Where I'm From

Growing up just south of Columbus (15-20 minute drive to Downtown) was much different than I think a lot of my friends grew up. For starters I didn't have one friend who took Adderall, Ritalin, or any sort of behavioral drug like that. If you were hyper where I was from, that meant that you had the energy to do more chores (this part doesn't pertain to me as I am an only child and according to my parents, the greatest thing since sliced bread, I am my mommies little prince) Anyways, that contrasts very differently with a lot of people who I had met when I went to college. For instance, I would say well over half of the kids I went to college with were not only prescribed some sort of drug in that realm, but by the time I met them, they had been snorting it, selling it, and substituting it for coke for quite a while.

Interestingly enough, my first month at college I had a big test and decided to take some aderrall for the first time. My friend gave me some aderrall, and the pills looked so small I figured I was supposed to take everything he gave me (which ended up being 90 milligrams). Needless to say that was my rude awakening to the world of childhood uppers, pretend heart attacks, nervous twitches, as well as staying up for three days while actually enjoying reading my text book.

Now this might seems like a rant against parents drugging up their kids (I mean shit if little Johnny won't sit down why not throw him some pills to get him to watch TV, instead of asking you for the 500th time why the dogs asshole smells so bad) but really I am pissed that I didn't have that free high and the extra cash, methinks my parents screwed me. Further more on a similar topic, I hardly ever went to the doctor, I don't think it was the 15 minute drive, or the money aspect, I think it is just country mentality. Another angle is that there were only a handful of doctors in my county and they are not the type of doctors you really want to see (See: graduated from Aruba medical school, or they aren't a doctor they just play one on TV, or even stayed at a Holiday Inn Express the night before, that sort of thing). I have noticed that my friends go to the doctor with the sniffles, but for some reason I am reluctant to go when my knee swells up to the size of a melon, or when I have had a fever and diarrhea for 10 days (do you guys even know what 10 day diarrhea is like? not good). It's just how I grew up, eventually you will feel better...most of the time. Me and my friends were raised with the, rub some dirt on it mentality, mostly because dirt is plentiful where we are from, doctors are not. This was all brought on by the fact that I have been sick for like a week, but still feel miserable.

I would also like to point out some of the subtle differences in childhoods between my friends and myself. First off where I am from if you are a junior or a third or fourth etc, that means that your family is uncreative, or your parents want you to live up to your daddy's potential (either jail, or crop farming, or if your lucky a cop). But I have noticed that the people I went to school with, if they are a jr or a third or fourth, the farther down you are the bigger your trust fund ( I knew a sixth in college and lets just say he did not eat ramen noodles very often) (actually funny story there, his parents owned ramen noodles... the company). Where I am from if you stand out in front of my school and look in any direction you can only see corn (soybean every 4th year). Where the people I went to college with went to school, if you walk out in front of their high school and look around you are likely to see BMW dealerships, Jared's Galleria, Starbucks and another competing BMW dealership. Also where we are from a 16th birthday present that is quite common is a gun rack, me personally, I don't own a gun, let alone have the need for a gun rack (thanks Wayne, thanks Garth) but that is how I grew up. My friends however would mostly receive the password to their trust fund, a watch that was worth more than my parents house, or a check with more zero's in it than my current credit card statement (a lot of zeros, a lot). Another thing is the dating restrictions, I have friends who have dated their adopted cousins (which is ok and still very very weird at the same time) and I have friends who are dating their younger brothers babies momma ( that means the older brother dates the mother of the younger brothers child). Maybe that isn't so weird but I have a hard time seeing Buffy betraying Grant and dating his older brother Kit, the country club would be aghast at such a happening. But where I am from that is completely normal.

In the end I could not be happier with how I grew up, we rode our bikes into the woods, built forts, went fishing, swam in lakes (very very gross lake, that may now be sewage dumps, ugh) played with things we shouldn't have (drugs, guns, girls, fire, alcohol etc.) and we lived to tell about it. And I am glad thats how it was, I really am.