Ya weird kid

Grace was one of the girls who came on Big Break this spring and one of our little jokes from the week was about her drawling out 'ya weird kid' anytime someone did something awkward, nerdy, freakish, or anything of that type. Needless to say, it happened often. 

That has NOTHING at all to do with this.

Except that I hear Grace off in the distance saying it...

"Ya weird kid"

When I was in the bathroom about 17 minutes ago, I realized that I have used the same stall in that bathroom every time I have gone in there this semester. As the only bathroom on my floor, you can wisely presume that I have made many visits to that room this semester. Every time, I use the third stall.

Ya weird kid.

I swear I'm not the only one who does things like that. I'd swear on a stack of bibles. 

Students, look at where you sit in your classes that do not have assigned seats (in college that's EVERY class). Your professor may not have told you where to sit but you probably sit in the exact same seat every time...and that's probably the same seat you sat in on the first day of class many months ago. It's like there's some unwritten rule that you get 4.2 seconds to pick a seat when you walk in the door on the first day of the semester and that choice is something you've gotta live with for the next 16 weeks. Choose wisely. 

If you drive somewhere regularly (work, the gym, the grocrey store, etc), think about where you park. I remember in high school, I parked in the same spot (or one spot to the left) every day senior year. I bet you do it too Maybe not the same exact spot because some people are unaware of this rule and rudely take your spot, but nonetheless, you freakishly park in the same general area every single time. 

WHY?

Ultimately, I think it's a comfort thing. I parked in that spot every day senior year because it was easy to back out of when school was over and it was close(ish) to the door. I sit in the same seat in class because I don't want someone to get upset if I take their seat. And I certainly don't want to upset the feng shui of the learning environment. We are creatures of habit because habits are comfortable.

But here's the thing...Pope Benedict XVI once shared this nugget of wisdom with me..."the world promises you comfort but you were not made for comfort, you were made for greatness!"

I don't think he was telling me that it's a bad thing that I park in the same place all the time but maybe it's time to sit somewhere else in class (well, next year since its finals week and there isn't really any reason to upset the norm now) and talk to those people in the back of the room whose voice you can recognize better than their face. It's probably fine to keep using that third bathroom stall but perhaps inviting the girl next door to your meeting instead of walking by her room as she watches netflix all night once again is what he's getting at.