The College Years

I've never been one of those people who wanted college to last forever. While I was there, I was eager to leave and start the next chapter of my life. Even though I love learning and knew I would miss taking classes, the actual experience of going to college wasn't something I needed to prolong. So while my peers constantly look for opportunities to go back and spend more time reminiscing on college days, I ran off and never looked back.

All of this is to make you understand how strange it is for me to suddenly realize how great my college experience truly was.

This past weekend, I spent some time on my old campus. At an annual event that would normally be filled to capacity, the room was practically empty. The dining halls closed early. Walking around campus during a time that used to be buzzing as people got ready for the night's festivities, it was practically silent.

I looked around feeling bad for the students there now and how lonely their college experiences must be. It was the first time I thought about how good I had it.

Even though it was mostly a commuter school and the campus seemed "dead" on the weekends, the truth is that there was almost always something to do and people were usually excited and eager to be there. Events on the weekends would quickly sell out and parties on campus and off had long lines and overflowed with party-goers. It was a great time to make new friends and lasting memories.

I'm still glad college ended when it did and I'm not looking to turn back the clock and wish I was still an undergrad, but I have a new appreciation for my time there. I guess I really did enjoy more than my college courses.

Have you ever reflected on your time in college? Do you sometimes wish you could go back?