Time Spent as the 3rd Wheel

Tonight is our last night in Dominica [tear]. Currently we are spending it packing as opposed to raging. As our month in paradise comes to a close, it's interesting to reflect on the changes in group dynamic that have occured. A few days before we flew here, we had never met each other and aside from meager attempts at small talk were very quiet. It took island life and having nothing to do in the evenings but talk (and a certain amount of Caribbean rum) to really loosen us up. The first couple weeks when Henry and Glen were here we generally hung out and talked after dinner every night. We got to know each other and made fun of the lame Texas A&M people. Stories were told. Fun was had.

The addition of the CSUSB people and the departure of Glen added another wrinkle. Glen's consistent Gin and Tonic induced post dinner chill sessions were gone, replaced at times by harder drinking and at other times by awkward silence as we all stared at computer screens. Occasionally a CSUSB girl would drop by and talk for a bit, but generally the group of us gave off too cliquish a feel for her to stay apparently.

Anytime a group is together for a while I feel they tend to slowly divide into smaller circles. With 6 people that's not really possible, though I've noticed we've tended to spend more time alone. I tend to be on my computer, crusing World Cup or Ultimate Frisbee news and talking to Emily. Matt tends to talk to his girlfriend on the phone, go to bed early, and play computer games. Shannon I think hangs out either in the general area with me and a couple others or with the girls from the other group. Clay has been reading a lot and going to bed early. Richard and Katelyn are hooking up now, which while great for them, has put a damper on hanging out, as they are constantly trying to be alone and everyone else gets this unwelcomed or 3rd wheel feeling. None moreso than me I think, as I usually stay up the latest after them because I'm talking online. I can definitely tell that around 11 or so, they're just waiting for me to leave. So I can tell that after this long in a place with nothing to do in the evening that we're wearing on each other, which is really to be expected.

What happens when we get back to Arkansas will be interesting. I don't really know how much longer the Richard/Katelyn thing will play out. Richard and Matt will be home essentially. I will be close to home and playing ultimate 3 times a week with Fayetteville people. Shannon and Clay will still be thousands of miles from home in a strange area. I think that we'll continue the trend of having more individual time, but there will be more do to, so we'll notice it less, and then enjoy the time spent as a group hanging out more. We shall see.