If I had decided to title these posts something other than the number of the day, this one would be called “The Day I Decided to Go Back to College”.
I know, I know, it’s only been about 2 months now but it’s already hitting me with every picture and tweet that comes out of Rochester that I want to go back! Something about that city, despite how people make fun of it, is so charming. Saturday mornings spent pursuing the Public Market for cheap fruits and vegetables and stopping to get a cup of coffee. Endless hours spent in Java Wally’s meeting up with friends, working on projects and consuming more coffee than one should probably have. Spending countless hours in the Admissions office that became my second home and ended up deciding the path that I want to take (still working on that…). And Gracie’s. Not so much about the food but more for the memory of meeting up with lots of people from my floor or other friends and going to eat together. Now everyone seems to have to check their 400 to do lists and sync their ical’s before anything happens. Or how about the late night runs to Wegmans just because. Spontaneous trip to the park? Don’t mind if I do. And then there was my church. The one that took oh so long to find and feel comfortable with. Sunday mornings spent meeting new friends, feeling like I was a part of the community and not just a college student passing through. There were cute babies to take care of too, always a plus. And then there were all of the parks and paths and canal spots to visit.
Makes you want to move to Rochester and be in college too, doesn’t it? Me too.
This week at work I had an opportunity to sit down with a girl who just recently graduated from high school and is doing a one month internship in the Department of Design as part of another program. We got to talking about how excited she was to find out who her roommate is, the anticipation of move in day, how fun college life is and how you don’t need to section yourself off with a label but rather trying lots of new things even if you don’t think you’ll like it.
Part of me wanted to immediately request to switch places with her – I’d love to be a freshman all over again. But then again I realized how much has changed since 4 years ago and I’m not so sure I’d want to go back. I love getting to move to a big city and pretending to be a big kid. And as freaked out as I am about not knowing my next step, it’s oddly freeing. I don’t have to go back to any one place (except don’t worry mom + dad, I’ll visit – considering you are currently housing over half of my belongings! and i like home-cooked meals.)
And then I realized, maybe I don’t need to go back to college after all. I kind of like being at the stage I am now. That is, until the finish the new hockey arena… and then Rochester? I’ll be back.
Life After Bricks 