Hahaha that's hilarious Alera! If you could convince the USGS to publish their professional papers in some of those fabulous geology databases online, we wouldn't have to go to the library and dig through old dusty books. I guess it's just job security!
So I've really had trouble making friends since I quit dope (didn't help that I'd stopped hanging out with everyone I knew who didn't do dope, so I had to cut out all of my friends at once). I always felt like a rock star on dope, everyone loved me. Getting used to feeling normal has been a big adjustment. I had lots of plans to join student groups and such but honestly I felt so overwhelmed at the first one I never went to another. So I decided to start small. I have been lingering after class and talking to people I already know, sort of rebuilding those bridges I burned in favor of drugs. And I've met a few people that way, as new people will join in a conversation about how difficult an exam was or "Oh, I'm taking that class next semester, too!" Our department is actually pretty close-knit so that really helps, people are friendly and expect to like you. Tonight we had a cookout (in the 30-degree tropical heat wave... brrrrrrrrr!!!) for the geology department. Beer was available, but maybe 1/3 of the people there didn't drink (these are college kids after all. 1/3 sober is a pretty good number). And I managed to strike up conversation with people I don't even know! I did great! I'm really proud of myself, I have never found it easy to talk to people and even less so since I was a friendless druggie. There was a poor, lost, political science major there (with a geology buddy) and we started talking and had a great time. I had more fun just chilling and talking to people than I ever had getting wasted. Plus I'll feel better in the morning.
And so I remain, another dopeless hope fiend.