I was reading this article about college based retirement homes and how they attract alums that want to remain connected to their alma mater. The article quotes a college official who says, "Very few people have a negative memory of college life," and it got me thinking about my own college experience.
I don't really remember it.
No, it's not what you think. Well, OK, some of it is what you think, but, just stay with me here.
I went to college in the same town where I lived. I lived on campus and all that, but, I just have no real college memories like other people who describe it as the "time of their lives". Am I deficient? Nah, not anymore than you already know about. Not to go all Uncle Rico on you or anything, but, I had in high school, what I guess other people had in college. My best memories and current friendships are from those days, not from college. I have a degree from a fine university, which is what matters in the end, but, I can't help wondering if I missed out somehow.
I wonder if not leaving town was the best thing for me. I probably spent too much time doing the stuff I did before college, and, I know spent way too much time hung up on an unrequited love while other people were adjusting to being away from home, often for the first time.
Don't get me wrong, I am proud of my alma mater, and, I had a lot of fun and had friends, but, I'm just not sure my college experience was enough to want to retire on campus.
I know it wasn't enough to warrant one of these.
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I'm ashamed to say this, but my college days were a drunken (and otherwise) blur. If I didn't have transcripts saying I attended I would have guessed I started working right out of high school. Hey, I passed my courses! Though I'm not sure what courses they were.....
i don't really remember college for, umm, OTHER reasons.
cough.
I did love my college days (and yes, some are forgotten for the reasons you might imagine). But having been back last year for a major reunion, it struck me that my college is really in the middle. of. nowhere. Not where I'd probably like to retire.
And I'll stick with my college T-shirt and skip the casket, thank you very much.
hhhmmm, college days... I went to LSU...
enough said!
wait! college based retirement homes??? I just picked up on that part. damn... scary as hell thought!
A friend of mine has been living in the retirement home at (I think) Trevecca for about 5 years now.
He says it's great, they can't hear so he can play his music as loud as he likes.
yes, you definitely missed out. A town of 30,000 18-21 year olds 2-3 hours from home, no parental supervision, etc. etc. yes, those were definitely THE years!! But hey, being YOU, ya gotta consider the alternative. how different would you life maybe be now, and would you be happy with not having what you have?
Hmmmm.
Nursing school is waaaaay harder than getting a degree in ART! and you make WAAAAY more money than me, who cares what you remember, its what has happened since that matters...I have lived a whole lifetime since college! My oldest is starting college in the fall, I get to re-live "all that fun" woooo hooo!
OY! That's all I can say. I get you with the college stuff. I went to college in my hometown as well, and I didn't even live there. I commuted from my childhood home. I have wonderful college memories probably because I enoyed my major (Journalism) and had some memorable teachers, plus I was in a sorority. But my best memories and dearest friends are from high school. I'm shipping my kids OFF to college. I do think I missed out not moving away from home.
Oh boy. What will they think of next. Never mind, I don't want to know. That's just tooo strange.
And retiring on campus? Nahh. I loved my college days, but it's way too freaking cold where I went. If they relocate the college to a southern location, preferably somewhere with a beach, MAYBE!
I wish I'd have gone to college. I didn't think they'd take "lazy" students such as myself. That's what they always told me and I believed them.
I think it varies for each person. I could care less about high school or college. Neither was the time of my life. I was miserable in high school (short and have odd name/geek). College was better because I was 3 hours away without supervision and could start over. I don't have friends from high school or college now. Just the school's calling for more money!
I went to college in my hometown too. But, boy was it fun. At least I got to spend my days away from my crazy family. At least I had peace, for a time. For a few hours a day. I miss it.
I hear people comment that the would love to go back to the college days. And then I realize, I was too serious. I took over 17 credit hours a semester so that I could finish early. I was tired, broke and hungry. (Ironically, not much different than now.) I wouldn't go back that for anything.
High school was the bomb. From what I remember of my wall bangs and over permed hair.
I went to night school for undergrad and graduate school. Soooo, I don't have any real ties to those schools either. Too bad. Sometimes I wish that I'd had the whole experience.
The best part about college based retirement homes...
I keep getting older but the chicks stay the same age ;)
um, what? lots of people have negative memories of their college days! even more now i'm sure because in addition to going to classes full time, you have to work full time to even be able to go to college!