A martial artist's journey through college...

[Musicalkatachmp]

Well here I am I just took my last exam and I am leaving this place forever as far as I know...isn't this exactly what you always dreamed of I tell myself?

Now I am not so sure...I was always training for a tournament or something, tournaments that gave me a great deal of joy and excitement in my life, without which I would not stand before you and call myself a man today...but also tournaments that prevented me from drinking and meeting a lot of people around my school...yes there will be other women but never again so many in such a concentrated area, from so many different parts of the country and in fact, the entire world...

Also here I would like to mention that I did something very stupid and took a class with all freshman during my last semester...how moronic was that...I look around the room and see there eyes full of dreams of the future...I see myself sitting there 3 years ago, dreaming of fighting in kuoshu...well I have done that now but now that I have done it it doesn't seem like as big of a deal...yes it is a big deal, but was it worth trading my collegiate social life? I don't pretend to have any answers here...

Another thing I did that I regret now is I went home a lot, but I wanted to work out at home rather than out in the open where a lot of people would see me here...my parents only live 40 min from my school, but I wish I would have just got some b@lls and practiced here and stayed on campus more...

I don't know, should I have never started martial arts in the first place? I love martial arts...traveling to fight in front of many people, being able to go into the gym after a long day to beat the pi$$ out of some poor unsuspectign b@st@rd j/k...

My point is guys, those of us that devote several hours a day to martial arts are different...yes it gives us something to talk about with friends but not all people are impressed by the martial arts...most of my friends are people I met from martial arts...that's cool, but there weren't many girls at either of the places that I trained at...but at the new place I teach at there are lots of girls...

I'm not saying that I think drugs or excessive alcohol is a good thing, I am just saying that I wish that I had experienced at least some of that...yes I am going to graduate with a decent GPA but was it worth it? I don't know, I just don't know...

Here let me end by saying this is not really my last semester of college but next semester I am studying abroad and will graduate in december 2004...so I know that this will be fun...I guess I'm just a little depressed right now...

[Mr Punch]

In fact, I studied a lot of them... very closely...!

Did the sex, drugs n rocknroll bit, along with a lot of drinking, and ma, and a few rumpuses... and looking back at it I all too often wish it had been more in the ma, and less in the rest of the ****. It's always gonna be an element of the other side of the fence, and I'm happy I've seen both sides... but you've already taken the first step to stop giving yourself a hard time when you say you haven't got any answers.

There aren't any, but the old cliche about not giving yourself a hard time, cos there'll always be someone else to do it for you is in some ways true.

Living in another country should be one of the most valuable and insight giving things that has ever happened to you, but I've seen many people lose themselves cos they have't put anything into it. It's tough, but like anything else, like your ma, the more you work the better you feel. And one day you'll look back again with honest pride at having earned your place in those fights... however small it seems, it will have helped to make you who you are.

First things first: stop posting on bs noticeboards, and get rid of the gay avatar. I managed one of them...

[Meat Shake]

I did the partying thing when I was supposed to be in highschool...
And on weekends.

Being a stoner doesnt really effect my training... The alcohol will, but I dont drink often.

[Musicalkatachmp]

First things first: stop posting on bs noticeboards,

Sorry, I don't understand..."bs noticeboard"? EDIT: Oh wait, I think I get it now, you mean this one? See that college tuition didn't go to waste...

get rid of the gay avatar

cmon man it's tough finding something that looks cool when shrunken to 50 x 50 pixels...


OK after reading your post I don't feel as depressed...thanks...

EDIT: how did people lose themselves while studying abroad?

[Chang Style Novice]

Consider yourself fortunate that you didn't take as long as I did to graduate. I left highschool in '87. In a few days I'll recieve official notice I've earned my BFA.

[Mr Punch]

Originally posted by Musicalkatachmp

EDIT: how did people lose themselves while studying abroad?

Just a quick one

well, I've known English people who've moved to France, Spain, and other parts of Europe. Some of them have done very well...

but even some of the ones who were fluent in the languages just went down, or went crazy. Even if you do know the language (even if you do, the simple strain of thinking in two languages all the time can be just as ****ty as not speaking the language and being extremely lonely), you need a good support network: a couple of friends, preferably a couple of English-speaking ones too, some kind of mentor... all of this helps.

I'd been independent for many years when I'd moved to Japan; relatively confident, outgoing, considerate etc... but being alone in a another country can have a deep effect. Ultimately it makes you stronger but never be too proud or afraid for any reason to ask other people for advice or help. Having said that, sometimes it pays to be wary of advice from long-time expats, cos they usually have some reason for escaping, and some reason for wanting to be a regarded as a fount of knowledge.

No matter how many times you've visited a country, or how much you know about the culture... nothing prepares you for wholly immersing yourself in it. Even the language you speak changes your thought processes and the way you see things to some extent. Some people don't notice particularly, but they are usually people who don't get much out of it and become too bitter through not interacting with the natives.

If you can see all of the above as having positive sides too, you will be stonger, nicer, more practical and a lot more knowledgeable by the 'end' of the experience. It opens your eyes.

Better go bye-byes.

[Mr Punch]

Originally posted by Chang Style Novice
...my BFA.

Bachelor of Fucking Arts...?

[Chang Style Novice]

BAchelor of Fine Arts. My major is called "Studio Art," which at UT encompasses all visual media - I chose drawing and painting for my emphasis, although I also took classes in printmaking, photography and sculpture. Also available are ceramics, metals, performance, transmedia (basically video) and possibly some more that I'm forgetting.

[Musicalkatachmp]

Wow, thanks for all your advice...I've already taken the one bit about losing the gay avatar...

[Vash]

He-Man was just that, the embodiment of all that is man. Prince Adam, however . . .

I'm not close to graduating this college, and only being able to afford 12 hours a semester, I can't give you the most accurate advice, but I can say this:

if you did then what you felt you should, then you did the right thing.

[unkokusai]

Originally posted by Mat
but even some of the ones who were fluent in the languages just went down, or went crazy. Even if you do know the language (even if you do, the simple strain of thinking in two languages all the time can be just as ****ty as not speaking the language and being extremely lonely), you need a good support network: a couple of friends, preferably a couple of English-speaking ones too, some kind of mentor... all of this helps.

I'd been independent for many years when I'd moved to Japan; relatively confident, outgoing, considerate etc... but being alone in a another country can have a deep effect. Ultimately it makes you stronger but never be too proud or afraid for any reason to ask other people for advice or help. Having said that, sometimes it pays to be wary of advice from long-time expats, cos they usually have some reason for escaping, and some reason for wanting to be a regarded as a fount of knowledge.

No matter how many times you've visited a country, or how much you know about the culture... nothing prepares you for wholly immersing yourself in it. Even the language you speak changes your thought processes and the way you see things to some extent. Some people don't notice particularly, but they are usually people who don't get much out of it and become too bitter through not interacting with the natives.

If you can see all of the above as having positive sides too, you will be stonger, nicer, more practical and a lot more knowledgeable by the 'end' of the experience. It opens your eyes.

Better go bye-byes.

Very good post!

I agree that many long-timers are twisted little *****es who are best avoided. Nothing more annoying than someone who feels he has been somewhere long enough to ***** about just everything and put down an entire people and culture in ridiculously categorical terms. These people are often desperate to fabricate a sense of self-importance through abject negativity.

Of course some folks who have been abroad for a while have a great perspective. If you can find one of them, it can be a valuable tool in the process of adaptation.

[unkokusai]

Originally posted by Chang Style Novice
BAchelor of Fine Arts. My major is called "Studio Art," .

Ah, so you did a lot of weed.

[Pork Chop]

MKC
Don't take it too harsh man.
Yah, you might've missed out on some of the party scene at college; but it's not like your fun's over.
There'll be other party scenes and better yet, when you've got a job, you'll actually have some money to have more fun.
As much as I used to rant about this place being so boring; especially not being in college, even *I've* managed to find a bit of a niche and keep my weekend evenings from driving me nuts.
Worrying that you won't be able to have fun anymore now that you're out of college is silly.

Foregoing some things you weren't so interested in, in order to persue something you really enjoy is also nothing to be worried about, especially when what you love is a pretty productive thing- in the grand scheme of things.

Going to Italy will be a lot of fun for you if you remember to always search out the adventure and the things you'd never be able to do if you were still back here in Maryland.
Try not to waste any time on missing things back here stateside because you'll probably have the rest of your life to do those things; but only one chance like this to experience Italy on that level.

PS- he-man is ghey
PPS- I'm not a poor, unsuspecting b@st@rd... I'm a middle-class, suspecting b@st@rd...

[Musicalkatachmp]

LOL...

Thanks to everyone who listened to me vent and offered there advice...we are truly brothers in the martial arts...I think my avatar says it all...

and now I must shut down my laptop one last time...

[FatherDog]

Originally posted by Chang Style Novice
Consider yourself fortunate that you didn't take as long as I did to graduate. I left highschool in '87. In a few days I'll recieve official notice I've earned my BFA.

Hey, congrats, CSN.

I had a wide and varied social life in college, and the primary result was that most of my friends are crazier than ****house rats.

I wouldn't trade it in, but looking back I wish I'd gotten involved in martial arts sooner. It gives me more joy than most other things I've done.