Shirtless...ness...ocity

Without a proper preface this story is not nearly as hilarious as it was within context. In fact, don't get your hopes up because even with a preface it won't seem that funny.
Preface:
1. My friend Alec is an exceedingly warm person (both metaphorically and literally), so when we are in a study pod he insists upon turning the thermostat down below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. I am not an exceedingly warm person (physically) and I like things warm.

3. It would appear that all hormones from that hellishly awkward phase known as puberty were distributed towards my height leaving me with embarrassing lack of chest hair. (I think I might have one... maybe)

So, those are the underlying facts that define this story of uncontrollable laughter.

After being reminded by Charlie Worsham (the performer at BYX Island party on Thursday, October 10th) that it was indeed a school night and I did indeed have homework in desperate need of completion, my friends and I headed back to Milton Daniel from the commons. The group consisted of myself, Alec, my girlfriend Michaela, and some other girl I don't know. We all grabbed our books and laptops and took our places in one of the many study lounges on Milton Daniel's third floor. Alec, as usual, turned the temperature of the room down to some ungodly level and the three of us began negotiating a temperature compromise. In the middle of negotiations Alec had to take a phone call. As he stepped out of the room, I slyly turned the dial to a modest temperature of 66 degrees. When he came back in, he instantly noted the change in temperature and promptly reversed my actions. We then realized that we were starving, so we headed to Chick-Fil-A for some brain food. When we returned the room was at a perfect 72 degrees. Alec, in typical exaggerative form raised the temperature to 99 degrees, stating: "If we're going to raise the temperature, we're going to raise it all the way!"
We all began laughing as Alec sat down, conveying no intention to go back on his statement. In preparation for the ensuing sauna I began unbuttoning the top few buttons of my shirt. Someone, obviously encouraging my manifest sexiness, began playing "It's getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes," and in turn I unbuttoned more buttons revealing the pasty hairless glory that is my chest. My girlfriend instantly blushed and fled the room and we quickly lost control of our laughter. Many chest hair jokes were made, and Alec joined the pseudo-stripping. I quickly began crying and ended up on the floor somehow.
Although this fit of laughter and humor was ridiculous and distracting from our studies, we were relaxed by it and we bonded over it. We still make inside jokes about the incident! The reason I believe it was so funny was the exaggeration upon exaggeration that created a sort-of "Where will it end" feeling.

Maritza and I discuss food, weather, and other non-trivial things.

     My first meeting with Maritza, my conversation partner in the Intensive English Program here at TCU, started out remarkably well. We had finally gotten in contact with each other via e-mail and had agreed to meet in the BLUU. Unfortunately, there had been some miscommunication on my part as I had intended to meet in Market Square whereas Maritza had the impression we were meeting at Union Grounds. As I sat at a table by myself drinking Powerade and sweating in a suit I had been wearing for too long, I looked awkwardly through the crowd for a hispanic girl wearing a black shirt and a white shorts. I felt as if I had gone on the most horribly awkward blind date of all time as I had to e-mail her asking about her whereabouts and pray that she was able to access it on a mobile device.
     Eventually, we sorted out the situation and sat down to chat. At first, she was confused as to who exactly I was and why we were talking to each other. It was odd to explain that talking to her was an assignment for class and not say that directly to her face, because after all she is a human and not a homework assignment. After clearing the initial confusions of this meeting we began with the typical small talk that I've been engaging in since I arrived at TCU. "So, where are you from? What's your major? What do you like to do for fun?"
     Maritza is from a city in southern Mexico that I can not spell or pronounce, she is majoring in Computer Science, and she greatly enjoys cooking. On arriving at this information, we bonded over our love of the definitive nature of mathematics, as well as a passion for chorizo. Although, in retrospect I just kind of explained how much I love chorizo and she described the arduous process of crafting the fatty, spicy pork sausage. (It takes DAYS) We then discussed various foods that we had a passion for, and in particular Mexican food. I discovered some new things that I definitely have to look up, if not try.
     When it came to geography, the misunderstandings came back into play. She thought moving north to Fort Worth was rough compared to her home town because the weather fluctuates so much more here. I had to try very hard to contain my laughter as I attempted to explain to her the bipolar nature weather of the godforsaken state from which I come from. Even after I described the frequent transitions from high temperatures to blizzards, she still thought her transition was harder from a weather standpoint. I dropped the matter for time's sake, and probably for my own dignity.
     Overall, despite the initial confusion, speaking with Maritza was rather enjoyable. I even got to teach her the phrase "Hustle and bustle," and I greatly anticipate our next meeting.