As I have arrived on Rhodes College’s campus, something I have taken with me is my love for Netflix and Hulu original shows. As my roommate can confirm, I choose to get my work done in-between classes and any other moments I can spare so I am able to unwind at night, watching my favorite shows. She has her love of pre-bedtime Tik Tok videos and I have my love of pre-bedtime binge-watching T.V. (sorry to expose you Sabrina, still love you).
As soon as I heard John Green’s Looking for Alaska was premiering on Hulu, I was counting down the days. I haven’t always been a John Green fan, as sometimes the material can be a little unrealistic and cliché. For example, in Paper Towns, somehow a high school boy is able to take a cross-country road trip with all his friends to find a girl he has been in love with that is leaving him clues all throughout their journey. I mean, no one has ever done that for me, so you can see where my somewhat bitter opinion stems from.
For those of you who have not been anxiously waiting to watch the series, I will summarize it. Essentially, a boy named Miles Halter has decided to attend Culver Creek Academy, located in Alabama. As he prepares himself and begins to pack all his bags, his parents question whether he is sure about his decision. Miles was not very popular at his local high school and his parents, more his mother, worry he is leaving because of that. Miles’s reply includes the last words of the famous poet Francois Rabelais, “I go to seek a Great Perhaps. That’s why I am going. So I don’t have to wait until I die to start seeking a Great Perhaps.” (Looking for Alaska, John Green).
After the first few scenes, I was hooked and it got me thinking about my time at Rhodes. I believe there are very few people in this world who have embraced change and enjoyed every single second of it. (And if you do know these people, tell them they should be teaching seminars to freshmen). I am no longer afraid to admit that this entire process has been difficult, but I also think that if I were to put off this massive change any longer, I would only be postponing my future. The moments that will make up the next four years of my life here at Rhodes will lead me to the question we have all been asked since we were little, “ What do you want to be when you grow up?” At this moment, I am no closer to knowing the answer now then I was when I would respond “princess” while painting my grandfather’s fingernails and wearing a tiara. But I believe the next four years, through school and the lifelong friendships I will make, will continue to mold me and create whatever the answer to that question may be.
That is not to say that I expect the “Great Perhaps” that Miles Halter is seeking to be all rainbows and butterflies. Then again, nothing that exciting and stimulating ever is; anything that is perfect or exciting has its flaws. I also think what most people are searching for is difficult to attain but they find greatness along the way, and that is life. My hypothesis is that Miles Halter will never have a moment where he has found his “Great Perhaps” but I also think he is wise enough to know that. I mean, if you know every famous poet’s last words, chances are you’re smart enough to know this. Using John Green, Miles Halter and Francois Rabelais’ words, I have discovered that everyone is on this journey, myself included. I’d like to equate this idea of searching for something great, like Miles Halter, to a rollercoaster. The anticipation and excitement are all there while you’re waiting. Then, you find yourself locked in, potentially regretting the decision. At this moment, you also begin to realize that there is no going back and that this is where you are and what you chose. The next three to five minutes are so quick and so full of emotion that you almost can’t contain yourself. If you’re anything like me, I’m always hysterically laughing on rollercoaster rides, even the scary ones. The ride begins to slow down and you are shuttled back to the massive lines of people waiting. You finally get unhooked from the ride and whether you’d want to go it again or not, you now know that you have done it and experienced something great. In whatever way it might benefit you, the journey was worth it.