Third Entry

In the next few chapters of Smashed, Koren Zailkas experiences her first stomach pumping; but she doesnt remember all of it. A few more drinks and she could have died, or fallen into a coma. Her parents are more dissapointed because her mom "wouldnt have cared if i'd been drinking at home last night. She could have drunk herself into a similar stupor, her mom says, gone upstairs, and passed out in her bed. At home, should would have known I was safe." (98) Shes grounded, but not strictly; just that she can't go and hang out with friends. However, she states "my parents ground me for the remainder of november... cruelest seasons to be in lockdown. There are parties that require two-mile hikes through the thick new england woods... the air clearing smells of apple orchard, bud light, and pine-dense bonfire smoke" pg 101 this proves just how much her life revolves around adventure with the component of alcohol. Although Koren wishes she wasnt grounded, she understands she is guilty, and that she must be "temporarily cast aside" (104). Around this time she is still on highschool; just accepting the fact of her one month grounding, waiting to be forgotton, waiting for some other girl to screw up so her mistake can be forgotton, so she can finally get back into the game.

Freshmen year of college:

"Even if you drank every weekend in high school, to the point where you were all but sick of those frothy cups of Bud Light, college will renew your enthusiasm for them- " (110) Koren goes to Syracuse University, and she describes the city to be very dull- " the anciet six-story candle factories, the slate slab of monument in Clinoton Sqaure, the fog standing fast over Lake Ontario (112). I imagine at this point, her drinking and parties that follow college will seem so much more exciting in contrast to the city. She even states, " in the valley below, are thirty-two bars, six liquor stores, and twelve mini-marts that sell beer cans in brown-paper lunch bags" (112). It is clear that drinking will be a big part of her college experience.
At first, Koren doesnt socialize. She has a boyfriend, Reed, in a different state who she seems more interested in. Untill after three days of zero socialization, being ahead in her classes, and simply being bored, she goes to her first party. "I go because a party is the only way I can think of to make friends" (116) indicating that the only time she feels comfortable and social enough is when she has the chance to have alcohol. Alcohol begins to become more casual; "Drinking which was once a novelty, will become the usual...A rhythm will come to pass,whereby afternoon classes will unroll into evenings of swilling cups over card games,...these evenings will unroll into morning, to ear ringing, nausea, and hard-sleeping afternoons" (120). Koren even goes as far as to acoomodate her class schedule to the cycle of her drinking; freeing up her fridays by taking combinations of long lectures on other days. Although she doesnt do much with Tess, her room mate, when they drink, and they drink often, "one night consister of getting drunk and stealing a couch from the dorm lobby while the security guiad is outside on his cigarette break." (122); i found that rather ammusing.
She cheats on her boyfriend; she is drinking tuquila with a boy who she ends up kissing. She breaks up with Reed, after drinking for a half-hour with Tess, Reed waiting in her room, and she rehearses what shes going to say. She makes it sound like no big deal.

Koren joins a cheerleading; she agreed to while she was a party. When things get difficult, "the only thing that eases me through the bruises from misfired back tucks is the promise of drinking with my teammates after practice" (128); drinking is now her escape, her problem solver, her fix-anything.

Her roommate Wendi, who she realized doesnt drink, arnt really close, they dont hang out nor really talk. After a year, Koren even hears her telling her boyfriend "she hates my clothes, my friends, not to mention the way i sleep, eat, answer the phone" (129) ect. So she takes advice, and tries to distance herself from that dorm as much as possible; but Wendi just tells the other girls that Koren doesnt hang out with the girls on that floor because she thinks she is superior, although really its because Koren believes she is inferior.Eventually she pickes verbal fights with Wendi. "i'm uncomfortable with my new capacity for drunken beligerence." (131)Wendi goes far enough to call Koren's parents, telling them that Koren has lost weight, might have an eating disorder, and drinks a lot. I thought that was really low on Wendi's part; she should mind her own business.




PG:

pg 90- "Something sticky has lacquered the ends together."
Guess: keep together
Definition: refers to a clear or colored finish material that dries to a hard, glossy finish

pg 93- "Years later, he will say it was one of those pivotal moments-"
Guess: important
Definition: being of crucial importance

pg 98 - "I can't remember the last time he looked at me this unremittingly."
Guess: not wanting to believe
Definition: ceaseless: uninterrupted in time and indefinitely long continuing;

pg 112 - "...residumm from the tons of teh city dumps on the streets and sidewalks in a vain attemtp to break the ice that will never thaw
away."
Guess: a salty residue
Definition: weathered or partly weathered mineral material that accumulated as consolidated rock disintegrated in place

pg 117- "Without our dirty little accolades, we are the same sex, the same age, the same kind."
Guess: Accomplishments
Definition: award: a tangible symbol signifying approval or distinction; "an award for bravery"

pg 131- "...the subterfuge of woman."
Guess: not true
Definition: something intended to misrepresent the true nature of an activity