Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Envy and Regret

I love this time of year, and one of the main reasons is the start of the new college semester.

A lot of memories came flooding back when I wandered the campus of my alma mater, Marywood, last week.  They're getting a new library, plus radio and television facilities.  The campus is being spruced up.  I can't say I like the design and location of the new library, but that's another entry for another time.

I really like reading and watching the stories on the new fall semester, especially the incoming freshmen.

Looking back on my first days, I resisted the barbecues and volleyball games, and other efforts at forced socialization.  I did the bare minimum on orientation weekend and got out of there.  I can find my own way around, thank you very much.

In retrospect, I should have given it a shot.

I followed my high school pattern-- a close circle of friends, and I was happy with that.  Widening the circle would have been advantageous, but I am what I am.

Regrets are an awful thing.  Yes, there are many, many, many things I would have done differently.  But, if my guardian angel were to bop me on the nose with her magic wand, and offer me the opportunity to go back and do it again, I'd politely decline.

I've seen a lot of happy freshman pictures on the internet.  That's good enough for me.

By the way, Jon Meyer did a story Friday at Keystone College in Factoryville.  Yes, Factoryville,  not LaPlume.  Anyway, the school is phasing out most textbooks in favor of iPads.  It seems like a good idea.  All your stuff in one neat little package.  Text books are expensive, even going back to my day.  I remember an enormous book I lugged around for a Psychology class.  As a freshman, I drove around a 1972 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.  I upgraded to a big '79 Blazer during my sophomore year.  They were always filled with books.  Expensive books.  It's nice to see an alternative out there.