Sure, I'm game. I'm probably not entirely correct in interpreting dreams, however.

*Reads it* Phew, that was beautiful! *Tear* Just wonderful. Nicely detailed. Awesome dream. I like ones like these.

About the first points you made:
I'm wondering if social awareness in dreams has to do with the strength of "lucidity" of the dream. Meaning, the greater you are connected to the parts of your brain that deal with social graces, the more you feel the dream is real. However, in a dream, you may feel more comfortable expressing these social tactics because dreams often place you in a more uninhibited landscape and mindset than in real life.

I think awareness of important things like analog clocks and signs also have to do with lucidity of the dream, in a similar fashion as social awareness. However, your mind may just graze over the most unimportant objects.

I personally feel dark dreams represent mystery. Since this didn't take place in a scary setting, I feel like this is the "mood" of the dream, and you are exploring things such as feelings or maybe even the future.

ACT 1
1a)

College is probably a big part of your life. I can see how the dream's similar scholarship may have been an ambition of wishing for the task of competing against such a large group. Maybe your mind feels that it was able to take on such a task, and was letting you know you would win?

Maybe the cost of schooling and the fact that you paid it off with the scholarship shows you felt that the cost of your college wasn't paid simply by your parents, but instead your abilities to prove why you're worth supporting, maybe both to your parents and yourself?

I think the additional winners were supporting your mind's need to be realistic about the scholarship and adding what it thought would also be scholarship winners.

The financial aid office appearing similar to your middle school's office might mean you feel your success still is related to those days in your life, and the feelings of discipline. Maybe it shows that your efforts to succeed make you feel trapped by fear somewhat? I think the "spy flick" similarity of the hall was your mind taking off with this feeling of needing to be covert and follow the discipline sorrounding your success.

1b)

About the girl totally being switched in character, this may be because she was very close to you in accomplishments, which you may feel deeply about. Maybe her being close to your accomplishments made her feel almost close to "you" in a way. Or, she could have taken a role in the dream that just made her different than usual. Such as, maybe the dream was basing itself off of something like a book or movie where that character was different. The former sounds more likely, even if not correct. The fact that you were uncomfortable holding her hand may represent simply how you felt about the situation, or how you felt uncomfortable in real life to be compared to her or have to deal with her often. Or, could it be possible you wanted to be friends in real life? Dreams have a way of making us deal more intimately with others than we would in real life. Maybe this has to do with instincts? Such as, in other countries and also in the past, I've heard of things like friends holding hands was normal.

I think the fact that the school was filled with people of all different school ages might represent that your life and accomplishments still lie in the path you've taken through life. Our past can be more present in our lives than we believe, and I think that's why we see bits of it still in our dreams. I've heard the unconcious mind does a lot of work.

The fact that you didn't want to be involved with her for the reasons of being an "outcast" might be due to many reasons. Maybe your mind sees her as representing those who compete against you, and are bringing you down when others or you compare these people to you? Or, maybe it's because you feel ashamed to become close to those who compete with you? Kind of like in the movie Inception, sometimes the people in the background of our mind represents who we are and what we like, even when we try to hide that part of ourselves, and will attack what we don't like, whether we're aware of it or not. Only, sometimes though. Maybe you've wanted to become close to others who weren't popular, and your mind is showing how you had to turn down their friendship? Perhaps shame for taking on these friendships?

By the way, it was very sweet of you to have stood up for those who were "outcast." I had grown up with a lot of emotional abuse from my family, by siblings, both parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, you name it... Once they outcast me, I became one in school as well... Don't know if the events are related; I was pretty strange anyways. Acting like an outcast can be caused for many reasons people can't understand from the exterior, and living as such can be heck on Earth until you get out of high school. I'm pretty sure studies have shown the feeling of being accepted is a very large influence on health and success. It can mean a lot for somebody to stand up for them, and even if others looked down on you for it. They should have been thankful they didn't have it as bad.

In your dream, the fact that you ran out on her might show your own mind's inner urge to care for itself. Is there something in the future or present you feel you must run away from to keep safe? And not neccessarily having anything to do with someone who is disliked, but possibly in relationships? It sounds like something that can affect your accomplishments, and the life you've built for yourself.

I feel like this act was dealing with your feelings of inner self-worth and the shame that comes with this burdensome task.

Act 2
Transition

It seems like here, your mind is bringing college into the mix. Maybe it's "getting over" those feelings with your accomplishments that were born from your past and is moving on to how you feel about college, which may be much more different? Is the bus representing what you feel college life is like compared to high school and the years before? Maybe college, or at least what feelings your mind may be dealing with, are problems lying outside of school? Meaning, the fact that the bus gives rides after "college time" each day.

As for how you look and act, I personally have many dreams where I am either a different person with a somewhat different personality compared to real life, or exactly myself. I really can't relate to how you became in the dream. Maybe it was an inner part of your personality? How you would be if you let yourself be truly open? Especially that in this setting?

The old man may have just been a place holder in the dream at first (unless he was apparent immediately), but perhaps once you talked to him, maybe your mind found him the most important person? After all, he was the one controlling the bus and the seat positions. Maybe this shows something about what you wish for? Maybe everyone else didn't get on because your mind was too distracted to board people? Or, it's because in life you're finding that people in college are more "distant" and not willing to get on the bus? Laying in the "territory" of seats you chose, maybe they represent where you feel you are now, in a safe zone in life, and are just waiting to reach your place of comfort. Did the bus driver seem suspicious? Maybe he was controlling the amount of people getting on in a magical, dream way.

2a)

Could this bus represent your former feeling of community and comfort? Maybe it's the image of what you had hoped life after high school would turn into, such as a comfortable place to relax and build relationships.

This driver honestly sounds like a representation of your will or part of your mind. It's telling you that it will get you where you need to, "home," and will carry you in comfort until you felt that you're ready to leave your old life behind.

Since the bus turned into a taxi, was this a representation of your life turning into adulthood? Especially since the bus was at least comparable to a school bus, but changed into a taxi. Your logic may have told you the life of school was not all that awaited you now, but a large world. Or at least, that's my interpretation. Maybe it also represented some lonliness as well? Especially since no one had gotten on the bus, so it downgraded to a comfy yet small taxi? However, your mind might be telling you this is alright, since you felt comfortable.

I also feel like the change of the taxi driver to the Asian Emperor was also representative of your will. Perhaps you are starting to feel like you act like the Asian emperor in real life? Your emotions being quick to change from anger to benevolence? Speaking with you, it may also show that you have a kind relationship with your will, or mind.

I also felt your loss of character came with the lonliness of moving into a taxi by yourself, with the loss of need to be important. Also, this may show that the taxi driver was your inner image as well, as he became the "life" of the taxi, I think.

I agree with your explanation speaking your third language better.

I really do believe the driver was a part of you that you spoke with, since you touched on personal topics. Maybe your mind wanted you to get in touch with itself, and had this situation planned for this?

I feel like the landscapes you looked on to have to do with your transition from your past school life to one you are in now, like you are in a big world with home left to bring comfort.

2b)

The ride and time was perhaps the feeling that you were worried of getting off the ride at some point, and your mind was taking steps to confront this worry. I think the ride represented a journey through the feelings of a transition from accomplishments and your past to one of adulthood and learning more about yourself, and perhaps the end of the ride might be the worry that you wouldn't have the time to slow down again and think over these feelings? Or perhaps it just represented the end of that dream.

Since you past the stop (which I'm assuming was your home), I think the roads became more lonely as your mind worried that the longer you're away from home, the more isolated you can become emotionally out in the world.

Perhaps the 7-11 was in your dream to remind you that you could take comfort in things gone already? Or it may even represent a worry, that your mind is afraid that if you go on a life of isolation for any period of time, you might become too involved with happy but long gone parts of you life you had already moved on from.

Maybe getting drunk with the cab driver and driving around might mean that you were seeing this driver, whatever it represented, like a friend in the lonely landscape and just wanted to feel like normal. Did you feel sad at the end when you sat with the driver at the other 7-11? Or were you happy? Because, in either case, this could indicate where you feel you are now. Since there was no more driving, you may have felt you didn't want to go anywhere anymore. Or, just really wanted a break from what I think was your emotional passage over time.

I feel like this last act was left on a note of mystery. Like, you are just wondering on what's to come next in life, and where the road will take you...

Thanks for the read! I was really interested in who the taxi driver was. Was he a representation of the philosophical "ego" or something? Hmmm...

I also have very long and detailed dreams. I tend to forget mine immediately after, sadly. I think people like you and me who have dreams like this have very strong imaginations? Or maybe there are a lot of emotions that get "put away" during the day? It could be caused for many reasons, I guess.

I agree with Thunder Bow. It's sounds like you are moving on.