Back to school!

So I was accepted into the grad school of my choice a few days ago. In less than two weeks, I'll be setting foot in a classroom for the first time in almost eight years. I really don't know what to expect or how I will react. I've been "civilized" by the real world for a while now, and I think it will be interesting to see if I revert to old college tendencies, or modify those tendencies through the filter known as "maturity".

For example, I wonder if, by force of habit, I'll grow my hair down to my shoulders and join a couple of rock bands. The problem is, my hair is thinner, so it will look more sad than cool. I would love to join a band, but I'll be so stinkin' busy with the class load, that I probably shouldn't.

Hair vs. haircut? Advantage haircut.
Band vs. no band? Advantage has-been band.

Wake up time... ooh, this will be interesting! Right now, it appears I won't have any morning classes, and I'll be in class straight from 1pm through maybe 5 or 6 pm M-Th, and one day, maybe later. This would be conducive to 10am wake up calls. However, I've got almost eight years of conditioning to start work at around 8 am. Hmmmmm....

Early bird or sleep in? Advantage zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Sunday nights tended to be a cheap-eats night in college, because you are gearing up for another week of class after being lazy for the majority of the weekend. And you don't have time (and in my case, the core competancies) to cook a fancy meal, so you have a greasy cheap pizza delivered. And you down all but one slice, and save that slice for breakfast the next morning. However, over the past eight years, I've gotten to be a workout warrior and I've required the nutrition to accompany this hobby. A high protein diet is expensive, and I'll be a poor student. But my workout habit and food intake habits won't die hard.

Greasy pizza or slab of chicken on the Foreman grill? Advantage, uuuhhhhhhh, roommate's leftovers.

Of course, a new school means new people entering into your life. And as a still-single guy, the eye may tend to wander to the other gender as it did in my undergrad. Whether we're talking about in class or students from another department on campus, you can't deny the urge to consider the possibilities whenever you cross paths with someone... and find any silly reason to go do coffee with that person. You're hunting. After eight years of being out of college, I've learned that life isn't just a big dating cesspool. You can and should see each person as a unique and precious individual, and if there may be a future in store, you should let the Lord make it clear through a series of godly encounters.

In the hunt vs. level-headed interacting? Advantage I'm-still-an-idiot.