Life Without Monie

Well, it’s been about a week since we took my sister Samone to Northern Illinois University. So, what’s life like without her around all the time?

Different.

It’s interesting for me to be on the side where my sister was before; the one to stay home while the other is gone to college. There are little things I can do now that I couldn’t before. The main thing I get to do is to basically get whatever food I want. That’s not to say that I couldn’t when she was around, but the way we buy food is kind of prohibitive. In our household, we only buy foods that all of us (or more than one person) will eat. The only exceptions seem to be desserts, fast food, and smaller food items. For example, my dad buys Vienna Sausages for himself, as the rest of us don’t really care for them. So on the first day I went with my dad to shop for food after Samone left, I got a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I love this cereal, but we don’t buy it normally because I’m the only one who likes this cereal. I haven’t had it since I was at NU, so I enjoyed it.

Also, with my sister gone, I get time to be completely by myself. When you’re around people all the time, there’s nothing like some time alone. I can attempt to write without interruption, play music as loud as I like, and actually watch TV or DVDs in the living room on the nice TV.

However, little things such as food indulgences or getting time completely by yourself don’t really make up for not having Samone around. I’m not boo-hooing or anything, but I do miss watching TV or movies and making our typically riotous and obscure jokes. Fortunately, we can keep in contact very easily whether it’s through e-mail, instant messaging, cell phones, or home phones.

With this situation, each of us gets to walk in the other’s shoes, so to speak. I get to kind of understand what it was like for her when I left for college, while she gets to understand why I enjoyed college so much. For each of us, it will be quite an adjustment, but nothing we can’t handle.

So, to my sister, I wish you best of luck in all your classes and remember this: It’s not you who isn’t ready for college...college isn’t ready for you!