12 Things That Happened When I Returned To My Alma Mater For A Visit
1. As I predicted, I ran into people who I totally forgot existed but missed. I also ran into people who I didn’t like….. and I still don’t like many of them. Some of them still probably don’t like me either.
2. Definitely did not rage as much as expected. Maybe I’m growing up? Or maybe I had finally come to terms with just how boring my college city actually was.
3. One of my girlfriends threw a drink at a girl who cut in front of us in the bathroom. There was also some yelling about how we’re from Chi-town and we don’t play like that. Yeah…
4. Two of my friends dragged me to a “Country bar” as in solely country music was being played. That night, I understood the meaning of, “Hell is other people’s happiness.”
5. I noticed that somehow, freshmen have gotten worse. I can’t explain it. They’re just worse.
6. I realized that I pretty much didn’t know 85% of the students anymore. It was a weird feeling.
7. Another of my predictions came true: Some guy told me that he had a crush on me my junior year. (I did an internal eye roll.)
8. Speaking of guys, some of them definitely came into themselves and it was nice to see. Other guys, I was left thinking, “What the hell did I see in you?”
9. I was called, “kind of a bitch” because I didn’t seem to be “excited to see people.” In all fairness, I think I am simply just over the pseudo, “Hey! How are you? How have you been?” when I honestly don’t give a shit.
10. I realized that I had changed quite a bit since college. Being back made me come to the terms with just how insecure I was in college, however much I denied it. I was faking a lot of confidence back then. I’m not faking it anymore.
11. I got a lot of, “You write on Thought Catalog right?’ Not going to lie, I felt like kind of a big deal.
12. For the first time, I think I got the truest perspective on my college experience. I had a lot of good memories but I also had some not so good ones; college wasn’t the fun joy ride I sometimes remember it as. I guess I am grateful for this visit for teaching me that life was what I made it in college, and life is what I’m making it now. And that’s probably something that will never change.