Wow, my first day of college was 9 years ago!  I have very vivid memories of moving into my dorm and that first weekend living on campus.  All of these memories are coming back to me since Jaclyn, our little sister, moved into the University of Southern Indiana yesterday! We had lasagna dinner (her favorite)  Wednesday night and I helped pack up the car with her clothes, toiletries, picture frames, Rice Krispie treats, computer, printer, bedding- all pink and purple!  Josh went with their parents to help her move into her very first dorm.

Spring, 2003 - Freshman Year at Montclair State

My experience was somewhat similar, my brother and parents helped me move into the 14^th Floor of Bohn Hall at Montclair State University, in Upper Montclair, New Jersey in August 2002.  I was the 3^rd roommate in a 2 person dorm as Montclair admitted too many students that wanted to live on campus.  But still we were optimistic and were going to make the best of it.  Just like Jaclyn and Joyce did, Mom and I went earlier in the summer to check out the dorm, sign up for classes and I even applied for an on-campus job at the university day care center. Soon enough I was a pre-school aide!

We packed up the cars (mine and my parents) left the house super early and tried our hardest to be one of the first ones there so that I could get all of my personal belongings in room 1418.  Being on the 14^th floor, we had huge shopping carts to help move in.  I remember wearing my little white denim capris, black tank top and my new GUESS purse from my summer job. Since I was the 3^rd roommate, we shared a closet and I brought my own desk- Can you believe it?  Bohn Hall did not have air-conditioning and my dad and Kevin sweated as they built this desk in the hallway filled with 30 some other girls and their parents moving them in.

 At 18 years old, I wouldn’t have been able to make it without them. We ate at the Red Hawk Diner on Campus and eventually it
was time to go.  I walked them out to the parking lot and cried.  I am sure my Mom did the same on the way home but they were so strong for me and made sure to not upset me more.  I just wanted to go back home with them and they made me suck it up.  I felt lost, everything was totally new, I didn’t know ANYONE, I had 2 roommates that I didn’t know at all and we slept within 10 feet of each other!  That night, we had a meeting with our R.A., chatted with our neighbors and met lots of new people.  We were invited to a frat party and actually went!  I was so scared. It was strange to not have a curfew and could come and go as we please. The next morning Colleen, Bec and I got up early and had breakfast together- our first meal as roommates.

College was one of the best experiences of my life.  I made lots of friends, studied my butt off (the last 2 years anyway…) and more than anything grew up so much and became independent.  Before I knew it, I was a senior taking 18 credits a semester, had 2 internships, coordinated Career Day on Campus and received 2 awards at the School of Business Graduation in May.  Rudy, my best friend in college helped me get through everything the last two years of school.  I lived with the same group of “GAP” girls all 4 years and we still keep in touch now.

Supe Bowl Party, 2004

Spring Break 2006

Rudy, Kamila & I at Graduation, 2006

They came to my wedding, we have gone to a bachelorette in NYC, wedding showers, wedding in Pompton Plains… They are living in Aspen, on a cruise ship, teachers, a nutritionist, performer, actress, furthering education,  married, engaged, and 1 is even pregnant! I love my college friends so much and hope to stay in touch with them forever and have a big vacation in Hawaii together someday!

My wedding, January 2, 2009

Heather's Wedding

Maureen's Bachelorette

Some of my best memories from college-

• Meals at Blanton with the GAP girls, especially omeletes
• White T-shirt and jeans day (annual occasion)
• Six Brothers dinners with Uncle John
• Watching the OC Thursday nights
• Ice skating at Rockefeller center
• Boys baseball games & the baseball house
• The “Shittle”
• Seeing Suze Orman speak at my internship’s luncheon
• GAP girls in the student newspaper!
• Homecoming Pong tournaments
• Starbucks with Rudy
• Christmas Secret Santa
• Lunch at the Student Center
• coffee addiction began
• Marisa’s 21^st Luau in January during the snow storm
• Scribbling the order in which we would marry on a bar napkin (I was first somehow and it really happened!)
• Shopping at Willowbrook Mall
• Learning to cook and grocery shop
• Meeting SJP at Lord & Taylor, New York
• Meeting my husband on Spring Break in Ft. Lauderdale

Jaclyn, I wish you the very best in college.  You are set up for success and will go so far.  We are so incredibly proud of you. Of course we are going to miss you and think of you every day. I love you!