Frosh Week Revisited

Nostalgia is in the air this week.

Last weekend, I took C., my step-daughter to university to get her settled in for her first year. As we drove into the campus, the energy there was palpable and exciting. The music was blaring, the orientation leaders were handing out t-shirts and getting everyone to cheer. It was hard not to respond to the youthful atmosphere. I couldn't help but reflect back to my own frosh orientation week so many years ago (can't believe it's been that long). What a wonderfully exciting week that had been (and alcohol filled).

Later this week, I ended up on campus at U of T (my alma mater) to take part in a study. I was in a building right across the street from my old residence. It was somewhat weird to be walking down St. George amidst all the young undergrads with my youngest child in tow. I showed my son where I used to live (pointed out my old room window from street level) and he found it fascinating that I'd had a life before him. Truly, it is hard for me to imagine as well.

It's funny when you take into account all the experiences one has had throughout one's life. Every twist and turn in the path contributes to the end result, until it becomes impossible to untangle the events and assign blame or credit to each happening. It's why I have learned to just sit back and experience it all, rather than regret some things that have happened to me in the past.