11 June 2007

Reunion Rambling

This past weekend was my 25th college reunion. It was nice. I timed the car rides to after lunch on Friday and Sunday, and so Miss M. slept most of the way there and back - which let me listen to some new CDs without a small one asking for the kid music.

The campus looked wonderful and particularly well-kept. The weather was spectacular on Friday and Sunday, but it rained most of the day on Saturday. Even that was okay, though, because it reminded me that it had been raining when I'd visited the campus as a high school student, and that even in the rain the campus was so lovely that it was the only college I wanted to attend and so I applied early decision (and got in, luckily, because I wasn't prepared to mail off any more applications). I think it is the most beautiful campus in the United States, and if anything, it's only gotten more so in the past years. Or is that just the vaseline covered lens of history? Really I don't think so.

Some good friends weren't there, but plenty of others were - catching up was great. Miss M. rather pined for companionship of her own age, but because I'd had her so late in the game, there weren't many child peers in our class. She latched onto anyone smaller than an adult, and to some adults who were delighted to take off their shoes and "skate" with her through through the bubble machine bubbles at the Saturday night dinner. She was also pleased to climb into the top bunk of the bunk-bed in our dorm room, though I refused to let her sleep up there. And she loved hailing a golf cart for a joy ride - though I thought the young woman driving the cart was going to have a heart attack when Miss M. ran full speed ahead at the cart, yelling. Luckily she tripped and fell in the grass, impeding her forward progress.

The Sunday parade is always a festive and heartwarming display of community. This year, the oldest of the alumnae were from the class of 1932 - celebrating their 75th reunion - which means that they were 96-97 years old. None of them marched in the parade (they got the cool old cars), but some of the class of 1937 marched. Awesome, feisty old ladies. I look forward to being one of them.

7 comments:

S. said...

Welcome back!

I was in the same situation re: early admission. Lucky us.

Aurelia said...

Somehow I can see you being a feisty old lady--In a really cool car!

niobe said...

Miss M. ran full speed ahead at the cart, yelling

Very funny visual.

Mayberry said...

Sounds lovely!

Antropóloga said...

I only was prepared to do my early admission application, too. I am not sure what would have happened if I hadn't gotten into my first choice. The hubris of youth.

I'm so glad your girl got to go to the reunion. She'll remember that. I have vivid memories of visiting my parents' alma maters.

I'm surprised there were so many people you knew. I am not sure I would remember the names of too many people from my college class beyond a few close friends who would be unlikely to attend a reunion.

Scribbit said...

Reminds me that my reunion is coming up. Where does the time go?

I never went to my 10 year reunion but I think I may go to this one.

S said...

I haven't been to one of those yet. But my twentieth is coming up very soon.

And I applied to only one school and was accepted early action. Thank goodness! It was always the only one I wanted to attend...

I'm glad you had a good time, and also that you have an attachment to your alma mater -- so many people do not.