There isn’t a known explanation for why we dream, but there are many theories. Maybe it’s our subconscious desires and wishes being voiced through hazy, strangely vivid scenarios. Maybe we’re just processing information from our day. Or, best yet, maybe we’re having a one-on-one psychotherapy appointment with ourselves.
One way or another, there’s no denying that dreams are an incredibly weird, deeply unique experience that are best unpacked in a wonderfully weird Halftime series. Come for the unsettling dreams, stay for the psychoanalysis. Welcome to Halftime Leisure’s Dream Journal.
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Gokul’s Dream Journal, Sunday, March 20, 2022:
An elegant ballroom with one of those fancy chandeliers. And yet, there are 1980s diner chairs, tables, and posters on the walls. Welcome to this year’s Oscars ceremony. I am surrounded by all of my favorite actors. I notice some familiar faces, most notably Chris Pratt and Leonardo DiCaprio. They are finally handing out the awards, only I see no trophies in sight. This elegant ballroom is, in fact, a bougie ice cream parlor, where Oscar winners receive a scoop of their preferred ice cream flavor to commemorate their remarkable achievements. To no surprise, it is Tom Cruise’s turn to accept his award.
I notice the room go silent as everyone watches the man behind the counter scoop what I discern is mint chocolate chip. As he hands Tom Cruise his cone, my eyes lock on a C-4 wire wrapped around it: I am witnessing an assassination attempt. But, there’s nothing I can do except watch. The bomb, however, isn’t made to explode, but rather disperse a sleeping agent. And off it goes.
I wake up to a black, empty room. Everyone has left, the ambulances are outside, and all the ice cream is gone. It turns out Tom Cruise concocted this master plan, and he somehow got away. I decide I should go home and rest, but after what I had been through, I decide to take a long stroll down the street to a nearby bar with the hopes of finding a drink. While wandering in the pitch-black of night, my phone buzzes. A high-school friend happened to witness tonight’s events, and he required a beer as well. At least I have a drinking buddy now. It had truly been quite the night.
Interpretation:
I don’t know where to begin. Perhaps I was thinking about Top Gun: Maverick’s upcoming release. Perhaps I was craving Häagen-Dazs ice cream. For all I know, maybe I watched too much Netflix before bed. After researching what common themes in a dream could mean, nothing applied to mine (unfortunately, an ice cream Oscars ceremony dream isn’t a common occurrence). I personally think the bomb’s explosion, if anything, shows that my stress levels are off the charts, and I am in much need of R&R. But what’s new for a Georgetown student?
