Why I loved college

So its a Saturday; and I am watching my beloved alma mater play in our annual biggest game of the year: The Bayou Classic. Those that didn't go to school in Louisiana typically don't get it...but for those of us that did, its SERIOUS business. I mean, only in New Orleans on the Saturday after Thanksgiving no matter if its 25 or 75 degrees will you find folks dressed in full length furs and knee high boots because that is their Bayou Classic outfit, and so what its hot, I'm still going to wear it.

I haven't been to the game since Hurricane Katrina and I've made a committment to go next year, along with my high school homecoming, no matter what. My children have never experienced a Southern game, nor a Southwest DeKalb game. I bleed blue and gold for a reason--my high school's colors are blue and gold, AND my undergrad colors as well. Both of these schools have a rich history and tradition, and a TIGHT alumni contingent. As well as awesome bands :)

I'm going to make a confession: I don't trust folks who didn't enjoy high school and/or college. Those folks that don't talk to anyone they went to high school or college with? Yeah, suspect as hell. You don't have to be stuck in the past, but you didn't make a single life long connection with anyone during those 8 years? Something is wrong with you....

I don't call everyone "friend"; but the connections I made during high school and college are lasting...when you have as much fun as we did, the experiences we had, you can't help but be connected to those people, even if you just squeal when you see them at homecoming.

So in honor of my beloved school; I am sharing with my readers why I loved college:

• Steak and fried chicken night
• Midnight breakfast during finals
• Midnight breakfast food fight during finals
• Grits and eggs every morning
• Tailgating
• The strip
• Road trip to Kappa Beach Party circa 1997--100 dollars in my pocket, stayed at a Motel 6, had a ball. Saw H-town driving in a little Mazda Miata down the beachwalk
• Road trip to Kappa Beach Party circa 1998---200 dollars in my pocket, spent first night in a hellhole wide awake afraid a serial killer would come in, lucked up on the Doubletree for FREEZY the rest of the trip with fake ballers.
• Road trip to Jackson Sucks University circa 1997--got in a fight with the LaQuinta night manager after he called me a bitch, ain't been back to that ratchet Jackson since...I almost went to jail when I went over that counter...
• Breax Bridge crawfish festival
• Thanksgiving in Monroe, Lousiana with the Brasses, Sylvia would make a good pot of gumbo and have us helping with the beautiful decorations
• Skipping waiting to get my classes as I got my classes entered through the Honors College, then I got them entered with the football team---*never sat in a line a day after freshman week*
• Sitting in the men's gym to drop the same ratchet classes I didn't sit in line to add
• Health class--easiest A I've ever gotten
• Dying my hair Brown Sable in Bethune Hall in 1996; then immediately dying it back blonde the next day because my pale ass looked like a vampire with dark hair
• Seeing the Ques finally come back on campus in 1999
• Road tripping to Grambling for Springfest and being so thankful God delivered me from going there...lol
• Buying fresh Otis Spunkmeyer cookies from the blind man
• Coleman's Liquor
• Delta Express---shrimp po-boy special with fries and an orange soda
• Those damn speed bumps!
• The union reopening in my lifetime
• Dean Bonham---proof you could get liquored up and still be a disciplinarian
• The bird-sized mosquitoes that had me clamoring to get home my first semester...I had all types of allergic reactions to those things!!!
• Ooh, the snakes on the front steps of the dorm
• Impromptu cookouts in the Village de Province---Hamburger Helper and Beer Ribs all day!
• CRAWFISH SEASON!!!!
• Hearing black history from professors that actually lived it...like the Smith-Brown incident and the Baton Rouge bus boycott
• Dr. Spencer...I don't know how she ended up this list; but she certainly taught me that you have to fall in line to tow the line....
• Campaign crawfish boils and giveaways....yep; I'll eat your crawfish, but no, I ain't voting for you...lol
• It wasn't LSU!! I HATE Tigers of all varieties!!!!! LOL

The list is infinitely longer; but I don't want to bore you with just how much I loved college....I just wanted you to have a glimpse of why I think MY college experience was so awesome good and bad. Some folks don't get it; but that's ok. Hopefully you have some fond memories of college as well...or are you in that category of folks I don't trust? LOL

Toodles!

ReaLM