Freshmen Conversation

We’re (my pose is gathered this Saturday morning because I made a pancake and bacon breakfast) listening to a Britney Spears song, off one of Leong’s playlists. “I remember when I was about 8,” I say, “I was drawing and singing a Brittney song and I got to the line - “I make no apologies, I’m into phonography,”” and my mom sharply says, “Don’t say that!” And I’m trying to figure out what I said.” “People are harsh with her, but Britney is timeless,” Leong says. “Everyone at Yale fancies themselves a music critic,” Lisa says. There are numerous vocal agreements. “I’m like, “Ok, Pop-off then queen, go complicated”, but in my opinion, you need to have fun with music - that’s the main purpose - just to have fun.” “That’s like the difference between Cardi B and Niki (Minaj). You can just stroll a Cardi B song, you don’t have to interpret,” Anna adds, “but with Nicki I feel I have to listen to see the point.” Lisa, surfing on her iPad asks, “Did you guys see that Jojo Seawall wasn’t invited to the kid’s choice awards - because she came out as lesbian?” Sophy says, “Nickelodeon’s been trying to seem MORE accepting, working in more black artists.” “Yeah, but they’re fake.” Anna pronounces. Everyone nods agreement. “He hasn’t called all WEEK,” Sophy moans, holding her iPhone up to her ear like she expected to hear ticking, “I made a ghost of him,” she says, flopping the phone on the couch. “Should I call the Po-po?” Anna asks, distracted as she searches the kitchen cupboard to be sure the pancakes were gluten free. “I had a dream,” Lisa begins, “I was a child in a family I don’t know. We were criminals. We stole a car and robbed a store. My dream mom ran the operation. And wouldn’t let me watch TV until I emptied the loot out of the car. Then the police arrived, we saw the flashing red and blue lights through closed venetian blinds, then there was a banging on the door, in the dream, that woke me up.” “That’s way off track but It’s fine, so fine, I see how it is.” Sophy said, “I’m bleak and no one CARES.” “Is love something you find, or something you believe?” I ask no one in particular. “That’s a coffee-cup inscription.” Anna pronounces. “Aaggh,” Leong says, “An email from my professor - it’s TLTR.” We think it's a policy that professors at Yale have to send incredibly long emails - almost too long to read (TLTR). There’re only three weeks left of our freshman year, so emails are flying and everyone’s trying to nail things down for a smooth ending.