A Weekend Away and a Trip Down Memory Lane

Beta Sigma, circa 2006

I haven't been back to my alma mater in years. I went to Bradley University from 2003 to 2006, and it's funny that so much has changed, but so much has stayed the same.

Beta Sigma, January 2012

When I went there, the "gym" consisted of maybe 20 cardio machines for the whole college. Now, they have a sparkling facility that's nicer than most gyms I could buy a membership to, complete with a rock-climbing wall and brand-new machines.  Wonder what that's like ... They even have luxury apartments, which I'm sure even have exhaust fans and stoves that don't leak natural gas, unlike the apartment Alissa and I shared in 2005.

However, the one thing that hasn't changed in the student newspaper office that I spent many, many of my undergraduate hours toiling away. It's still the same smurf-colored blue walls, they still have my futon in the corner and the computer are still the mini-Macs we were so excited to purchase in 2005. The clock on the wall was the same, the bulletin boards, cork boards and paper files are still the same. Rachael even recognized the microwave from her college apartment that she donated to the cause in 2005.

My favorite Beta Sigma ladies and I drove down Saturday morning for the alumni reunion, of which, we made up half of the participants. After a little presentation, we checked into the Embassy Suites, which turned out to be a fabulous deal. We got a two-bedroom suite, along with a drink reception and free breakfast for $110.

We also enjoyed dinner at One World, which holds a special place in our hearts. Hyacynth worked there in college, and we all subsisted on the hummus and spinach dip there for at least half of our college years. The hummus there is to die for - incredibly creamy and nutty, served with pita and cucumber.

I had a southwestern wrap that was awesome, along with sangria. The sangria there is incredibly sweet and doesn't like there's any alcohol in it. Dangerous.

In the end, it was a lovely trip down memory lane, and I got my fill of nostalgia. We stopped by the bookstore and joked about the time we spent on the quad, swapping stories of our undergraduate glory. It's crazy to think I've been out of college for five years ... I'm so old.