10 years ago...

I was moving into my college dorm. Not that 10 years ago is that long, I just can't believe it has been 10 years. Now that I am a mother I can no longer so those were the best years of my life because I wouldn't trade anything in the world for my husband and daughter, but they were definitely some of the best years of my life.

I loved college! I think a lot of that was because I chose to go to a small school and was able to get involved in many things. I joined a sorority, was on the activities board, became a tour guide, an orientation leader, and worked on campus. I met some of my very best friends and still talk to them to this day. I had a lot of fun, and I was smart enough to know how not to get into trouble.

My freshmen year I lived in 3 different rooms and after the Fall semester landed in a room with not just one roommate, but 3. One did move out in February or so, but everyone always laughed that I couldn't make it work with one roommate and now I had 2, but these girls were awesome and I think it was mainly because we liked each other but did our own thing as well.

I guess one of the things that sticks out the most about that year was that was the year that Columbine happened. I remember staying glued to the TV and was in shock that such a thing could happen. It is hard to believe that things have gotten worse in violence since then.

Unfortunately 9/11 happened during my senior year and I went to a military college, which made my experience a little different. I was at work in the Admissions Office and one of the counselors had just heard it on the radio. We didn't have a TV and of course you couldn't get on the CNN website because it was flooded. I finally took a break and went to the Student Center to sit in front of the TV with many other students and witnessed people jumping from windows just before the second tower fell. It was all very surreal. Friends were gone the day after because they were called up from their Guard units. It was scary to think that you might not see some of your friends again.

But college was filled with so many good memories that they outweigh the bad. I am in my career field because of my college experience. I just love college and I while I may not be a student anymore, I never left college.

As my students come back to class tomorrow, my mission begins to make their college experience mean as much to them as mine meant to me.