By Brandon Ladd

My birthday is the day after this paper is published, I will sadly be 22 years old and my last weeks of college are fast approaching. This has made me realize that I do not like people who make their birthdays into a big occasion. 

It was nice being in high school and receiving the birthday texts and having friends say happy birthday while passing in the hallway. But now as I have gotten older, I just want to be left alone on my birthday. 

I am not antisocial and will share a stiff drink with almost everyone on a Friday or Saturday night but I am not for making myself the center of attention on my birthday. I would rather just celebrate with my girlfriend and family, instead of having a 30 person party. The day is not special and I can get the same buzz from alcohol on any other weekend, so why make a big to do about being on this Earth for yet another year. 

So, if you see me on my birthday you can acknowledge it, but please do not say you have a present for me or you want to do something special. I am far too busy to be bothered with that as the final weeks of college are approaching and the deadlines are getting tighter and tighter. Instead, just share a smile with me. In that moment, we are both realizing that the amount of smiles we have left to share in person are dwindling and that each day should count until graduation. 

When I go out to the bars on Friday, April 8 with my friends, it is not for my birthday. It is for the celebration of our friendship and the memories we have made over the years here at SUNY Oswego. Maybe buy me a drink but do not do so because it is my birthday. Do it because I have bought you drinks when you were short over the years and you have covered me when I could not get to the ATM in time for the night. 

Smile, laugh and reminisce with me. Not because it is my birthday but instead another night of us being together in a fun space. We can laugh about the times we were in that class we hated or the times that one of our sports broadcasts was about to start and I shrugged because all the notes I had done were for the wrong team. 

This is not about me, it is about the memories we have made. I would much rather remember the cold walks across campus with you, while discussing if the men’s basketball team was better than the men’s hockey team. Or if the graphics person for your night of WTOP-10 News was going to remember to press play on your highlight read. 

Maybe the times that we got Rudy’s or Bev’s together and could stare at the endless lake. Thinking, dreaming and regretting all at the same time in that one glance at the horizon. 

So, do not acknowledge my birthday. April 3 will come after April 2 as it does every year. It is not a special day because we made memories just the same every other day together. 

Photo via Flickr