The Champagne Year

Tomorrow is my birthday, a day to sit back and reflect upon the year that has passed to see where I was, where I have been, and most importantly what I actually did and what I didn't do. At 22, although I'm still uncomfortable at giving up 21, I admit that I do not have an enormous wealth of knowledge of live, but from what I've learned during my short hour upon the stage that is life is that life is short, fleeting, and will pass you by before you even know it.

Isn't it funny how many people don't, or refuse, or neglect, or even forget to do something, or hum and haw at another, wasting precious time thinking of excuses that prevents them from doing the very thing they are trying so hard to avoid? Well... I think I've come up, well not really, but I've got a solution of some sorts to this little dilemma... at least for me. This solution is related to the impending arrival of my Champagne Year.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the concept of a Champagne Year please allow me to elaborate: the Champagne Year is the year you turn the age of the day that you were born. So, for example I was born on the 24th, therefore my Champagne Year runs from September 2008 to September 2009, in other words, the year that I am 24. So as of today I have exactly 2 years to decide what, when, where and how I will spend my Champagne Year... oh, and how the hell I am going to pull it all off. My current guestimate is I will be entering either my final year of undergraduate studies, or have graduated already and maybe started some post-grade education or work. Either way, 24 is a great age, almost ideal to have as a Champagne Year.

The Champagne Year, for me at least, is like a marker: not set, as it is unique depending on the person celebrating, it's not scary like the dreaded quarter-life or mid-life crisis, and not as final as 50, or whatever age finishes the "____ is the new _____" sentence. The Champagne Year is meant to celebrate you in every way you can imagine. As the creaters of the "Totally Unique Thought" website say "Thoughts become things...." and trust me, you'll want to think about this.

I must admit that the idea of a Champagne Year is not entirely mine... or really, not mine at all. No, that idea came from a friend of mine after spending his 24th year travelling and seeing the world. Fitting, as on benefit of travelling at any time broadens ones horizons, exposes one to new cultures, and let's not forget about the shopping. Understanding all of this, my obvious choice for my Champange Year is to travel, which should come as no surprise. Europe is the hot bed for 20 something travellers either just beofre, in between or just after our education. With so many places to choose from, one could get lost in deciding where to go, where to stay, what to see and of course, where to shop. But after about a year of careful consideration I have decided where in Europe I will spend, at least one week of my Champagne Year, in Paris France.

Why Paris? Well... to be honest the closest I've been to France is that little bakery in the Market off of Dalhousie, or my manicure that I've already managed to ruin. I'd also like to explore and experience the so-called 'city of love' for myself; walk the streets of paris in ridiculously high heels, eat those famous French pasteries, smoke those fabulous French cigarettes, climb... well gaze up at the Eifel Tower, tour the Louvre, complete that Da Vinci tour and but of course, visit the accessories at Chanel. Going to Paris like this has been in my head for the past 5 years and as a result it is something that I've always wanted to do ... something that I would like to do, and I can think of no better time than to do something like this than a Champagne Year.

The entire idea behind the Champagne Year is to do stuff like this, stuff that in the dull reality of the 'real world' you would hum and haw over. The Champagne Year is a year of doing, of celebrating, of living your life the way you wish you could live. It may even be a jump start into a better state of mind. Maybe afterwards I and anyone else 'Champagning' out there won't want, or will not want to stop living life to it's fullest. And seriously, I can't think of a better gift to give to oneself for a Champagne Year.

The Times, They Are A-Changin...

Or have they?

It ain't easy being a twenty-something, never has been and it never will be. Whether you're 20 or 29 it's the same story... Well maybe not so much after graduation from university and into the "real world" so to speak. But the point remains: it ain't easy being there or getting there. Not only are we unfairly stigmatized and stereotyped by previous generations (which deserves its own column of discussion) for being selfish, self-centred, self-serving and lazy, but for those of us who actually are trying to change the world for the better by seeking and obtaining a higher level of education, now more than ever we are at risk of dying because of it.

I am speaking of the recent shooting terrorist act that occurred in downtown Montreal's Dawson College that left one lovely girl dead and 2 more in the ICU, status unclear, and many more wounded physically, mentally and emotionally. I don't care what the authorities say; it WAS a terrorist act, as terrorism's primary goal is to promote terror. The fact that it was at a school; a place of higher learning, of education, of wanting and needing to better ourselves through the wisdom of others, be it from professors, friends or strangers in the hallway simply blows my mind. Maybe I have been away from the USA too long, but regardless of my present geographic proximity, I don't think it is right at ALL to feel petrified coming and going to my classes day in and day out.

The shooter, a 26 year supposed "normal-but" kid, apparently had no rhyme or reason for his actions; he just came in and did as he pleased without concern for anyone... Not even his family, not even himself. There were no warning signs... Outwardly. So then I ask, what the fuck happened? We could go back and forth, as many authority figures do when circumstances like this come up, about the different so called "causes" of this behaviour. Violent video games and television programs, isolation, poor adaptation skills, feelings of inadequacy and being an out-cast... All of which are interesting theories but don't really divulge into the true nature, the core of this persons 'reasons' for shooting random strangers. It would be ignorant to suggest that this 20 something was brainwashed by society; that he and others are simply unthinking sponges soaking up whatever is thrown our way, indiscernible, unchallenging, submissively, like some sort of robot or hybrid. Now, if anyone reading this knows a 20 something... We're NOT like that. At least, not the 20 somethings that I know.

At the same time Dawson College has made me re-think how well I really know people. I have been surprised on more than one occasion at the true character of people I thought I knew well; the best example being my ex "Philipe" who turned out to be a compulsive liar to everyone, even his family, and was nothing near to what he proclaimed to be. Granted my case is less extreme, as I am sitting here typing this out, but the end result was still the same; he left me with a sense of 'trust no one' and Dawson College is another step in solidifying that belief. If everyone close to the shooter, family included, was 'surprised' at his senseless act of violence, then what chance to the rest of us have? I mean, seriously! What the fuck is so bad in anyones life that the only solution to that problem is killing innocent strangers?? Maybe I'm a bit dated, but my idea of college/university life was not wandering the hallways wondering which one of these people will snap today, or I wonder where he/she is hiding that weapon?

So what is the solution? Tighter restrictions? Zero-tolerance policies? Disciplining those damn kids? While these measure seem to be winning the battle in the States, I am not sure if they are winning the war of prevention, which one ounce is worth a pound of cure. In my experience, and this is neither fact nor a theory, just my opinion... When restrictions are placed and they are rigid, unforgiving and unexplained... things have a tendency to get worse, but not on the outside. Feelings of oppression, anger and just being really pissed off festers within until one day it explodes out and more often than not, onto someone undeserving of that rage really meant for someone else. It's the equivalent of an overbearing and controlling parent or spouse in your life, except this one can throw you in jail and convict you of God knows what.

So what happens? Those charged with keeping us safe will have to enforce tighter laws and take away some of our freedoms in order to secure our safety. That may mean a bigger presence of Protection on campus, more police cruisers in student ghettos, more tickets being handed out for disorderly conduct and public intoxication, and random search-and-seizures of personal belongings that may or may not be considered a weapon. Thinking this through I can't help but wonder, is this the new and up-coming face of a 20 somethings, or to be fair, a late teens campus life?

College and University is, among other things, our last stop as 20 somethings in life until we reach so-called 'adult-status'; where marriages, mortgages, kids and mini-vans begin to dominate our life. It is our last hurrah of acting our age with total freedom from true responsibilities to have the time of our lives. I must admit I am sad to see our age of innocence disappear in the same amount of time it took for those bullets to hit those poor students (who are in all of our thoughts and prayers) but at the same time I have to understand that things have changed. As much as I enjoy my freedom, I also do not want to spend my last few years wondering if someone wants to live out a live version of duck hunt, using my friends or myself as targets.

I write this a few days after the incident, but at this time it still feels so surreal, like a game... Except in real life there is no re-set button we can press to try it all over again.