I stared at the test for about ten minutes, wishing I didn't drink the night before. My head was pounding and my eyes were too sensitive to the fluorescent lights on the ceiling. I hadn't even written my name on the paper yet. You can do this, I told myself, knowing all too well that I couldnt. I read the first question.
1. The science of behavior and mental processes best defines
A. Philosophy
B. Cognitive Neuroscience
C. Basic research
D. Applied research
E. Psychology
Okay, well that one is easy. I circled "E" and went on to the next question.
2. For behaviorists, psychological science is rooted in
A. Introspection
B. Observation
C. Cultural influences
D. Growth potential
E. Basic needs
Well, behaviorists think everything has to be concrete and reproduced so..."B," maybe? But wait, what is introspection? Oh, my head hurts. I circled "B" and moved onto the next question.
About an hour later, I had finished the test and handed it to the professor, leaving the class with a bigger headache than I woke up with. I dragged myself back to my dorm and took the elevator to the top floor, fumbling for my room key. Thank God I only had one class today. I threw my bag on the floor and climbed to the top bunk, passing out almost immediately.
I woke up to my roommate screaming "Sexy and I Know It" at the top of her lungs. Oh my God, I am going to slaughter her, I thought.
"Molly, I am going to slit your throat," I threatened.
"Here, have some Advil," she offered, throwing a bottle of pills at me. I caught it with one hand and took double the suggested amount, dry swallowing them.
She got me wasted at a club last night. I didn't even want to go, but she begged me to because she didn't want to go alone with a boy she just met. At least she was smart enough to have someone tag along. I'm not sure what time we got back last night, but I sure as hell needed sleep. I also needed food, I realized, as my stomach screamed at me.
"I bought brownies, Tostitos, salsa, Arizona, and ramen. Take your pick," she said, holding up a few grocery bags. I jumped down from the bed, grabbed the chips and salsa, and put them on the desk. I tore open the bag and dumped all of the salsa into a bowl, knowing we would finish it in one sitting.
"So how did things go with Mike?" I asked, not remembering a thing from the night before.
"Oh, he's a douche. A cute douche, but still a douche."
I was surprised. She had been video chatting with Mike for three months before finally meeting him at the club last night. She was so excited to see him. She actually put makeup on, curled her hair, and whitened her teeth before going out. I guess a person's true colors only come out in person.
"Well, that sucks. I thought he was a nice guy."
"Yeah, me too. It was a big slap in the face knowing I wasted all that time talking to a douchebag," she said, a look of disappointment on her face.
I threw the bag of chips onto her lap and sat down next to her on the purple love seat we bought for our room. She reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of chips.
"Cece, will you marry me," she asked.
"Of course I will," I answered, giving her a small hug. I knew how she felt. I had an online relationship with this guy from New York last year. He was sweet, smart, and was good with kids. As it turns out, he had a vagina. Not exactly the same, but close enough.
I stood up and pulled my long, dark hair into a messy bun in front of our wall mirror. A few loose strands fell in my face, and I just tucked them behind my ear. I changed into sweatpants and put on a sportsbra, and pulled my bright purple nail polish out of a drawer. I sat back down on the love seat and started painting my toenails.
"Do you want to go out tomorrow night?" Molly asked, with a hopeful twinkle in her eyes.
"Sure, as long as there is no drinking," I answered. Her face lit up and she suggested we go to the new lounge a few blocks down from the campus.
"Is it a club?" I asked, not really sure what a lounge was.
"Sort of, but it's a little more laid back."
I agreed to go, and started putting black decals on my nails. I looked at my phone, and realized it was 9:00 pm. Holy crap! I slept all day...no surprise. I had an early class tomorrow, so I had to go back to bed. I climbed up onto my bed and put the covers over me. The cool fabric felt nice on my warm skin. I started to go through my email, deleting all the useless emails from other colleges, Christian Mingle, and Jobungo. I'm already at my choice college, I don't want to date any freakishly religious people, and I already have a job. It's a shitty job at Walmart, but at least it's a job.
After a half hour of scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed, I fell asleep.
