In the order of my brain remembering them, here are the top 10 things I miss most about Samford.
#1: Christmas break. And any break for that matter.
College has so many freebie days and weeks off. Christmas. Fall break. Spring break. SUMMER. You don't get those in the corporate world. But I am thankful for paid holidays--10 per year, I believe. We definitely did not get paid for taking days off class.
#2: Reading and writing were my jobs.
For four years, all that was required of me (in a nut shell) was to read, show up to class, and write papers. I loved it. All the Latin and the Greek and the British literature and the grammar... I loved digging in to those books and studying and contemplating. I loved learning about the puzzle pieces of translating Latin from Dr. Clapp. I loved sitting outside on a pretty day reading and discussing Sallust with Dr. Montgomery . . .
#3: All the walking.
I walked a lot in college. To class, to the cafeteria, to the library, to meetings. It was wonderful and helped me stay in shape. Now, I sit at a desk for the most part of everyday. I have to be intentional about my walking and exercising. Samford made that part of my life so easy.
#4: The dress code.
I could wear jeans and Greek T-shirts to class every single day if I wanted. I've never been a fashion freak, and I was far from being one of those cute-outfit-and-stilettos-every-day sorority girls. I wasn't sloppy by any means, I just loved my comfy, practical jeans and T-shirts. In the real world, you can't wear jeans and T-shirts to work. You have to put effort in to an outfit every single morning. And it's not about comfort.
#5: The Quad.
This is a beautiful, open area in the heart of Samford's campus. I love the Samford Quad. It's beautiful and spacious and usually peaceful. There are Frisbees and hammocks and trees and squirrels. No matter what time of day or year, I love this place. It could be a lazy weekend day in the fall, a late night Panhellenic adventure in the spring, or a free hour between classes any time of year. There's this one huge Magnolia tree by the pharmacy building. It's the perfect place to hide out and read or study or people watch. I love that tree. I spent many hours under its thick branches.
#6: The Season of Step Sing.
There is nothing more exciting, more creative, more fun, or more sick-causing than the three February weeks of Step Sing at Samford University. I received my first really bad grade on a test during that madness. For a taste of the amazingness that is Step Sing, watch Phi Mu present Se7en (2008):
#7: Dr. Todd and his endless supply of captivating stories.
Dr. Todd is a remarkable and fascinating individual. He has some great stories. Like the bear. And the Greek monastery that forbade women to enter. And so many others. But it wasn't just the facts of the stories; it was the way he told them. He also taught me that it's not always all about the grammar when reading Greek. It's about the story, the big picture.
#8: Bubbles in the Ben Brown fountain.
This just made me smile every time it happened, even though I knew they would drain it and not refill it for weeks on end.
#9: The Caf.
I am not a cook. I actually think I hate cooking because I'm not very good at it. But when you live on your own, you have to eat somehow. And eating out more than once or twice a week isn't really an option when you're on a budget. The Caf had it's good and bad days. But it had cooked, ready-to-eat food. And for that, I am now grateful and wish I still had access.
#10: Earth Day with the undefeated Department of Classics.
Every spring--and I LOVE spring at Samford!--there comes a day called Earth Day. Ok, yeah, it's a national, world-recognized day. But in the Classics department, and to Dr. Flynt, it is akin to the Iron Bowl, Graduation, Christmas day, Easter, and Rome's birthday all jammed in to one day. Ok, not really. But it is a really big deal. And we always win. There are months and months (or a couple weeks) worth of prep time. There are games. There are prizes. There are usually Roman soldiers and occasionally a volcano.
And there you have it. Some of my favorite memories from being a student at Samford Univeristy. Things I miss that you don't get in the grown-up world. But that's ok:
To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven
-Ecclesiastes 3:1What are some things you miss about college?
I miss how easy it was to see my friends. Everyday we just seemed to bump into each other. As the years pass, it grows harder and harder to keep in touch.
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