What is it about hearing other individuals’ unfortunate mishaps, rumors or “what-have-yous” that intrigues us? We can’t get enough of it. We stay on the phone all night trying to find out who knows what.

We sit outside and await their presence for any sign of embarrassment, guilt, fear – anything to keep us talking. It’s always exciting; that is, until we find ourselves on the other end.

Throughout my years at Missouri Southern, I have heard people complaining about drama. Nobody likes being the center of everyone’s negative thoughts and with all the effort put into it almost no one ever walks away satisfied. I’ve been there, so believe me, I know.

I can sit and recall incidents in which I dreaded getting out of the bed, let alone leaving my apartment because I did not have the patience to deal with what I knew awaited me at school, but I did. I don’t want to call myself an expert on drama, but let’s just say I am a little too close for comfort.

Roommate drama – been there. Rumors – do not get me started. Boyfriend issues – do not make me write a book. Friend fall-outs – do not make me laugh. Ex-boyfriend issues – ha, ha. Whatever the case, I’m still standing and since they say what does not kill you makes you stronger, I am here to share some of my newfound “strength.”

Let me start by addressing the “newbies” on campus who I have heard say they are sick of the drama. You can look forward to a lot more of it. Southern is a small campus and not everyone has the will to go out and actually get involved with something productive so they are left to indulge in meaningless gossip. While these individuals entertain themselves, you are left to salvage what is left of your reputation.

This is enough to drive anybody crazy which is the exact opposite of what it should do. Look at drama as something like a college initiation. You have not had a real college experience until you have survived your first social bashing. Once you have had to do the walk of shame into the cafeteria or across campus after a night or week of God knows what, then you are officially somebody. Enjoy your 15 minutes of “MOSO” fame.

It will not last. Before you know it, someone else will have surpassed your number of “late night visitors,” got played worse than you did, backstabbed more people than you have or contracted an even worse sexually transmitted disease than you have. It will all eventually go away. It is when people do not care to talk about you at all that it has become the time to be worried.

What may be even worse than people who are in the midst of it all are those who play absolutely no role, but yet seem to have the most opinions about everything. Now I know it is fun to sit around and talk about what is going on, but if you begin to notice a lot of your free time is spent wondering who is doing what with who and where and why – find a hobby.

I could have sworn the main objective of college is to achieve a higher education, get a degree and to possibly become successful, but you are kind of robbing yourself by investing precious time into others misery.

I would think if we are all happy then why do we not want the same for our peers. Kind of makes you wonder.