It is about seven months into 2017 and some it has been a year of blessings, and for others, it has been catastrophic. Pop (pain-in-the-ass) diva Mariah Carey falls into the latter since the moment midnight struck on January 1st. She was the center of a media firestorm after her disastrous performance at Dick Clark’s New Year's Eve Special. Moreover, it did not stop there. Sales for her co-headlining tour with Lionel Richie have reportedly been lackluster, she dropped a new (Donell Jones ripoff) single that not even Remy Ma or YG could save from tanking and she was cut by the producer from her cameo appearance in the new Will Ferrell comedy for *drum roll* being extra.

However, like her 2005 hit, “Shake It Off,” says, she continues to brush off the things that happen and continues to soldier on as an active person does. Back in late June, Carey was in Israel to promote her new partnership with Premier Dead Sea Cosmetics, being interviewed by the media outlets out there. One interviewer kept badgering her with questions about her ex-fiance Australian billionaire James Packer who according to the Hollywood Report is “linked to a corruption investigation involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.” Keep in mind folks that she and James broke up and called off their engagement nine months ago. When asked about Packer’s current whereabouts, Carey said what any person should say when someone asks them about an individual who is no longer relevant to his or her life—whether it be friendship, colleague or relationship wise—“I don't know where the m**********r is.” She also adds: “How am I supposed to know? I don’t know, for real. I really have no idea about the political stuff that goes on; I don’t pay attention to it.” Granted, seeing the kind of person Mariah Carey is—or at least comes off as in the media—I am sure she does not keep up with what’s going on the world politically.

The questions that the media was bombarding Mariah Carey is what I have dealt with recently. About a week or so ago, I was in the car with my mom to run errands, and she had the nerve to ask, as we passed a particular street, about a former friend/classmate from my high school days—which has been three years and a month ago from today. I answered her funny saying “I do not know,” and in my head, I thought about Carey’s quote. Even the two friends from my high school that I talk to occasionally will keep me up to date (without my solicitation) or ask me how so and so has been—and it low-key becomes aggravating.

I do understand that some people had great high school experiences and continued to speak and befriend or keep up with the people they spent their teenage years with together, that could very be, for life. But it truly isn’t representative of everyone. Sure social networks—that help make the world more interconnected—might keep you in the loop of your former classmates, but when you are always staying busy as new opportunities come your way as you enter your 20s, do you give a damn? As time goes on, you might finish college, start a new job, travel the world, get married or move to the other side of the country. It is like when you are driving on the highway, and you have to pay attention to the road and not look back at what’s behind you. Sure you had issues on the road, but you learn from it and continue about your business.

Some people peaked during high school, while others did not find their tribe after they left it. Some people will meet those in college who will become friends for life, while those might continue their friendship with those from high school. Looking back in retrospect, I hated high school, and when it came time to find a college, I knew I wanted to explore and distance myself from the people I grew up with from grade schools. In high school, you are forced to be in one building every day for seven hours having to co-exist with people you’d never seek out on your own. Moreover, college fares better as individuals can have more control with the people they want to be around with more diversity. I found that when I went to college, I met those who were way more similar to me than the ones in high school, when conversations of interests, views, dislikes and planned careers are brought up with each other when we are walking on the quad.

Some people are not meant to move on with you as you enter the next chapter of your life. It is not that they necessarily forget your time with them, but your primary concern of the day is not that person, especially if you ended on bad terms (then I do not have you on social media). I may happen to see significant changes to a former classmate’s life since my encounter with them as I scroll on Facebook—one is expecting a child while another lost an old boyfriend I remembered she mentioned a lot during our time at school. I am surprised at first, and then I become nonchalant. So I sympathize with someone like a Mariah Carey who does not want to be reminded about her ex-lover, and whatever he is doing. She is concerned about her and what she is doing. And that’s me. Four semesters away from graduation with a lot of responsibilities at the moment.

I might have to bump into these people at the local grocery store, but I doubt we will do three years worth of catching up. I have no interest. On that note, my three-year mark since leaving the high school penitentiary never felt so good.

khaaliq.crowder

Writing since June 2017 · 1 story contributed