Little Things I Miss About College

Many, many hours and many, many memories.

*Since this is my 10th year teaching, that means I have been out of college for a decade. Don’t worry, my prescription of Paxil is in the mail. Anyway, I primarily teach seniors and I have worked “life lessons” and “college tips” into my courses. You know, handy stuff like “If you’re low on cash, hit up a Costco and eat samples for lunch.” I’m a practical person. Part of being a teacher of seniors is writing students’ college recommendations. That’s on top of my regular course work. All of this is to say that thoughts of college – both general and specific – are always on my mind.

I was lucky enough to bump into several old friends from college over the winter break. It’s amazing. I’ve said it before, but there’s always something shocking about being reunited with old friends and you realize that they are either nothing like your decade-old memory of them, or exactly the same. In my experience, there is no in-between.

For something like the 7th year in a row, I began this morning – the first day of the second semester – in my classroom putting up the introductory notes for William Shakespeare’s Macbeth on the board. When I finished, I took a step back, took a look at what I had created, then took a few seconds to curse myself. When I had cleaned up the pity party, my thoughts inexplicably turned to my own college experiences. It was something like a 5-8 minute nostalgia trip that took place entirely in my head while I sat in my desk chair that grows less and less comfortable each year.

Despite what has been said by others and possibly myself, I did do other things beyond spending hours playing the first 3 iterations of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater in my four years of college. The following is a list of things – some specific, some general – that I miss most about college. This isn’t a eulogy. It’s a celebration of the best contiguous four years of my life. I mean 10 years later, there were no lows, everything about those days were high.

Well, obviously, this isn't mine.

1. AOL Instant Messenger: Not so much getting in fights with my then-girlfriend, typing all in caps (WHY ARE YOU YELLING?), but I have to admit, I miss the random sounds of a door opening or closing coming from my computer speakers.

2. Carrying only two cards in my wallet: This is the kind of thing one can only appreciate in hindsight. I had my LMU ID, which was my everything from door entry to food purchases, and my debit card. That’s it. I mean, that’s really the only way you can use a Billabong nylon surf wallet with a velcro closure: if you’ve got nothing in it.

3. Boatloads of idle time: I will likely never again re-enact the scene (intoxicated) from 90210 in which Brandon Walsh forgot his hiking boots and nearly killed himself by falling off a cliff. I will never spend an entire night running through pop culture debates like Which high school, teeny-bopper movie was best? (She’s All That) I will never again spend the time and energy to hash out a working script and plot for North Shore 2. I remember being bored with the thought that I didn’t have anything to do. Stupid Phil, you should have appreciated the time when you didn’t have to do anything.

Yes, Yes, Yes!

4. Girls, girls, girls: I attended an all-boys high school. I teach at the same all-boys high school.

5. Flirtation without consequence: It’s just a different environment. You know how Halloween is like a green light/pass for women to wear revealing clothing without being judged? College is like that – guys and girls – except it’s every day for four years (sometimes five). You could push the envelope with someone and feel like it wouldn’t be a big deal. Sometimes you’d push the envelope. Then you’d lick the envelope. And then maybe you’d get package confirmation. And then you’d send it. Maybe you’d get a reply. Maybe you wouldn’t. Didn’t matter.

You could tell how great a night was by how many of these were lying around the next morning.

6. The confidence created by knowing my body could handle anything I put it through: It was like having Mario’s star constantly. All-nighters to write papers? Cake. Wake up for class at 8 after partying? Easy. Knowing I could reasonably deal with all of that stuff resulted in this belief in my own invincibility. Now, the threads of that indestructibility are tattered to the point where I am out with friends and my internal monologue starts screaming “Bad Idea!” at 11.

7. The elation of being done with my day at 11 in the morning: Arguably one of the best things about college: making your own schedule. There were days when I’d pop into two classes at 9 and 10 and the have the rest of the day to do whatever I wanted. Now, I answer to a bell that rings every 45 minutes. I am Pavlov’s dog. Also in play: spending an hour or two between classes to play in an NBA Street tournament. I probably should have studied. But hey, I made it out anyway.

8. Living with your friends: Not as contentious as living with family, but not as tedious as living with strangers. They can help you out. They can call you on bullshit. But they can’t tell you how to live. Unless your roommate is Brett.

9. The pure joy of finishing finals: One of the best “weight off your shoulders” feelings ever. Best case: I had three finals on Monday, two on Tuesday, and my roommates weren’t even close to finishing. There’s something awesome about singing “School’s Out For Summer” while your roommates tell you to eff off.

10. Good Drama: The better looking twin of Bad Drama, good drama was the result of possible awesomeness because of the general uncertainty created by people aged 18-22. Good Drama generally refers to point #4. Bad Drama also refers to point #4, if it doesn’t work out, or gets off the ground, but promptly embeds itself into the face of a cliff and there are no survivors.

11. Huge social circle: I used to know a lot of people. That’s what it seemed like, anyway. Now, 84.2% of my friends on Facebook are former students. Metaphor time: My social circle used to be a huge puddle after a torrential downpour. Then sun came up (I graduated). It was really hot for a long time. No more puddle.

12. Road trip: Inherently and monumentally easier if you don’t live on an island.

13. Spontaneity: Sure we made plans, but the best stuff that ever happened just happened. It’s hard to truly appreciate this until you live your life one unit, one lesson plan at a time.