Here There Be Dragons

Uncertainty

"Here there be dragons."

"What an ominous set of words," I found myself thinking as I walked out of a lecture.  The professor had warned us of the difficulties lying ahead of our college experience.  "Thanks, sir.  Way to reassure my already nervous self," I said under my breath sarcastically.  In a movie, this would have made a cute boy next to me giggle, ask what my name was, and flow directly into a college romance that lasted for all eternity.

I was not in a movie.

And the stare I got from a couple of girls in front of me was shaming.  I ducked my head wishing for a hood and dodged behind a basketball player who parted the crowds with his long strides.  I followed in his wake.  The tall freshman I had followed noticed me and gave me a withering look.  I glared murder back at him and scurried off as fast as I could.

"I'm probably older than you, you huge lump of maggots!  Fight me!" I shouted after him (in my head).  I would never actually yell that...I hope.

"Here there be dragons."  The professor let his words sink in with a dramatic pause.  "You know, ancient cartographers used to place these words at the end of the known world as a way of warning sailors of the dangers that might exist beyond the borders."

It was ten in the morning and I needed food - again.  I had noticed that the dining hall had those yummy granola bars with the fruit layer.  I wanted one of those.  As I walked, I looked at the campus.  It was big, with big people, big personalities, and big questions.  In fact, it was scary big.  The dining hall was big too.  I entered the building and walked with confidence to the shelf the granola bars were on with high expectations.  I knew what I was doing.  This was the only thing I knew how to do!  I could confidently buy a granola bar.  I grabbed the strawberry flavor, marched toward the register, and plastered a smile on my face so I didn't look like I could commit murder at any moment.  The checkout lady smiled at me, "Is that all?"

"Yes." I smiled bigger.  One question I could answer with total confidence.  Yes, that freaking granola bar was the one thing I knew for certain right now.

"Will you be paying with cash or credit?"

"..." Crap.  What the heck was I supposed to answer to that.  I was paying with a meal plan right!?  Isn't that credit? Yeah.  It had to be credit.  My smile faltered, "Credit," I said less confidently.

"Okay, go ahead and swipe your card."

I swiped my student ID.  Yesterday's explanation of meal plans had said that the ID was loaded with your meal credit.  I was now confident I was doing the right thing.  My smile dialed up to ten again.

"Beep, beep, beep."  I blinked as the machine rejected my card.

"Oh, it's a finicky thing," the lady smiled.  "Swipe again."

I swiped.  "BEEP BEEP BEEP!" the machine screamed.

The lady stood up from her throne on the register, "Let me help you."

"NO, I am a freaking college student! I CAN DO THIS.  I HAVE A CREDIT CARD AND CAN HANDLE COMPUTERS JUST AS WELL AS YOU, YOU CONDESCENDING COW," I screamed (in my head.) I would never actually scream that...I hope.

"Oh, sweetie! You're swiping you student ID!" she smiled.

A chill ran down my spine.  I wanted that freaking granola bar.  "Yes."  My smile was gone.

"The meal plan isn't going to start until Tuesday.  Would you like to pay with cash or credit?"  She sat on her throne again and grinned at me.

I started shaking; chills danced in my arms and legs.  I don't have any money; I'm a college student.  I don't just carry my credit card to lectures; that's what my ID is for!

I ran.

Yup.

I freaking ran out of the dining hall, leaving the strawberry granola bar with the lady enthroned upon the cash register.

"Here there be dragons." The professor stared at his notes.  "You are sailors, this college is the sea, and I am here as your cartographer telling you that life will not always be easy for you here at college.  There are dragons here!"  He peered down, "Not saying anything but Professor Haydn is especially a dragon without his coffee."  A ripple of overdone laughter ripped through the auditorium.  When silence returned the professor restated, "Here...be...dragons."