Nostalgia

Yesterday, I took ten of my yearbook students to Journalism Day at Ball State. J-Day is a one-day workshop for high school journalism students and is put on by the BSU Journalism Workshops office, my former place of employment for over three years while I was a budding college student once upon a time.

Being on Ball State's campus as an alumna was definitely a strange experience. Once I started the familiar walk to Emens Auditorium for the opening session, I was acutely more aware a few things: the wedding ring on my finger, the fact that I have a real-world job with a salary, and, well, the numerous pounds I've put on since my early days of college since I was huffing and puffing my way down McKinley with ten teenagers in tow. But it was a fantastic day. The weather was sunny, which made campus look beautiful, and I think the kids really enjoyed the experience. I know I was happy enough to get away from 50+ freshmen (who are fumbling through a To Kill A Mockingbird unit and a 4-6 page research paper) with their ninety-seven questions they have each day.

I was able to visit with my former co-workers and my old boss while I was there. I saw some former classmates who are now married and real-live teachers like I am. We reminisced about our glory days and of course shared similar "teaching-makes-me-age-ten-years-a-day-and-wouldn't-you-give-anything-just-to-be-back-here" stories. But to be honest, I'm happy where I am in life. Of course there are those times when I long for cancelled classes, a wasted afternoon of pranking co-workers in the office, and a great night at Dill Street with my friends, but I think if you had a great college experience, you are supposed to miss it. That part of your life is supposed to be fun and sloppy and fresh and poignant and life-changing. And it was all of that for me. But this time in my life is so much more. I have an unbelievably wonderful husband, I've traded campus housing for a great apartment, I have a job that, on most days, I really don't mind to go to that much, and I still have a phenomenal family and amazing friends. While my college days were stereotypically some of the best days of my life, my current days are just as fun and fresh and poignant, as I'm sure the days to come will be.