Okay, so I’m suffering it: post-college withdrawal. I miss…lots of things. Not quite the tests, but I miss Latin parties, and I miss metaphysical parties with Someone sitting with a jar of sugar cubes on her head, and I miss taking personality tests at three in the morning when we have a test at eight, and I miss "studying" at coffee shops, which always turned into something more important. I miss intelligent conversation and people who get my jokes (which, as the Lyonesse heretic noted, are two things not related—but I would like to point out that she was the one who started the conversation, "if you were a french fry…" I love you, Ashley! ;). I miss "sprawling" in the hall for backrubs and talk (or just plain giggling); I miss trying to fit too many people on a bed to watch a movie, and ice cream at the slightest excuse; I miss dancing around the mirror in the morning with all of us trying to get ready; I miss being a french shrub or an ewok. I miss hiccups through the wall, and I miss told being not to drink coffee, and I miss throwing snowballs at our RA’s window, and I miss the nod and saying, "we know." Lyonesse, and the Dragons, and the World, and the Radical Freudeggerian Feminists Against Interpretation and the Older Sisters of Brothers on Campus and the Brothers in Burqas Society and the Society for the Defense of Hannah and the League of the Sleep Deprived. I miss you people something awful.
But I don’t just miss the people: I miss the place, and what was possible there. I miss stalking security guards (or occasionally assaulting them, although not usually when they were on duty—there was that time when one tried to break into the bookstore…) and Viking burials for goldfish and funeral ceremonies for de-Caput-ated knights and warm-fuzzy wars and Hobbit parties and duels and haunting the main building and play rehearsals and dancing and engagements (and all things attendant upon those occasions). I miss a place where I could wear red hats to finals and where red wigs were out of dress code (it looked pretty awful on me anyway). I miss a place where boys could propose just to give someone the pleasure of rejecting them, or where we could expect email proposals every time it snowed. I even miss ASEs and Councils of War. I miss knowing more about everyone else’s lives than I ever should have. I miss the Chestnut race and the GSE and the ever-present game of Ultimate. I miss the professors. I miss the way they ate with us and played with us; and I miss being scared to talk with them for fear I would say something stupid; my distant adoration. I miss the way their eyes lit up when someone understood.
I miss chapels, and I miss praying together, at planned and unplanned times; the spiritual challenge and encouragement by people who were sold out for God; the way we were bound together in Him.
I don’t want to be one of those people who’s constantly remembering college as the best years of my life and believe life goes downhill from here: I think it does get better, because I have that as part of me now, and I can go on to new and exciting things God has for me. But there are moments when I just miss Us Being There.
5 comments:
I miss you all, too.
This is a nice semester, but ... it's not the same.
Just for the record, the red wig looked fine (my memory's a bit vague, but I think it was relatively attractive (for a red wig, that is)).
Remember ASE wars, people dropping water out of windows, Joe Moss tootling hymns to the campus, Mark and Erin smiling at each other, Cannone, Nathan Cooper, snowballs, swords and talking with people out on the steps of Main while the sun set?
I love nostalgia. It lets you remember all the good things in life and forget the bad... kinda the opposite of what we often do in the present.
awwww...that is very kind of you both. =)
So what would you think if I dyed my hair about that shade? I think I'd dye my eyebrows, too, so it would look a little less incongruous (just kidding, Mom!).
I'm glad your memory is fuzzy, Campeador, because otherwise I might be insulting either your honesty or taste...I wore a lot more makeup than usual that day to try to keep from looking deathly ill (not quite as much as to Ben's last BD party, but still a decent amount). I remember Brian telling me his first thought was that we had some wacky visitor (the reaction I got from that thing was almost as good as the battery-operated earrings, I think). And then there were Tiff's heels--Corey was worried that I would fall and break something.
ASE wars were like most things--good in moderation. Snow was funny. CA/TX was less so.
The best water was the French Dog dropping it on Tobin (and then all those "Beware the French Dog" signs in the window; and his umbrella with the target).
There were many couples who made me Happy: besides Mark and Erin, there were the Wileys, and Nelsons, and Martins =), and Katy and JoMo, not to mention my roommate and namemate who managed to be adorable even with her man across the ocean from her--I can't wait to see them Together (in December! yay!).
swords =D. I have fond memories of waving Jonathan's around one evening, when someone happened to walk past (I missed). N claims that is the reason swords are banned on campus now, but don't believe him. Daggers I do not remember so kindly.
And snowballs made me nervous.
I didn't mention how much I miss chorale, too: it's rather difficult to sing "Steal Away," or "Moses," or "Hold On," or "Beati Quorum Via" without 5 other parts. And even if I could sing 6 at a time, I just don't make a very good bass. sigh.
I miss freshmen boys, too (and even some of the girls). There is nothing like them for innocence and orneriness (that is meant as a compliment). And I don't think I have to tell anyone which one I miss the most..."Come back, Nathan!"
::sniff::
I miss it too. And I miss you; you're the missing element this year. Other things are different too, but I wouldn't notice them so much if you were here. It's not the same.
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