| The Transistion Years 1990-91 |
| Well, during these two years, my final years of high school and my first year of college, I was not only preparing for my adult life, but I was also making a name for myself virtually everywhere I went. In 1990, my family moved from Franklinton to the near east side of Columbus when my mother secured a mortgage for a home--and I could finally get my own room!! My junior year of high school was highlighted when I performed as Seymour in "Little Shop of Horrors" and when I got promoted to Cadet/2nd Lt. in ROTC (which is the Jr. ROTC equivalent to a Greek "crossing the burning sands" in a fraternity or sorority) on May 17, 1990. Later that summer I attended ROTC camp for two weeks and was the highest performing cadet of my squadron. About two weeks later I went to Washington DC with some ROTC cadets and we saw some historical military sites (and found a fine sista to holla at from time to time). About two weeks after that I made some quick cash by working at the Ohio State Fair as an "Earth Patrol" (PC parlance for a litter cleanup person). My senior year was jam-packed with activities. I served as chaplain for the ROTC squadron, and was subsequently promoted to Captain, then Major by the school year's end. I was in the choir, the ensemble, was vice-president of my chapter of Jobs for Columbus Graduates (JCG)--and won first place locally and second place statewide in public speaking. I was involved in the Black History Month Black Studies program, and was a contestant representing the Umoja team in the African-American Quiz-Off (which was basically a plain Q&A type "game show") which we won third place in the finals. I also played George Murchison in the play "A Raisin in the Sun", but this year, drama club was not a priority for me. When I wasn't doing any of the above, I was spending my weekends and nonschool days at Grant Medical Center as a hospital volunteer. I just loved wearing my white lab coat with the shirt and tie and having the ladies on my tip thinking I was a doctor, or at the very least, an intern. The biggest highlight of my senior year was when I was voted King of Hearts (we had no Homecoming King or Prom King/Queen). I was (and still am) the only Homecoming King/King of Hearts that was an ROTC cadet and did not participate in any athletics. Some say it was all a fluke. I say, whatever!! Academically I pulled a 3.5 GPA, the best I had done all throughout high school. But then again, I wasn't going to get lazy like most of the seniors did. Collegewise, I applied to Kent State University and Bowling Green State University to study aerospace flight technology and be a cadet in ROTC again. Yes, I wanted to be an Air Force pilot, with my 20/400 vision and all. I got accepted at both schools, but I selected Kent as my final decision. And now, for the prom. How was it? Frankly, it was.....you know....it was al'ight. Nothing really to write home about. My date was a very cute Eritrean girl whom I befriended while volunteering at Grant. We were very close friends, but never intimate. And to top it off, she could not dance, not even to the electric slide. To make a long story short, when the prom was over, we took the scenic route home. I immediately went to bed when I got home. Well, I got my high school diploma on June 8, 1991 and spend my summer working at Super X drugstore as a cashier to make some extra $$ so I could go to KSU with some dollars in my pocket. I left for Kent State on August 25, 1991, and attended the weeklong orientation to prepare for classes. My adjustment to college life went rather smoothly. And like high school, I tried to holler at every woman who would give me the time of day. Deja vu like a mammajamma. Once again I made a celebrity of myself. But I can safely say that I got BUCK WILD (and had fun doing it too). Well, I am going to reserve the details to what happened at Kent State, like me pledging Alpha Phi Omega and whatnot, for the College Years section. Click on, if you dare Back to page 2 Back to the main page |