Choices: The bad and the ugly

Life is full of important choices. There are good choices, and there are bad choices, and what you choose can make all the difference.

My life is an exercise in making bad choices.

It started early. When I was a kid, I used to love playing with my sister's EASY-BAKE Oven, mostly because I was so damned good at using it. I felt like I could cook just about anything under that light bulb. And while the other boys my age were busy playing catch with their dads or accidentally swallowing pieces of their action figures, I donned a chef's hat and a mini-apron and baked cookies in my basement all day.

Eventually, the other kids in the neighborhood caught wind of my favorite little pastime, thereby ending my social life forever. And even though I eventually lost interest in the EASY-BAKE Oven, I never stopped being that kid who played with his sister's toys.

I tried so hard to shed that stupid label: I started working out, I joined a pee-wee football team, and I even threw away my apron and chef's hat, which proved to be one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But I had to do it, because I made a bad choice. And I continued making bad choices all throughout my childhood.

In junior high, I decided to become a punk. I don't know where the idea came from, but seemingly overnight, I transformed myself into a miniature Sid Vicious. I dyed my hair and started wearing tube socks. I threw away all but my oldest, rattiest-looking T-shirts, and I began listening to bands that I thought sounded punk: Blink 182, New Found Glory and Simple Plan. My parents had no idea what to do with me, especially since they knew I wasn't disruptive, anti-establishment or anything like a punk at all. I was just some kid with blue hair and a faux-hawk who still kissed his mom goodnight. I have no idea what possessed me to completely change my appearance — all I know is that when I see a picture of 13-year-old Mike Sanders nowadays, I cringe. Yeah, bad choice. 

In fact, I continue to make bad choices, even now, when I'm supposed to be responsible. I drink on school nights, I procrastinate on assignments, I major in U.S. history — all of these are bad choices. 

Or are they?

Because the more I think about it, the more I realize how these "bad" choices have only led me to good things. I met two of my best friends during my "punk" phase, simply because they thought I was someone interesting, someone they should know. Yeah, I procrastinate on all my assignments, but I eventually get them done, and I almost always do well.

Drinking on school nights may not be smart, but I've had some pretty fun times as a result, and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything in the world.

And my EASY-BAKE Oven obsession? Yeah, well, that was a bad choice. There is such a thing, you know.

Mike Sanders is a senior history major. He can be reached at sanders at umdbk dot com.