Freshman and Finding Ourselves

When I tell people that one of the classes I teach is Freshman Composition, they roll their eyes and ask if I enjoy it. Well, I do. It is fun to teach students who are at the beginning of their college career. They are much less assuming, and I love to watch and listen as they figure out what college is all about. Maybe I enjoy it so much because it helps me realize just how far I have come in 10 years.

I was reminded of this fact last night. I went to dinner with some dear friends, Ben and Sara Bolton. I met Sara when we were both freshman at Ricks College. We worked on the student newspaper together and spent way too much of our lives in the Spori Building. The picture below is of the Spori soon after it was constructed, but it was the only picture I could find of the original building. It burned down a year after I left Ricks. We were later roommates at the University of Idaho as well. She and I experienced some rough days together, and was such a dear friend through it all. As we sat, ate, and caught up on all that has happened over the past months, I realized how much my associations from my college years have impacted my life. Since I graduated two years ago from school, I can now say "back in the college days" when referencing that part of my life. It is strange how what I once thought would never end has now become a distinct part of my past.

I told my freshman today about how they really just need to enjoy where they are in their lives. Before too long they will be eating dinner with "college friends" and wondering when exactly they grew up and became something. I also told them that they will not be able to exist on 3 hours of sleep for their entire college career, so they better not get used to it.

Here is to all my friends from my college days. Thanks for being such a support and for continuing to enrich my life. And here is to living a fullness of the moment. It will disappear into the past all too quickly.