Before my headline invades your brain and you’re singing “Fergalicious” for the next 24 hours (this intro probably didn’t help that cause), read a little further.
So we made it through week four. We beat the heat, and a lot of you did so dressed to the nines in honor of the Job Fair. Hopefully your potential employers saw past the frisbee-sized sweat stains in your armpits and found the promising potential you’ve inherited during the past four years of Learning By Doing — or five, six or even seven years for those of you who just couldn’t get enough “Learn By Doing.”
Anyway, in honor of making it through the first month back in college, I’m writing my fourth blog post of the quarter. Are you seeing a pattern yet? Four weeks, four blog posts … there’s no fooling you, Mustangs. That’s right, in continuation of my uninspired blogging streak, this blog is all about el numero quatro and all the joy it brings with it.
They say good things come in threes, but I’m proposing a reevaluation of that theory. From playing four-square on the playground to being called four-eyes before hipsters decided glasses were cool (yeah, we’ve figured out that if you’re wearing TOMS and your sister’s jeans, those lenses probably aren’t prescription). I think four has more to offer than we’ve given it credit for.
Let’s start with college. Supposedly, we’re supposed to be here for four years (don’t worry super seniors, it took you four years to get where you are) and supposedly, these four years are supposed to be the best of your life. Just ask your parents, but stop them before they resurface their Delta Delta Delta memories via scrapbook (love you, Mom) or begin singing the songs of the Naval Academy men’s choir (love you too, Dad). I think pretty much anyone who made the conscious decision to trade a future of flipping burgers for four years of college can attest to the fact that this is our prime, and it’s all downhill from here (just kidding, I hope).
Even better, Cal Poly is on the quarter system. And how many quarters does it take to make a dollar (or a breadstick at the Ave)? You guessed it — four! Lucky for us, rather than taking more classes than you can count on one hand for months at a time, we keep it short and sweet. With quarters, we only have to take a few classes at once (I bet you’re taking four, way to stick with the theme), and within 10 weeks you get to leave them in the dust — talk about hit it and quit it.
Another fantastic four can be found at your nearest Six Flags — pretty much all of the best roller coasters. I’ve found that the most adrenaline-packed rides are enjoyed in rows of four. This helps to maximize the enjoyment factor as it gives you the opportunity to scream through the twists and turns and nearly blow your cookies with three of your closest friends — or two of your closest friends and that one determined person who was packed into the seat like sausage-casing with the help of four (ha!) ride attendants.
I bet we can trace some of your favorite childhood memories back to the number of the hour. Twister, Sorry, Trouble and even checkers if you play in teams — the fun maxes out at four people for all of these classic board games.
Four is also the number of people who comfortably fit in your average car. You can try to argue this one, as most cars have five seats, but if you’ve ever sat “bitch seat” you know you’d probably rather drive separately to the next group gathering, or brush up on your shotgun rules for next time. And don’t forget — that carpool would be out of luck without the support of four trusty tires (but don’t forget to get them checked every 50,000 miles!).
Last but not least, one of the best things of all comes in four: my family. Yes, we adhere to the classic American nuclear family: mom, dad, daughter, son. It’s not exactly “19 Kids and Counting” in my house, but if you ever came over to my house for dinner you’d see why my parents stopped having children (love you, bro). As dysfunctional as we are, I gotta love the people that gave me life (especially since I’m constantly reminded that they can easily take it away).
There’s four quarters in football, four directions on a compass, four legs on a table (and your dog), four seasons in the year (unless you’re from my hometown of San Diego and enjoying summer year-round) and four leaves on that lucky clover we all wish we could find. I bet now you’re thinking that you’ve been neglecting this number for too long.
No, you’re probably not. But here’s to surviving week four! Good luck with midterms this week … I wonder what comes in fives…