Ah, college life. Long Christmas vacations with little to do but eat, sleep, catch up with friends and get spoiled by mom.
It seems like yesterday I was doing the same. Until, of course, I start counting the actual years.
Reality hits like a keg beer hangover. My days of frat parties and cheese fries lunches are long, long, long over.
Would I do it again? Definitely, but with a large dose of hindsight. College can be a frightening place if you don't know what you're doing - and most of us don't.
TO LESSEN the cluelessness, about 20 Tampa Prep alumni returned to their school Tuesday to talk to seniors about university life. Their job: Give students the skinny on what to expect that they won't find in college catalogs.
Topics ranged from "How to Deal with the Roommate from Hell" to "How to Manage Your Time Without Losing Sleep."
It appears college hasn't changed too dramatically. You still need to save quarters for laundry and carry a bucket to the showers. Headphones remain a must for tuning out a roommate's stereo at 2 a.m.
Ryan Schreiber, a sophomore at the University of South Florida, told seniors to share rooms with people they already know. He dubbed a former roommate "the devil."
"And don't ever lend your roommate money because he won't ever pay you back," he said.
SET GROUND RULES, said Ryan Misiak, a freshman at the University of Central Florida. After interrupting a romantic episode between his roommate and his roommate's girlfriend, he devised a system. Put a hanger on the door as a signal not to come in.
Banned from your own bedroom? Whatever works.
College kids had differing opinions on the issue of living in a dorm or living off campus. Tim Abrahamsen, a second-year MIT student, exalted frat-house life, saying nothing beats rooming with 50 of your best friends, including his two roomies, Tim and Tim.
Giggles - and groans - from the audience.
Tessa Davis, a sophomore at Davidson College in North Carolina, advised students to stay on campus.
"Living in a dorm is like summer camp with classes," she said.
Without the Kumbaya and mosquitoes, I suppose.
Jokes aside, the alums advised their successors to work hard, keep good grades and avoid 24-7 partying. You might want to pursue a higher degree.
Brian's simple revelation the first year: "It's really important to go to class. I learned that the hard way."
Patrick Shields, a freshman at Vassar College, offered some survival tips. Stock up on granola bars and Ramen noodles, and wear your clothes a few extra times.
"It sounds nasty, but it's not too bad," he said.
Nasty is how Tallia Shwer, a sophomore at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, described the weather in climate-challenged places. Not every city is as perfect as Tampa, especially this time of year.
Always check the forecast before leaving for class, she warned. It could be sunny in the morning and snowing by afternoon.
Remember, you're not at home anymore.
THE LAST DROP: For all the good recyclers out there, the city of Tampa is accepting Christmas trees from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Home Depot on Dale Mabry Highway near Interstate 275 and at the Manhattan Brush Site, 7215 S Manhattan Ave. And for those who pay for city trash service, recycling crews will pick up trees placed at the curb through next week.
