a social club (frat or sorority for Christian school), and our time was totally consumed with visits, floats, meetings, projects, ridiculous wardrobes, and lack of sleep. This took a hard toll on our relationship, and it was during this time that we had our first breakup. It didn’t take long for us to get back together, but things just weren’t quite the same. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great either! Come November, Guy and I were still together and trying too hard to make things work. During this time, he asked me to go to a Wednesday night devotional with him with a bunch of people that he knew but I didn’t. I was excited to go with him, but nervous about not knowing anyone. As we walked into this stereotypical ‘college guy house’, my worst nightmare came true. There was about 100 people crammed into this house, and I didn’t know a single person. As I was scanning the room for a familiar face it hit me that I wasn’t in my safe spot beside Guy anymore. In fact, I couldn’t find Guy at all! He was gone, and I was sandwiched like a sardine in a room of people that seemed like best friends with everyone else…but me. About that time, some singing started and everyone started sitting down. I tried to remain calm, but inside I was freaking out! Where was Guy?!?! Should I try to climb over all these people now sitting in order to find him across the room, or should I just sit down where I am and suck it up!!? I decided to sit exactly where I was. After the singing, we split up into groups to discuss some questions. I was a part of a group that was sitting directly beside me. I did not know a single one of them, but I was so consumed with being angry at Guy for abandoning me that I didn’t really care. In fact, I didn’t even notice who all was in my group until one of the guys said to me, ‘I like your socks!’ *I had chosen to wear my rainbow striped socks that day with my clogs, and I was actually embarrassed that someone noticed them.* I smiled at his compliment and shyly tucked my feet under my legs so the socks were no longer visible. The group discussion went well, but I was too shy to contribute much, if anything. The devotional ended, and as I was getting up to find Guy, the sock compliment guy started walking towards me. I was relieved that someone was at least going to come and talk to me. I had been standing alone trying to find Guy, but at the same time trying to look cool and calm. He reached out his hand and said, ‘Hi, I’m Zach Sheets.’ About that time, Guy found me in the crowd and started to talk to Zach. Apparently they were already friends…

TO BE CONTINUED…