School has started and all in all I’m kinda glad to be back. I’m starting my second year at Concordia, and it makes me think of my second year university experience at McGill. My first year at Uni back in the before time, was riddled with new faces, and an array of small groups of friends, acquaintances quickly formed. These were people who I socialized with, opened up to, and befriended. Second year brought about a phenomenon I liked to call, “The cleansing.” The cleansing probably took place due to the fact that we left residence, and didn’t see certain people as often as before. The result was that some of us came to realize that we only hung out with some of these guys because they were conveniently present and partying rather than any genuine interest. Beer, drugs, a party, all these things were present in rez, which caused us to bond. Now I don’t want to offend The Minister of Culture and his wife with what follows. I know don’t see them much since I’ve moved, but that is more a circumstance of busyness than anything else. The fact of the matter is that we came to realize that some people just weren’t interesting enough to spend time with, and as a result splits were made. On the other hand I became excellent friends with some people I hadn’t know that well in rez, and formed excellent long lasting friendships.

The years following brought about lesser cleansings, but none so great as the first one. Most of these were brought upon by people we met in classes who moved on in subsequent years, different interests which just diverged, maybe just the natural way of things. I find this phenomenon extraordinary because this is the first time in my life that I have spent five complete years in one place without moving away. Back when I was a wee lad, we moved around a lot causing me to force break many friendships. In fact there is only one human being I’m still good friends with from my Washington DC days, and I only speak consistently to one person from Zimbabwe. Ironically I didn’t know her that well when I was living there. Now, however, I have ex-friends I can bump into the streets and say “Hey man long time no see!” It is strange for me.

Of course the cleansings only truly kicked in, several weeks after the school started cause there was always an effort to keep the old crowd together after the long rigorous summer. I wonder at my situation now and ponder as to weather or not the same thing will occur with me this year. Probably not. Most of my school buddies are in the same classes as me, this due to the fact that the department of economics is small, and offers a limited selection of classes. Plus we spent most of our time together studying rather than socializing, and a certain knowledge of each other’s working habits developed. We know who we work well with and who we don’t. In fact, as I recall many people studied with us at the beginning, and it took several months before our core study group solidified. I guess you could call it a “cleansing” which took place earlier in the year, out of necessity.

Cleansings are always interesting, and sometimes painful when you realized you been “cleansed.” However they almost always bring in new people into your life. I am eager to observe how the dynamics of my life will change due to the school year and my most recent move. Change is good, evolution is fun, painful, and necessary even so far as friends are concerned.