So last night I went on my first ride-along with the Evanston Police Dept. I really wanted to go with the NU Party Car, in which there is both an EPD officer and a University Police officer and they go around town and crack down on college parties. But obviously, since there are two officers in that car, I would have to sit in the back, and yesterday they were using a cage car, which means it would be very difficult for me to communicate with them and I would have no legroom. And, once they got a 'customer', there would no longer be any place for me. So they put me with a downtown patrol officer.
The following conversation occurred at the EPD station before I left on my ride-along.

Woman at the information desk: So you're going to be the po-po tonight?
Me: That's right.
Woman: You're from Northwestern?
Me: Yeah
Woman: What year are you?
Me: I'm a junior.
Woman: A junior? Looking at you, I would have thought you were a sophomore or junior in high school. You are telling the truth, right?
Me: Am I telling the truth?
Woman: Yeah.
Me: You think I'm impersonating a college student just so I can go on a ride-along with the police?
Woman: Yeah.
Me: That I have some secret party somewhere that I want to steer the police away from?
Woman: So what are you studying?
Me: Journalism and economics.
Woman: So we'll be reading your column or seeing you broadcast on your talk show in 2055?
Me: I hope it happens before I'm 70 years old.