Tuesday nights in Oswego now have a new meaning – cheap bowling.
Lighthouse Lanes makes it possible to fill in a normally mundane night of the week at a ridiculously low expense. There are all sorts of combo deals that include pizza, lane and shoe hire, all under four or five dollars.
For most of us it was distraction and procrastination from school work desperately needing to be done. Nevertheless, a few friends from my residence hall and I decided to indulge in this escapade. 
Ten pin bowling is never an easy sport to begin. Fitting into embarrassingly retro yet strangely appealing shoes is far from straight forward. Sizes do not seem to correlate with any other normal style of shoe. 
Of course, an eternity of time is spent finding the perfect bowling ball. The Goldilocks ritual of not too heavy, not too light, is played out by everyone. It is necessary though. One must not be ridiculed for the colour of their ball. Toes may also be mashed and fingers might dislocate caused by finger holes too big or small. 
We began with a strike bowled by myself. Whether it was bad luck or the continuous flow of beverages, my success slowly deteriorated throughout the night. What was more rewarding however, was witnessing the varied beginner bowling techniques used by everyone.
There was Brazilian flamboyance, Australian grit and German precision. German exchange student Marie continued her consistent performance and finished top at the end of the game.
I have to admit I expected more from my American dorm-room neighbor. When I have absolutely nothing to do I occasionally watch bowling on cable television back home. It is broadcast in America of course, so I thought it was a big deal over here. The Simpsons episode when Homer bowls a perfect game also helped me come to that conclusion.
It turns out however, that bowling shares the same status as it does in Australia – a weird sport mostly played by retired people and children celebrating their 12th birthday. It is still fun for college students though.
