My fingers nervously folded and unfolded the flyer. The words at the top - "Welcome to Admitted Student Visit Day" - were quickly becoming worn by the anxious folding. My mom, seated to my right, skimmed the brochure.
"It seems to funny to be here. I can remember you talking about being a teacher, ever since you were little and started teaching your brother. And now we're here! Time flies," she said.
"Moo-ooom," I groaned, "don't say stuff like that." The teenager inside of me was fighting against the young adult I was about to become. I was in a room, listening to what college might be like for me if I went here, but back home, I was still in high school, still in teenager mode. It was a combative combination of feelings.
After attending the initial meeting to welcome us to campus earlier that morning, they broke us into our "colleges" - and there, we sat waiting for the presentation about the College of Education and Social Services. I put the brochure in my lap and folded my hands, willing myself to relax. I looked around the not quite full room - there were seats in between each group of people, and not too many people were looking around the room. To my left, there was a girl with her two parents, one on either side, and all of their heads were bent together. I smiled, knowing that if my dad were there, our little spot in the room would look very similar.
At that moment, the dad leaned back and the girl looked up, and we locked eyes. My smile got bigger, and my eyes greeted her. My mom noticed and said, "Her nametag says she's from Fairfield! You should say hi."
We said hello to each other. We discovered that, indeed, we lived thirty minutes away from each other, and we were both spending our first time on campus. We chatted briefly and then the presentation began. After a brief introduction to the College, they broke us down further into majors. As the Social Work students filed out of the room, I thought to myself, "Oh well. At least one student who might go here is friendly!"
I immediately put that out of my mind as they began talking about the Elementary Education major. It seemed to be everything I had dreamed of - lots of time in the classroom very early on, lots of big picture what-is-education-and-why-do-we-need-it reflective work - a perfect fit.
I left the presentation extremely positive. Yes, it had been my "reach" school, but I had gotten in. And I hadn't gotten into my first choice of schools. We took the campus tour and ended up in the dining hall for lunch.
"Look!" I said to my mom. There was the girl and her parents, sitting at a table.
"Do you mind if we join you?" we asked, and then settled into the chairs when they nodded yes.
As we chatted about what we had seen, what we thought about the school, what other schools we had applied to, I discovered that we had a lot in common. And I hadn't really talked to anyone else that day. Both of us were leaning towards this school, but hadn't 100% decided yet.
"Do you want to exchange e-mail addresses?" I asked. "Just in case we decide to both go here, maybe we will see each other at orientation or something." So we exchanged addresses and then walked around campus together for a little while.
Later that afternoon, as my mom and I were walking down towards the lakefront to see the city, enjoying the balmy April day, I could feel the balance tilting. I knew this was where I wanted to be. I couldn't wait to come back. I felt the piece of paper in my pocket, the one with the e-mail address written on it. I was hoping she was coming back, too.
~*~
We became fast friends at Orientation in June, then decided to room together our freshman year, after our Orientation roommates were nightmares. Our freshman year was full of first loves, long-lasting friendships, fear (9/11 happened a few weeks after we came to school), illness, and freedom. Sixteen years later, that friendship is still going strong.
I will forever be grateful for that first hello.
"It seems to funny to be here. I can remember you talking about being a teacher, ever since you were little and started teaching your brother. And now we're here! Time flies," she said.
"Moo-ooom," I groaned, "don't say stuff like that." The teenager inside of me was fighting against the young adult I was about to become. I was in a room, listening to what college might be like for me if I went here, but back home, I was still in high school, still in teenager mode. It was a combative combination of feelings.
After attending the initial meeting to welcome us to campus earlier that morning, they broke us into our "colleges" - and there, we sat waiting for the presentation about the College of Education and Social Services. I put the brochure in my lap and folded my hands, willing myself to relax. I looked around the not quite full room - there were seats in between each group of people, and not too many people were looking around the room. To my left, there was a girl with her two parents, one on either side, and all of their heads were bent together. I smiled, knowing that if my dad were there, our little spot in the room would look very similar.
At that moment, the dad leaned back and the girl looked up, and we locked eyes. My smile got bigger, and my eyes greeted her. My mom noticed and said, "Her nametag says she's from Fairfield! You should say hi."
We said hello to each other. We discovered that, indeed, we lived thirty minutes away from each other, and we were both spending our first time on campus. We chatted briefly and then the presentation began. After a brief introduction to the College, they broke us down further into majors. As the Social Work students filed out of the room, I thought to myself, "Oh well. At least one student who might go here is friendly!"
I immediately put that out of my mind as they began talking about the Elementary Education major. It seemed to be everything I had dreamed of - lots of time in the classroom very early on, lots of big picture what-is-education-and-why-do-we-need-it reflective work - a perfect fit.
I left the presentation extremely positive. Yes, it had been my "reach" school, but I had gotten in. And I hadn't gotten into my first choice of schools. We took the campus tour and ended up in the dining hall for lunch.
"Look!" I said to my mom. There was the girl and her parents, sitting at a table.
"Do you mind if we join you?" we asked, and then settled into the chairs when they nodded yes.
As we chatted about what we had seen, what we thought about the school, what other schools we had applied to, I discovered that we had a lot in common. And I hadn't really talked to anyone else that day. Both of us were leaning towards this school, but hadn't 100% decided yet.
"Do you want to exchange e-mail addresses?" I asked. "Just in case we decide to both go here, maybe we will see each other at orientation or something." So we exchanged addresses and then walked around campus together for a little while.
Later that afternoon, as my mom and I were walking down towards the lakefront to see the city, enjoying the balmy April day, I could feel the balance tilting. I knew this was where I wanted to be. I couldn't wait to come back. I felt the piece of paper in my pocket, the one with the e-mail address written on it. I was hoping she was coming back, too.
~*~
We became fast friends at Orientation in June, then decided to room together our freshman year, after our Orientation roommates were nightmares. Our freshman year was full of first loves, long-lasting friendships, fear (9/11 happened a few weeks after we came to school), illness, and freedom. Sixteen years later, that friendship is still going strong.
I will forever be grateful for that first hello.
So sweet, and it took me back to my first visit to college, and the first people I met there (long before email!). It's amazing how sometimes you just click with people and it lasts forever.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful slice! The memories that you and your friend have made are priceless. Thank you for sharing this! Now I need to go call my best friend!
ReplyDelete