Friday, May 25, 2007

It Was 15 Years Ago Today...

No one taught the band to play, but I did walk out the Van Wickle Gates and officially graduate from Brown University.

Something about me you should (and likely already do) know: college had a sizable effect on my life. I loved Brown and never regretted my decision to go there instead of hoity toity Harvard. Not that Brown isn't also very prestigious, but even at eighteen years old, I knew I wanted my college years to be about the experience, as opposed to the name on my diploma. Don't get me wrong, Harvard is obviously an incredible school. However, my point is that I wanted to go to Brown, and no acceptance letter from any other university or bigger bragging rights based on the fame of any potential alma mater would stop me.

My primary extra curricular activity at Brown inspired me to go into my chosen profession. My confidence in my intelligence was solidified in college. Some work I did for one of my literature professors can be found today on the Internet. I believe at least part of my conviction that class and money are totally unrelated to be a result of my educational experience (both high school and college). I took a semester abroad and got to study in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1991. Yes, I could have done that while a student at any university, but I give Brown credit. Plus, I met some incredibly brilliant people. Okay, that also could and would have happened at any university, but you get the picture.

Now, at this point you might be wondering if there is a reunion to commemorate this 15th anniversary of my graduation. Well, in fact there is. It's going on right now, and I am not there. I decided in March that I would save the vacation days I would need to make a trip to Rhode Island and use them instead for another Hawaiian vacation in September.

So I am here in San Francisco this weekend instead of at Brown. I was even on the reunion committee, too.

I am a terrible alumna? Well, I still love Brown.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It had to happen some time. Something displaced Brown, even if temporarily. Hawaii's not a bad something.