New to College

The end of a student’s senior year in high school often marks a very exciting and bittersweet start to the rest of one’s life. For many, this also leads to the beginning of a college career. Kate was a new freshman at the Colorado State University and she was just about to start her first term. She was scared to death to finally be out on her own, yet she was very eager as well. For the past few years, she felt as if her house were a tent. This tent was enclosing her in from the rest of the world. Kate was always known to be a very tenacious girl and wanted nothing more but to burst out of her bubble. She wanted to experience what she had not yet experienced, but she was nervous as to what the future held in store for her.
Kate did not know anyone at her new college. She was preparing to meet her new roommate, and desperately hoped that they would get along. Kate held temporary tenure over her dorm room and was worrisome as to how she would pay the money for it over the year. After seeing her new roommate, the money issues instantly became the least of her worries for the time being. Her roommate was dressed in a clown costume and was wearing a foam Green Bay Packers cheese hat. Kate did not know what to make out of her new roommate. She was untenable in that she was standing frozen in the middle of the room, awestruck at her acquaintances crazy appearance. Even weirder, her roommate did not introduce herself. Instead she set down her suit case, screamed out a long “rawrrrr” like a dinosaur, and left the room flapping her arms like a chicken.
Instead of creeping Kate out, her roommate’s actions actually made her loosen up and giggle. It would seem that most people would be somewhat tentative in confronting this character, but in all reality, Kate couldn’t wait to see what her roomie would do next. Kate decided to call her mom so she could talk to someone about her seemingly insane roommate. Kate’s mother was freaking out saying that Kate should apply for a new roommate right away. Even though Kate agreed, she tried to extenuate the situation for it was actually extremely entertaining. Taking this amusing situation in the best light, Kate found herself looking forward to the new adventures ahead of her.

Attenuate: to weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value: to attenuate desire.
Extenuate: to represent (a fault, offense, etc.) as less serious: to extenuate a crime.
Tenacity: holding fast; characterized by keeping a firm hold (often fol. by of)
Untenable: incapable of being defended, as an argument, thesis, etc.; indefensible.
Tenure: the holding or possessing of anything: the tenure of an office.
Tentative: unsure; uncertain; not definite or positive; hesitant: a tentative report on her findings.
Tenuous: of slight importance or significance; unsubstantial: He holds a rather tenuous position in history.