First, a reminder. If you’d like to enter my contest, you have until August 23, 2007 to do so. The prize is a mystery, but most likely going to be some sort of bag, since that’s pretty much all I make. Now, on to the regularly scheduled post…
Yesterday was my first day back to school for the year, even though I never really left for the summer. One of the “joys” of being a grad student is that you get to be in school all the time, instead of just 8 months out of the year. Even so, fall is the start of the school year, and yesterday got me to thinking about my first days in college. I find it hard to believe, but I started college 9 years ago. Next year, my old roommate (with whom I’ve managed to stay good friends) and I are going to have to find a way to celebrate our decade since starting college and living together (she decorated our room with a life size cutout of Yoda, from Star Wars, while I built a fort out of my bed and brought in the fish (Batman, Big Earl, Studer, and Fillet.))
I remember that first day at college was hot and humid, and started early, because all the first years had to move in. The first person I met was my neighbor across the hall, and in a twist of chance, she was the last classmate I spent time with before officially leaving the college. The day ended with a big picnic on the lawn for all the students and their families, at which I accidentally discovered veggie burgers and decided I didn’t much like them. My roommate recounted some of the details of that day (like the fact that I got there before her and took all the good furniture) in her toast at my wedding.
I can’t get over the fact that it was nine years ago, and that none of the students there now were there while I was. I wonder if I’ll be having these thoughts about my first days at my university in another nine years.
I had similar feelings this week too. I’ve been on campus all summer but suddenly there were others and I don’t remember them looking so young to me ever before. yes life as a grad student.