Late night in the dining hall, air soft guns in the dorm, ramen noodles, making up words, skipping class, sledding down snow covered hills on a rubber maid lid, gossiping at softball games, road tripping- college.
College was a collection of stories to last a life time. It was a time to feel grown up and mature without fully being those things. I wish I had realized what a special time that was and exactly how quickly it would pass me by. College was a unique time when all my favorite friends lived in the same hallway as me and we did everything together. It was almost a cruel trick, an unjust preparation for the real world, to become accustomed to that lifestyle and those people and then for it to all change so suddenly. I wished to grow up too quickly and now I crave ever so much to go back.
Tonight I'm living on the fourth floor of the UCC on the UCM campus with some of the coolest kids around. Air soft guns are firing and I'm pelted in the back of the head. Tonight I am eating an endless bowl of ramen noodles from an orange bowl and playing football in the hall even though we are threatened with getting written up. Tonight I am watching my friends throw all the commons area couch cushions out of the fourth floor window down into the snow. Tonight I remember not getting those cushions back for a long time. Tonight I am at a softball game. Tonight I hear pounding on my door to join the clan for our usual 4pm dinner- is it any wonder why Late Night was such a usual part of our routine? Tonight I am playing Monopoly in the commons area and witness my first streaker. Tonight I am apart of silly fights during seriously planned for study sessions. Tonight I engage in heart to hearts with new friends and learn. Tonight I sit at the front desk at 3 am and do math homework (ok, maybe that part I don't really miss so much). Tonight I eat peanut butter shakes and fried pickles at Goodies. Tonight I drive boys to the ER after cage fight practice. Tonight I roll down the hallway in a wheel-y chair for races. Tonight I ride around in a white Jeep. Tonight I stand on my desk chair and sing my heart out for anyone willing to listen. Tonight I attend a Hall Council meeting. Tonight I watch Kid Nation and cry. Tonight I dress up and attend my first fraternity party. Tonight I decorate my bathroom in feminine product ads. Tonight I go to Wal-Mart for fun. Tonight is game night and I learn who my competitive friends are and who thinks they know more about the opposite sex. Tonight is Family Guy marathon. Tonight is any kind of television marathon. Tonight I place a double order of crab Rangoon with my Chinese food delivery. Tonight I listen to live covers of Jack Johnson songs in the commons area. Tonight I sleep close after a scary movie. Tonight I pack for Boston. Tonight I get locked in my bathroom. Tonight I teach boys how to clean a bathroom. Tonight I cook spaghetti and garlic bread and drink sparkling grape juice.
Tonight I learn. Tonight I grow. Tonight I remember. Just for tonight I am a college kid again.
Fortunately and unfortunately, I choose to make forever friends, so my heart is destined to always miss someone- especially my fellow Mules.
This is all to thank my college friends for giving me some of my best memories.
