Shots and Soul Searching Among Friends at a Campus Party

At a Halloween party a few blocks from the UW-Milwaukee campus, six students reflect on growing up, their college experience, and what about it will stay with them in the future.

[sound of car door closing and walking on cement]

[sound of door opening]

[party sounds enter slowly]

(Max) So going to college, I think something I was thinking a lot about was subconsciously—it wasn’t a conscious thought—but it was like, I have to experience as much as I can.

(Miranda) I think it’s different for everyone but it’s based a lot on expectations.

(Miranda) I know so many adults that are like, ‘College was the best years of my life’ and I’m like, ‘Am I peaking right now?’ like—oh god no.

[Beyonce song up full]

(Sofia) It’s definitely a significant part of my life though, because i feel like it’s definitely changed me as a person.

(Leah) I think a big part of college for me is finding my independence.

(Leah) Yeah, like, I create my own path.

(Ben) I think it’s very different to high school—college is the first time you get to fall without the safety net there.

[sound of beer pong ball falling to floor, party sounds]

(Isaac) And you know parties, classes, relationships, stuff like that, just builds you up as a person and finally teaches you how to be on your own.

(Sofia) I think we’ll always continue growing up and it kind of reminds of the coming-of-age movies where you’re constantly having new experiences, learning new lessons. I think it’s kind of just each step is like that, like I dont think youre ever fully grown up.

[party sounds drop out]

[me, Kalei, saying, ‘wait, pause…I need a drink’]

[sound of a ‘cheers’ and shots]

[party sounds resume]

(Max) So growing up, it’s a mix of kinda balancing an exploration of things, doing what you want when you want, and then also an acknowledgment of responsibility, of what I need to do, when I need to do that.

(Isaac) Yeah, a lot of growth and} I think a lot of chaotic things happen in college and so that’s another thing, just learning how to deal with chaos and tame it and almost harness it to make what you want.

(Ben) But i just think those main mistakes and maybe those main triumphs are gonna be the most important that you remember at 50 and 60.

(Leah) I don’t think I’m going to worry about any grades, like if I’m failing my language class right now, I dont think I’m gonna remember that, I think I’m going to remember the experiences that I’m having.

(Miranda) I don’t know for sure if thats how im gonna see it but I really hope these last two years is something that I can really grow from and like be grateful—and I mean, it’s like a privilege to be in college, like i’m always gonna think that…but this is never gonna happen again.

[sound of walking on wooden floor, layer over party sounds, fade out]