 "Photo: Courtesy of Larry Corio")
Let me tell you: It is with honor and anxiousness that I speak with you today. If I were forced to consider my tenure at Boston College, to analyze my life in a before-and-after context, you would grow tired of hearing about this character, Andrew C. Press - my roommate, confidant, and partner in unspeakable mischief. He has become a cornerstone in my experience here and it is to him that I dedicate this article. As an aside, though "Andy" has been his standard alias since I coined the name (much to his dismay) during our sophomore year, you will know of him simply as "Andrew" by the time you have finished reading.
Connoisseur, cultured, cranky - refer to him as you like. Simply know that you'll be hard-pressed to find anybody quite like Andrew. His desire for quality commodities as well as quality conversation is enough to satisfy the intrigued yet inexperienced observer; however, I tell you (in confidence, of course) that the gentleman I have come to know and love is most definitely a product of what is under his thick exterior.
Andrew is a native of Wrentham, Mass., a small, suburban town south of Boston, but by no means a suburb of the city. Born on September 22, 1984, he is the younger of two boys, Steve being the elder, and speaks warmly about his childhood. "I never lived in a typical neighborhood growing up, with lots of other kids around, so Steve and I would be forced to entertain ourselves however we could. We made up some really ridiculous games now that I think about it. Honestly, I'm surprised neither of us ever lost an eye or a limb."
If you're familiar with Andrew today, you know that he hasn't lost his ability to slip into character or become overzealous in trivial competitions.
In terms of ethnicity and religion, he is a hybrid of Eastern European Jew and Italian-Catholic. "Though I'm really only 49 percent Jewish," he'll tell you as a testament to the large majority of his childhood spent at the home of his Italian grandparents in Milford, a short drive from Wrentham.
To describe Andrew's character merely as complex would result in a failure to acknowledge the eccentricities that make his personality so easily palatable to people as lucky as myself. At the same time, he tends to acknowledge himself in much simpler terms.
"I would say that my demeanor comes from my grandfather and my Uncle Buddy, both of whom are on my Mom's side: the Italians, of course. I most admired their quest for knowledge, their attention to family, their role as patriarchs, and the fact that they were both self-made men. Both of them believed that through hard work, much is possible." This last sentiment, he says, is what motivates him most.
"When I was real young, doctors told my parents that my brother had a higher aptitude than me, and my grandfather said, 'you'll never have to worry about this guy; he'll work hard.'"
His grandfather couldn't have been more correct. Andrew is a Spanish major in the College of Arts and Sciences as well as a member of the Honors Program. Academically, BC has met and exceeded his expectations. "High school trains you for the next four years of your life, but college prepares you for the rest of it. The Hispanic studies professors here have fueled my passion for Spanish language and culture. There's no doubt about that. However, I can dedicate my personal growth to the Honors Program."
In terms of the "next step," he is still unsure, though the long-term is quite clear to him. "I love to write, and clearly Spanish is dear to me, so I'd like to eventually combine the two somehow. Foreign journalism or some type of creative writing would be splendid."
At the same time, he makes me think about what life has in store for us all: "Life throws a lot at you that you don't necessarily expect," he harps wisely. "Things won't come easy in the future nor do I expect them to, because they never have." It should come as no surprise that his surliness is self-proclaimed.
One interesting tidbit about Andrew that I suddenly feel compelled to divulge is that I have never seen him wear jeans before (save that one time sophomore year when we exchanged outfits for a once-in-a-lifetime photo op). Having attended a private high school, khakis had been a requirement and continue to be a self-imposed requirement to this day. It is peculiarities such as this that make Andrew the target of playful banter.
"As long as somebody's having fun, I'm happy," he says with a hint of facetiousness. "In all seriousness, though, I love making people laugh … especially women." Come to think of it, there's never a time we've spent together during which we don't enjoy some type of childish, foolhardy interaction, fueled by our refusal to embrace adulthood.
As for his current disposition, I ask him to elaborate and he provides me with one word: saudade. It is a Portuguese term with no literal meaning in English, but roughly translates to "wanting, yearning, or longing." Better understood in a phrase, it is "the recognition of something missing in one's life."
Andrew considers himself to be generally content, though it has been apparent as of late that there exists a chasm within. Having studied abroad in Barcelona last year, he desires the Spanish lifestyle once again; having lost his grandfather, the person after whom he has modeled himself, to Alzheimer's disease last July, his absence tears at Andrew's heartstrings.
Andrew's internal struggle is foreboding at the very least. Just know that he is not about to fall victim to it. And after nearly four years of friendship and many more to come, it is my privilege to be able to support him. But take note, for mine is not a unique sentiment. Those closest to Andrew can attest: He has truly been a blessing to us all.
His advice to an incoming freshman is simple but nevertheless insightful: "Understand and be grateful that you are being paid to be a student. Earn that, but also take advantage of the unique situation you'll be thrust into."
I know he wishes he had taken more advantage of this unique situation, himself. If he could turn back time, he probably would have wanted to take more social risks. But just in case he decides to step out of his bounds in the short time we have left at BC, I hope he realizes that he has some very close friends here who would be proud to be his wingman any day space.
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