I'm Going, Going, Back, Back...

[FroGG_NeaL 0]

So I have 2 and a half years left at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I left school in October 2004, because my brother died. Then another one of my brothers died on New Year's Eve that year, then one of my best friends died in the summer of '05. On top of all that I got addicted to pain pills and Zanaxes mixed with 40 ozs. and dark liqour every day for like 3 or 4 years. I've been in mental institutions, jail and rehab multiple times. If I didn't have at least 3 blue Zanaxes and a Loritab 10 everyday, then I'd have a seizure. Sometimes multiple ones. I've died a whole bunch of fuckin' times, once for 3 minutes. I almost bled to death, I was about 30 seconds from too much blood when the paramedics got there. I got crazy scars on my arm, side, head and fingertips. I was reeeeeeeeeeeaaaaalllll fuckin' high on drugs.

 

But, yeah, I went to rehab in Feb. '07 long enough to dry out and make sure I wasn't going to have a seizure. After 3 and a half days I checked myself out against doctor's orders, and last week made a year that I've been clean. I just smoke blunts and have a couple of beers every once in awhile.

 

So, now I'm staying in West Virginia with family and I'm going to go to State College here for a couple of semesters and take a few art classes and get an apartment here for awhile. Then after I'm back on my feet, I'm heading back to Pittsburgh and finishing up my Graphic Design/Multi-Media and Animation degree.

 

Since ths is the pretty much the first time I'll be going to college sober, plus it's a state college and completely different then an art school, I'm wondering what to expect?

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

A relapse.

 

Been there.

[FroGG_NeaL 0]

Awesome.

[Guest Tzar Lysergic]

I sobered up a bit before I went to college, but as soon as I moved out, every day was a psychedelic voyage degenerating into pounding as many pills as survivable into my skull. Dropped out two years later and never went back. Working and aging has mellowed me into the occasional stiff drink and dalliance with psychedelics. Much better.

[Cowboy Battlenuts 0]

Consolidate and start shooting heroin.

[Guest Vitamin X]

So you only went half a year to AI? They have Art Institutes all over the country; my old arts school in Miami got bought out by them, and my tuition skyrocketed to the point where my five semesters there ended up costing me $32k. That's ridiculous. I moved across the country and am now going to a public university in Portland, and it's much, much better, although the film program sucks enough that I just relegated it to a minor and just doing actual freelance work and all that instead, which is probably better. I've been there, though; I started college late due to a drug addiction (meth and other assorted drugs, but mostly crys) fucking up my priorities. But hey, better late than never, dude. Only something like 30-40% of people in this country (and I think that's highballing the estimate, too) actually have at least a bachelor's degree or higher, so to finish would be an accomplishment. Good luck.

[Dandy 0]

So you are going to West Virginia State?

[Jingus 0]

Man, you just made me feel better about my own life. That don't happen too often. Thanks.

 

As to the differences between your old art school and a state college? Obviously, the state college is probably going to be a lot bigger. And people generally care less there about everything, to those teachers it's usually less a chance to help talented youths blossom to fulfill their potential and more just a job that they hate. It's a lot less personal and a lot more bureaucratic.

 

And yes, Tzar is right. If you really want to stay clean, I wouldn't move out of your current home to live on campus if that's at all possible.

[Dandy 0]

If he is going to West Virginia State, it probably will not be a lot bigger and there is not really much of a campus. West Virginia State College is a misnomer.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Good luck. I shudder to think what you'll be paying at the Shittsburgh AI. My one friend went there 10+ years ago and the tuition was high enough. How long do those credits stay valid?

[FroGG_NeaL 0]

My bad, ya'll. Family business. I'll reply to all of your posts in a day or two, thanks for the replies.

 

In the mean time, if anybody else has any advice, or wants to give me the lowdown on what to expect from a regular college, it'd be appreciated.

 

And Tzar, I have a few Hennessey and Cokes ever once in a while, but I can't drop acid, or any of that shit anymore.

 

I did way too much back in the 90's, once even getting a severe concussion while I was trippin offa 4 bombass green geltabs of acid. I didn't get a CAT scan for a year, and it caused double vision in my lazy eye which was a bitch because I saw two of everything, except they were both blurry, and the shit interfered with my depth perception and evn my good eye, which has perfect vision even worse then the lazy eye.

 

anyway, after 18 months i found this specialist who cut the front of my eye off and rewired the muscles in the mofucker so I have two good eyes now.

 

So, yeah, I'm done with any type of psychadelic drugs. unless i live to be like 70, then i'm gonna stay fucked up.

 

Sorry if this shit is hard to read or whatever, but i've had like 6 to 8 hours of sleep in the last 5 days. Like I said, family business, I had to go stay with my grandma because her diabetes was goin crazy again.

 

I'll holla back, konichiwa bitches.