An Essay Resulting From Seeing Moulin Rouge Twenty Times
by Chris Herrmann

One night during my freshman year, when my feelings weren't exactly of the warm and fuzzy variety I wrote this poem:

"Unrequited"

Surrounded by many,
My eyes see only you.

Sexy and cool in human form
Fingers nimble and deft bring music.
Windows to the soul that flicker,
Of a Mediterranean gaze.

Voice not of an angel
But human--calm and peaceful.

I tell myself that I don't have
Feelings for you.
So why do I always return to your gaze?

That's the topic for today kids, emotions of the heart. Call it eternal love, puppy dog crush, or the maddening lust that makes you gaze at that person's lips (along with other body parts) all day long, but it all comes down to this. Lots of times these feelings will be one of the most terrifying words in the English language- UNREQUITED! That's right! In one ten letter word, you can get a one of a time deal of heartache, long bitching sessions over Ben and Jerry's, and screaming rage at the unfairness of the world!

Rest assured, you will experience unrequited love/crush/lust many times while at college. College after all, is a vortex of incredibly attractive people with wonderful minds, who couldn't resist one of them? (Or so those damn brochures would have you believe!) Of course you will eventually fall for that one perfect, amazing person... but then comes the various nail in the coffin to all your hopes and dreams. They're in a relationship. They don't even know you exist. If you're a guy--you find yourself in Chasing Amy: meet that one amazing, funny, sexy girl...and she's making out with another girl right in front of you. Then you're having an inane discussion with your idiotic best friend on whether she's "male affectionate, easy to get along with, non-political agenda, or man-hating, angry as fuck, agenda of rage."* If you're a girl-you realize that the hot guy who makes you swoon just by glancing your way has a diehard, fervent attendance of the male soccer team's games that goes waaaaay beyond school spirit. And you thought his eyes gazing at the toned legs of the team captain was just studying game technique. Or maybe you realize the object of your desire is straight as a board, and you're straight as a marble.

Whatever the reason, when you realize that your emotions for a certain person are destined to go unreturned, it seems like the world is a much darker, bitter, mean place. However, having been through this whole ordeal myself, and come through it ok, I want to impart a few words upon your ears, to save you from my fate--writing an unrequited love poem.

1. You have every right to feel anger, despair, and melancholy- it's your time to shine baby! And don't you forget it. Ignore everybody who tells you to just get over them, likelihood is that person is still convinced they're going to marry Ricky Martin (that goes for girls and guys). Take your sweet time to wallow in the abundance of emotions that rejection brings.
2. Okay, now it's time to reclaim the world for you. You've eaten your ice cream, watched Ghost a million and one times, and just managed to not drive your friends crazy. This one has a few parts...
   1. Go around to all your friends, assure them you're still alive after your self-exile to your room, hug them and thank them for supporting you. And promise to be there for them when they're going through the same thing. Give them a cookie. Get them a card. Sing Moulin Rouge's "Elephant Love Melody," to show that you have your sense of humor back. (Ok, scratch the last one, for the sake of many, many ears.)
   2. Here's the big one. Wait for that moment where you see the person you had fallen so hard for in the dinning hall, or wherever, and come to a realization. Which is this…
   3. You can love them, completely and utterly. Bet you didn't see that one coming. I say this without a hint of mocking: you can love them. Love them for being a great friend, for being a fun person, for being a talented artist, musician, athlete, and cook, whatever talent they have. Love them for the fact that they gave you a few moments of absolutely giddy happiness.

In today's society, we place a way too heavy connotation on love--it always has to be an eternal declaration of absolute devotion to one person for the rest of existence. Resulting from society's hang-ups, prudishness and many other things, we don't say 'I love you' to a friend much anymore. But there's no shame or weirdness in saying you love someone just for being who they are.

All preaching aside, the final message I want to send out is this--there will be a day you realize that your unrequited person will be happier without you as their eternal lover, and you will be happier without them. Since you realized that- A. You're better than them. B. You found a much hotter, more wonderful person. Or C. You found the joy in hanging out with a bunch of friends, the people who truly understand you, at your best-unwavering friendship through thick and thin-and your worst- insane obsession with singing songs from Moulin Rouge.