The feeling I felt when I saw my first article in The Famuan was better than sex. A sense of accomplishment came over me like never before. I couldn’t wait for the next time I would be published. I wanted more.
I approached people in a different way. I had Jay-Z’s swagger in my walk. With my head in the clouds, I stumbled through the rest of the day.
When I awoke the next day, I realized that with my head so high I didn’t see any of the “little” people- many of whom are my friends. Just like that, I was infected with “famuitis.”
The symptoms are a self-proclaimed elevation in social standing, loss of sight of anyone who isn’t a part of the so-called social standing, and a boost of confidence.
It can happen to anyone: your roommate who made the basketball team, your girlfriend who joined the modeling troupe, and even your best friend who writes for the Famuan.
But there is hope. Famuitis is not deadly. I have found the cure to beating this disease. The key is recognition and fast action.
At the first signs of symptoms, immediately surround yourself with friends and loved ones. Also, make sure you reminisce on humiliating moments.
Let your mother tell you about your five years of breast feeding or your boy tell you about the time you passed out after praying to the porcelain god.
You will be amazed at how fast these memories will reduce the swelling of your head.
In the past I hated snobs, now I pity them. Luckily, I caught famuitis early, and with a little help from my friends, I am cured.
So, in the words of the late, great Tupac Shakur: I’ve got to be careful can’t let the evil or the money trap me so when you see me n***** you better holla at me.
Marcus Calhoun is a senior public relations student from Birmingham,
Ala. He is an assistant opinions editor for The Famuan. Contact him at Marcusb_Calhoun@hotmail.com