Act your shoe size

Recently I woke up in the morning and felt something strange under my pillow. It was small, furry and not aesthetically pleasing at all. It was a troll doll. But why was it under my pillow? Was I visited by the kitschy nostalgia fairy? What was taken in exchange for this mysterious gift? Let's hope it wasn't a kidney.\nOnce my internal organs seemed to be accounted for, I realized the troll doll was placed under my pillow by my roommate as a childish joke. So I responded as anyone would: I searched for a wacky place to hide the doll in her room, hoping she would be just as dumbfounded by its presence as I was.\nIf you happen to be unfamiliar with troll dolls, I pity you. They're small, mildly unattractive dolls with wild, vertical hair that were sporadically popular in the later half of the twentieth century.\nThe troll's appearance reminded me we could all benefit from acting a little childish.\nWhen do we reach the age where it's no longer socially acceptable to throw water balloons and wear ripped jeans? I hope never.\nNot every aspect of being childish is negative. I think the main difference between children and adults is that children are happy. Immaturity has a negative connotation, but hanging onto little pieces of happiness is important.\nRemembering to pay the electric bill doesn't have to mean sacrificing a troll doll under a pillow ... or in the freezer.\nIt's easier to combat stress and overcome despondency if troll dolls show up unexpectedly.\nI think it was Prince who said, "Act your age, not your shoe size." For once in your life, don't listen to Prince. He may have been right about all those other things like purple rain and raspberry berets, but he was wrong about the age thing.\nFor all those who are wondering, I wear a size eight shoe. When I was 8 I liked dinosaurs and peanut butter or any combination of the two. Now that I'm 20, I like money and sleeping or any combination of the two. Age seems to sell you responsibility in exchange for innocence. With each passing year, we have less and less time to think about dinosaurs. Just don't let them become extinct or you're asking for an early mid life crisis.\nI realize suggesting that college students maintain a level of immaturity might seem as necessary as suggesting a mama grizzly bear more intensely maul people who mess with her cubs. I've seen frosty, oversized replicas of male genitalia on campus after winter's first snow. However, when visions of business suits start dancing around in your head, save a little room for the dinosaurs.\nAm I asking you to stop and listen to your "inner child?" No, that's crazy. Unless you're pregnant, just forget that idea.\nAm I saying we should savor our youth before it floats away like some sort of Glenda-the-good-witch-toting bubble? No, that would be a terribly trite message, not to mention fogey-ish. All I want to say is don't underestimate the benefits of strategically hiding trolls.