Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Here's to 10 Years

Yesterday evening, I made my way over to Midway airport to pick up a friend of mine who had been on vacation visiting her family. Her husband was working, so I got to pick her up and go out to dinner. (Win! Especially when said dinner is from Chipotle.) Lately, she and I see each other at church and our little group of friends sit together. Which is awesome, but it also means I don't get a whole lot of one-on-one time with this group of friends due to crazy schedules. So, church is the one time we all (usually) get to see one another. Having the time to drive and have food was exciting.

As we drove she told me as of this week she has been living in Chicago for ten years now. Ten years. A decade. When she moved to Chicago it was when she moved into the dorms at Concordia University River Forest (CURF. Now it's Concordia University Chicago, CUC. Ugh.). I've been thinking a lot about how it's been ten years since high school - you'd think I would put together that it also meant I began college ten years ago.

But for some reason those pieces didn't come together until my friend mentioned it last night. With thinking about the high school students I used to lead graduating, that has been my main focus. High school.

Ten years ago, yes, I graduated high school and closed that chapter in my life. But it was also the beginning of an amazing chapter! So much of my college experience shaped who I am today (although A LOT has changed since then) and the friends I made there are still some of my closest friends I've ever had. I talk to far more people form college than I do from high school. Other than reading random Facebook status updates.

I've been friends with some people for 10 years! It's an awesome friedaversary! (At least for those I met my freshman year...)

Ten years ago this week was when I moved into my dorm and went to Freshman camp.


I made friends who I still talk to - some on a daily basis. Some just on occasion simply to catch up. 





It was in college I started to attend the church where I received my field work training and I am a member of now.


Ten years ago was the start of where countless hours were spent at the local pub, Caribou Coffee, IHOP, and road trips to ALL OF THE WEDDINGS because that's what happens when you go to a small Christian university.





Many of my friends met their future husbands or wives those years.



I added theatre to my major and it basically took over my life - and it was awesome.





I joined the Weeks of Welcome Staff to help other new students be welcome to campus and feel at home there the way I had been when I was a freshman.



Spring breaks were spent in the Appalachian Mountains where I tore down walls and climbed mountains.



It's been a crazy ten years since meeting all of these amazing people, and I'm so grateful! Let's have another awesome ten years, shall we?

Bout of Books Update:
Tuesday/Wednesday
Total number of books I've read: 1 1/2
Pages Read Yesterday/Today: 160
Total Pages Read: 310
Books: American Gods by Neil Gaiman, Anna Dressed in Blood  by Kendare Blake

7 comments:

  1. That is awesome how many memories you have from when you first started college. This week marks 11 years since I moved in to my college dorm room and I have just as many fond memories as you do! So crazy to think about all that has gone on since then... but I wouldn't trade any of it for anything!

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  2. It sounds like you had a great time in college. This post has inspired me to write about some more of my college days.

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  3. it's amazing when you sit back and think about the years past and how FAST ten years flew by. how is that possible?! but the friendships you've made over the course of the decade will only get stronger. i'm still super close with 2 of the people i met IN GRADE 7. that's over 25yrs of friendship!

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  4. That's awesome to see such a positive and impactful journey come from your college years and the last decade. I'm hoping I can look forward on this next decade and have the kinds of reflections that you do. :)

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  5. This post made me smile and think about the friendships I gained in college, too. I think the best part is knowing that a special kind of bond was made that is stronger than time -- you know, when it can be years between get togethers with everyone but feel like nothing's changed because it's still comfortable and fun. Or knowing you can call someone up when something awful or awesome is happening, and they will cry or laugh along with you. Or they will post awesome blog posts and not mind your rambling comments. :)

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