You Can Never Go Back Home

Recently, a friend told me that I need to fly the college coop and make new friends/get settled in my new adult life. While I appreciate her concern, I'm not sure how much that's exactly what I need to do.

Yes, I'll admit, I do keep in touch rather ridiculously with my friends from school. I'm considered quite the sentimental for all the things I'll reminisce about. However, I think it's fair to say that I'm one of the rare people who never had true friends like the ones I made in college. My high school friends? Eh, those friendships were more formed based off circumstances and not an actual connection. Even the group of girls who I do maintain regular contact with from my high school days are ones where the friendships didn't really flourish until after I graduated high school. And yes, to an extent my college friendships are based off circumstances also. Joining the same sorority was a major circumstance behind the vast majority of my female friendships in college. But the closest ties within that sorority? Based entirely off actual connections.
One of my dearest friendships with a remaining member of the No Luck Club was formed one night when we spent several hours discussing our mutual interest in not having children ever and just being the cool aunt someday. We were shocked and surprised to find someone else who shared our views. That disinterest in motherhood led to the discovery of many other similarities, not the least of which is a profound love for the movie The Last of the Mohicans. We were firmly agreed that motherhood might agree with us if Nathaniel "Hawkeye" Bumpo was the father.
And that's just one example. If I gained nothing else from college, I will always be grateful for the people I was able to meet and befriend. I didn't realize what it was like to have a real friendship, a real connection with someone of a similar background and with similar interests until I went to college. Most other people developed a feel for that luxury in high school. A good friend of mine even told me, "I'm not afraid of losing touch with you. You try and keep in touch with all of us because you didn't have high school friends." As much as that makes me sound like a lonely pathetic schoolgirl, I rather think she hit the nail on the head with that observation. If flying the college nest means letting go of those friendships and going months, rather than days or even weeks, between conversations with the first people I felt truly comfortable with- then no, I refuse to follow through with the doctor's orders.

As for step two of the recommended growing up procedure- making new friends/a new life for myself here...
1. I'm not interested in settling here. My boredom clock is ticking. June 15th, 2011- please arrive with a job in a new location!
2. I've lived here for 15 years. While I would never presume to call myself an expert on the fun things to do, I would say I'm more than familiar with the available activities and recreation in the area. As it is, the one new recreational activity I've become interested in, rock climbing, isn't available within 40 min. of here. Lame.
3. I have no clue how to make friends here. How on earth do you meet young, single, professionals outside of work? When you don't really have people at work who can make introductions for you? This is a serious question for any few remaining readers. My mother has already suggested joining the church's "Social Activities for Young Single Catholics" club. Wasn't aware of its existence before today, but I promise to look into this suggestion at the least. Other recommendations have included taking classes at the Y (yeah... not really my thing. I never really understood how people met people at the gym. "Hey! Nice Nike shorts! I have the same ones in blue! Want to go shopping with me sometime to get new ones?" or "I saw you doing squats over there. Nice form. We should discuss how much you bench press over a beer sometime") or signing up for pottery classes and the like (a more tempting offer, but really, who goes to these things besides old women?). So yeah... I'm taking suggestions on how to meet young, single, professionals. I've already considered the possibility of a classified ad, "Wanted: Friend. Must be young (under 30), single", but that sounds like I'm looking for a cheap escort. Gah.

In school news, I had my first interaction with a not overjoyed parent last week. When I first heard that a parent was requesting a meeting, I freaked. I called upon a fellow No Luck Clubber (one good thing about this Funemployment thing, my friends are always available for chatting) and proceeded to freak out to her. I was filled with self-doubt about my teaching abilities and anxiety over the possibility of getting chewed out by a parent. I then wasn't through freaking out so I freaked out to my mom. Major plus about living at home? Mom can hold me while I cry to her and feel like a failure. My mood would swing out of control as I would alternate between being angry and defensive about the upcoming meeting ("Your child is a high B, low A student! You're an obsessive helicopter parent!") to anxious and guilt ridden ("I know my tests are too long; no one finished on time. But what if the bad grades are because I can't teach? What if I'm a horrible teacher?"). And like much of my life with regards to things that freak me out, the meeting was no big deal. Silly me. However, I am now fully confident and prepared for any future meetings I may have with parents.

Teacher highlight of the week: Seeing a student's grade raise from a C+ to a B- after one particularly successful quiz and finding myself cheering for said student in my room.
Teacher lowlight of the week: Chaperoning on a school retreat. It is myself and the other young math teacher on one bus and the older, more established theology teacher on the other bus. When the theo teacher comes to get the headcount from us, the bus driver asks, "Are there even any adults on this bus?!" Awkward. When the theo teacher points out that we are adults, the bus driver grimaced. More awkward.