Addiction On The College Campus And Memories That May Forever Haunt Me…

I always find myself experiencing unpleasant memories of my former alcohol and drug addiction days anytime I find myself on a college campus, like I did just recently when I sat down in the Student Union of the University of Toledo having a coffee from Starbucks with a new friend who is about to graduate from there.

You see, my memories of my college days at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) are not the most positive. I spent the majority of my time there from September of 1990 to January of 1995 totally consumed with the pursuance of getting drunk or high off of alcohol or drugs. Frankly, it’s pretty amazing I got the grades I did, let alone even graduate, given how much my addictions blossomed there.

While I wish I had an abundance of memories of my life at RIT doing things that were memorable in a good way, most of what I remember is actually planning my days around drinking and drugging, where they always ended with me blacking out and passing out, and sometimes not in the most gracious of ways either.

So, on a day that found me sitting in a Student Union on another campus some 25 years later, I was quickly jarred into remembering several trips to the academic offices in my old Student Union, where I was put on probation for my drinking debacles. I also vividly recollected me stumbling through it two sheets to the wind, more times than I could count and throwing up outside of it on several occasions too.

Honestly, I wish that I had better memories of the Student Union I once walked through many-a-times on my own campus, just as much as I wish I had better memories overall from my days at RIT. But, sadly, my addictions to alcohol and drugs became my best friend back then where the majority of my memories surround just me and them and may forever haunt me.

Thankfully though, I’m working on creating new memories now on other college campuses, starting with the University of Toledo. As the day I was there to have that coffee in the Student Union, I also spoke at one of its sororities, Kappa Delta, about my journey from addiction to recovery and everything in between. It was an amazing experience to see so many sister’s eyes light up as they connected to what I shared.

This is why I have a hope and prayer that this may only the beginning for me, as I’d like to do this a lot more. I’d like to share my story with other fraternities and sororities both at the University of Toledo and other campuses around the country, chiefly because I was a fraternity member myself having been in Phi Kappa Psi and know how easily addiction to alcohol and drugs can begin in Greek life.

Nevertheless, I probably will always have not so pleasant memories from my former alma mater days. But, by the Grace of God, I may just very well be able create a whole new legacy of better memories on other campuses by continuing to share my experience, strength, and hope of recovery from addiction to fellow Greeks and students there. And hopefully, it might just help to prevent someone from going down the path I did, spending their entire days at college consumed with alcohol and drugs, two things that will never create any positive long-lasting memories…

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Silly Joke Friday

Silly Joke #1

A man was sitting at a bar when he noticed a pirate walk in the front door. The pirate had a peg leg, a hook for one hand, and a patch over one eye. Feeling sorry for the pirate, the man said, “Come over here friend. You look like you’ve had a hard life and I’d like to buy you a drink.” The pirate came over and ordered rum.”Just out of curiosity,” the man said, “how did you lose your leg?” “Arrrgh!” said the pirate, “I lost that timber to a tiger shark in the Caribbean when I was thrown overboard for stealing a man’s rum.” “That’s just terrible. How did you lose your hand?” the man said. “Arrrgh!” said the pirate, “I lost that fighting cannibals off Madagascar under Admiral Hawk.” “Oh my!” the man said, “I can’t even imagine! How did you lose your eye?” “Arrrgh! A seagull pooped in it!” said the pirate. “WHAT?” the man exclaimed. “Is seagull poop dangerous?!” “Arrrgh! it was me first day with the hook!” said the pirate angrily.

Silly Joke #2

A dentist was getting ready to clean an elderly lady’s teeth. He noticed that she was a little nervous, so he began to tell her a story as he was putting on his surgical gloves… “Do you know how they make these rubber gloves?” She said, “No?””Well”, he spoofed, “down in Mexico they have this big building set up with a large tank of latex, and the workers are all picked according to hand size. Each individual walks up to the tank, dips their hands in, and then walk around for a bit while the latex sets up and dries right onto their hands! Then they peel off the gloves and throw them into the big ‘Finished Goods Crate’ and start the process all over again.” And she didn’t laugh a bit!!! Five minutes later, during the procedure, he had to stop cleaning her teeth because she burst out laughing. The old woman blushed and exclaimed, “I just suddenly thought about how they must make condoms!”

Silly Joke #3

A college student wrote a letter home: Dear folks, I feel miserable cause I have to keep writing for money. I feel ashamed and unhappy. I have to ask for another hundred, but every cell in my body rebels. I beg on bended knee that you forgive me. Your son, Marvin. P.S. I felt so terrible I ran after the mailman who had picked this up at the box at the corner. I wanted to take this letter and burn it. I prayed to God that I could get it back, but I was too late. A few days later, he received a letter from his father: Dear Son, good news! Your prayers were answered. Your letter never came!

Bonus Silly Joke

A psychiatrist’s secretary walks into his study and says, “There’s a gentleman in the waiting room asking to see you. Claims he’s invisible.”The psychiatrist responds, “Tell him I can’t see him.”

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Question To Ponder For The Day

I used to watch a television show called “Revolution” where the power permanently went out and left all electrical devices useless, all because of a technology that went haywire. Imagine if this really happened in today’s society, where people had to resort to some type of skill or talent for barter, like things used to be long ago, what do you feel you have to offer to survive in that type of world?

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson