First walking onto the University of Miami’s campus in Coral Gables seemed like the happy ending to my mostly mundane movie. It was 10 years ago when I first fell in love with the aggressive Ibis and the majestic green and orange while watching the football team play in the national championship.
Despite them losing on a bad call, and seeing a traumatizing knee disfigurement, I was instantly a Cane for life.
Never did I think I would have my goofy Jim Carrey face on a Cane Card. When I received the acceptance letter I erupted with the same amount of obnoxious pride – an excitement that we all did when we realized we would be a part of the U.
The Hurry ‘Cane Shuttle felt like riding on a cloud, and I would choose a burger and a drink at the Rat over filet mignon at the White House any day. The joggers around campus blended perfectly with the hipsters on Razor scooters and motivated law students on their unnecessary mountain bikes.
Maybe it’s the giant U statue or the students sunbathing in front of the library or the different sororities harassing each other for SG votes, but there is something special about this school filled with dreamers wearing Ray Ban shades everywhere they go.
Unfortunately my stay in this studious heaven is short lived. I am forced to transfer out of paradise due to financial reasons. The dream didn’t even last as long as Jacory Harris’ NFL career, but I’m glad I went for it. I didn’t write this so I could get some pity attention from the cute girls who thought I was a jerk in high school, even though I wouldn’t mind it. I wrote this to remind myself that sometimes things just don’t work out, and that’s OK.
I would love to get a degree from UM while dating the homecoming queen as we try and make it work long distance because I have to move to New York for a paid internship for GQ magazine. There’s a high probability that this fantasy won’t happen, and I can guarantee I will still smile again when it doesn’t.
Go after what you want in life, and if it is not meant to be, then learn from the experience and know that it will still be OK. I will still wear my Hurricane pajamas to bed and throw a pillow at the television when they lose their third straight game. I probably should get the big U tattoo on my lower back removed.
Goodbye Canes nation. Thanks for everything.
Kyle Rambo is a junior majoring in education.