Phil,
Your dream is probably addressing deeper inner emotional needs as well as current waking experiences that fit with those needs and were associated with those personal experiences. You will most likely need to fill in the 'blanks' when it comes to the personal aspects, recent waking experiences that fit with emotional desires. The deeper aspects is something the dream will often reveal and perhaps we can discern from the dream language {dreams use a language of symbol and metaphor}.

A cafeteria is a place where you get nourishment. In dreams that nourishment is most often referring to emotional nourishment. Because the cafeteria is at a 'generic' college it may represent a need for emotional nourishment on a higher level. Something you did not receive while in 'high school' and now need more than ever. That may be referencing actual relationships in your high schools years {on a personal level, girlfriends or close relationships with friends} but may also be addressing deeper issues from earlier life experiences having to do with family.

On a personal level you may have difficulties in having meaningful relationships with the opposite sex {awkward exchange and tripping over yourself}. Your drinking and drug habits may be one way you overcame these difficulties, or at least a way you thought would do so. The convoluted' path may be the 'involved' way you went about overcoming this issue, making something simple much harder {your drinking and drug habits actually making it worse}.

On a deeper level {anything subterranean usually means something deeper in the psyche, the deeper issues in your life} there may be more involved issues having to do with emotional nourishment, beyond the personal experiences in recent waking life. But these issues are common for most everyone {most everyone has issues involving emotional nourishment from early life}. The more recent needs are more likely the main focus of the dream.

There may be elements of 'fantasy' when it comes to 'conversing/relating' with the opposite sex. Do you have problems in this area? You may be 'emotionally immature' in this area {I know I was until after I graduated from high school} and because of this relationships have been 'on ice', hard to have. You are trying to climb out of this emotional dilemma but your habits {drinking and drugs} may be inhibiting your progress. It may be 'unrealistic' to think that anything other than being your real self will resolve these issues.

Look at what I have presented and see if it fits with your waking and emotional life. The girl in your dream may be associated with a real person but she may also represent your own 'feminine aspects, a need to mature as was the girl in your dream {the feeling that she had changed or grown up}. Growing up, being who you really are without the drinking in drugs may be one of the issues that need resolution. And the deeper issues, those that caused you to start the drinking and drugs, family oriented experiences, may be part of the underlying issues to why you have to resort to these habits.
It may be smart to start with the 'maturing' aspect first. Going from high school to college would suggest elevating yourself to a higher level and in Jungian psyche that would involve finding your true self and being that person.

Jerry

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 60 Murfreesboro, Tn

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