"Only youngin' still playin' by the old rules. Can't learn a new dance wearin' old shoes. No dance instructions, bust your own move. Eeine, meine, moe, bitches gon' choose." - Chinx, "Crown Royal"
In about four weeks, I had custom-made "orthotics" for my shoes, colloquially referred to as "inserts" that help a bit in aligning my posture and improving my feet by adding noticeable support. In addition, I also wear a brace each night when I sleep that more-or-less cocks my foot into its proper place. My loving mother even took me to get two new pairs of shoes to help accommodate, one a pair of Ecco shoes, the other fancy Rockport boots. I used to brag about how cheap my slip-on, K-Mart shoes were, but I'm willing to bet they caused incredible stress on my feet as well.
My feet still hurt, which probably means I'll need surgery sooner or later, but in the meantime, these small things I need to take to better myself are necessary.
Point being, I essentially had to change my ways and something I put little thought into each day - putting on shoes and caring for my feet - was one of the many changes I underwent during the first term of my junior year of college. I tried my best to transition easily into my third year of college, but with harder classes, a new radio gig, a new writing gig, and even a new responsibility of self-care, I had a lot to try and weather in order to be successful.
Let's start with the harder classes: 18th century literature, language and linguistics, and media law, three classes that sound like the epitome of "I indeed go to college" classes. The latter two were two of the most, if not the most, difficult courses I've ever taken in my life thus far. The former was difficult because old literature, especially old literature that focuses on British customs and politics, has always been almost impenetrable to me, and it's something I could never connect to nor adequately interpret on any meaningful level.
The latter, however, is just what it sounds like - learning an entirely new language, that language being linguistics. Many speak English, but few analyze it in the meticulous phonological and methodological manner that linguistics forces you to, and when you break down words by way of how their consonants and vowels sound and function individually, it becomes unfathomably challenging. My saving grace was my friend Amber, who was absolutely instrumental in my success, as well as serving as my crutch at times when the course became vague or messy. We were one another's confidant throughout the entirety of the term, and my success was largely due to her.
Grade-wise, I unfortunately missed Dean's List for the first time since spring term of my freshman year, earning a 3.3 GPA, my lowest since that respective term as well. I was flirting with a C+ in literature for much of the term, but managed enough muscle to levy it to a B in the end, despite the month-long A I maintained in linguistics slipping to a B+ at the last minute. Because my media law grade was an A throughout the entire term, my linguistics slip, I feel, cost me my fourth consecutive Dean's List appearance in a row, but at the end of the day, you can't gripe too much when you didn't do your personal worst, even with two of the hardest classes you've ever taken in one term. I'm content with my grades this term, but look to do better next term despite me knowing, in advance, that it will be harder in terms of workload than ever before.
My classes were a new dance I had to learn, as well as my new radio gig on WONC 89.1FM. Upon signing up, I instantly embraced the night shift, doing a 12-3am shift on Wednesday mornings and a 10-12am shift Sunday nights, where all that's played is psychedelic rock music. Mentored by the inimitable Anthony, who later became one of my closest friends at the station, and the tireless Lizzie, who is also the station's assistant manager, I couldn't have asked for better people not only to teach me but to make me feel welcome.
For my 12-3am slot - which I managed to successfully live-stream a handful of times via Facebook Live - I crafted "Sleepless with Steve," which I will take steps to officialize on the station in 2017. The show is a mix of rock music from various eras and film-talk at the halfway point of every hour (12:30am, 1:30am, and 2:30am). I would often individually address all the new releases of a particular week, talk awards speculation, and a barrage of other quirky topics and perspective unlikely to be found on other film podcasts. Consider it a waltz of sorts I had to quickly adapt to, and in my opinion, successfully managed as well.
Though I'm doing some DJ-ing on the station over the month of December, I'll be back on WONC more prolifically next term and will disclose my new time-slots, as well as host more Facebook Live streams, come January.
Finally, let's address XCritic, something I can't go a week without someone bringing up to me and questioning my motivations and reasons for joining a porn-review website. For one, I've long-been fascinated by the adult industry, and have been aware of XCritic since I started writing reviews back in 2009. Initially, I was apprehensive to reviewing pornography, occasionally dabbling into softcore pictures before progressing into "classics" from the "Golden Age of Porn," including Behind the Green Door and Debbie Does Dallas.
However, when the opportunity knocked, I had to quickly answer, and within two days of applying to XCritic when they were in need of writers, I was accepted as a reviewer. I now receive roughly eight DVDs from all different genres a month, from various different porn studios, and review them on the website, on top of enjoying wonderful, industry-level perks that nicely compensate for my lack of payment. It's taboo, absolutely, and concerns pertaining to my perception after this have definitely been in my mind, especially when it comes to applying for other jobs.
The only thing I can say, besides being prepared to justify my choice to be a part of the XCritic team, is the material I'm reviewing may be illicit, but the work I write for the website is strictly, unequivocally professional. The reviewing process is and always will be, to me, a formal one, and I see nothing wrong nor unprofessional about reviewing pornography; as with music, film, and books, it's another medium, just a bit of a special one. Consider this one of the most complex dances of my routine.
Without the help of my core friends (my "squad," as I bill them) - my long-suffering confidants Mike and Nick, who has endured similar if not greater challenges than me adjusting to his new school, Sam, who is off to do some incredible things in the field of economics this coming year, Brendan and Josh, who continue to be two of the smartest, most well-rounded individuals I've come to know, and Tommy, who always encourages me in my musical abilities and has helped craft my upcoming mixtape 3 Much into what it will eventually be - I would've never been able to function nor succeed the way I am right now. Thanks for helping me cope with a tough term and thanks for helping me make this a hugely significant, rebound of a year.
To conclude things, fall term my junior year of college echoed a lot of my junior year in high school. It marked a time where just when you think you're comfortable with the people you know, the atmosphere you're in, and the classes you're taking, things shift and become more complicated and new challenges remind you not to get too complacent nor comfortable in your position. After my much-needed month off from school is over, four tough classes - advanced writing, writing creative nonfiction, 19th/20th century literature, and Spanish - await and it's time to come from behind and impress myself the same way I did my winter term sophomore year.
It's time, once again, to go back to swinging straight for the fence.
KEY SONGS OF THE TERM (FIVE SONGS THAT WERE A PART OF MY DAILY PLAYLIST THIS TERM IN COLLEGE):
READ MY OTHER COLLEGE BLOGS:
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