I couldn't help but be drawn into a story about how a group of girls in middle America (Ames, IA) stayed connected over the course of 40 years. The story was further developed in a book, The Girls of Ames, by a Wall Street Journal reporter. 

It made me think about how my college memories are so deeply integrated with the friends I made during that time. For me, it's not only the ties that bind but the memories that bind. A few months ago, I was reminiscing with a sorority sister through Facebook. It was as if the events we talked about just happened recently.  The images are that vivid in my mind. Photo by spakattacks

I have to remind myself that I am old enough to have kids in college. I know intellectually when I step back on the campus of my alma mater,  I'm a nearly 50-year old woman. Yes, the kids look a lot different, act a lot different, and technology has changed most things about how students live these days. Yet emotionally, I'm still that serious engineering student, walking up to my boyfriend's frat house to see my sweetie or waiting outside of the English building for another of his no-shows (skipping class was my husband's specialty, just behind late night poker playing.) See what I mean?  I can see it so clearly in my mind. 

I've been invited to be one of the speakers at Northwestern University's reunion weekend in October. I can't wait to see what memories get triggered when I return….

Photo by powerbooktrance