Monday, August 18, 2014

They're back....

Photo from the Lawrence Journal-World, my former employer
My sleepy little summer burg turns into a riotous college town once again this week, as thousands of students move into their dorms (five of which are a block-and-a-half from my house). We locals will try to stay out of their way for a few weeks, avoiding Target and other 'stock up' stores like the plague and driving defensively, even on our way to the grocery store.  I'm always secretly excited to see them return in the fall.  Like the swallows to Capistrano, but with less poop. (Well, at least, we can hope.) Yet, I can't help but note the difference between Move-In Day 2014 and Move-In Day 1973.  Today, you see parents and siblings in full sweat, lifting and schlepping their college kid's belongings...and then some. In August of '73, my mom and dad literally dropped me and my stuff on the sidewalk in front of my dorm, hugged me 'goodbye' and took off.  I don't think they even bothered to check out my room. After all, they had four more kids to get home to. Hover? My parents didn't know the meaning of the word. (And, I think I'm a better person for it.)
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1 comment:

A Fan said...

Thanks BG. Memories. I went to university about 200 miles from home. In the late summer of 1972 -- I drove myself and moved into the dorm,that Freshman and subsequent years. My parents also had my siblings and jobs to take care of. In the next four years until graduation, my parents visited campus a few times for special events, but they never set foot in a dorm room or an apartment I lived in during that time. Far from "hovering", they were interested in and supportive of my college career, but left all the details, and eventual success or failure to me. One unusual sign of the times -- I went to a private university and their policy then was to send your parents a copy of your semester grades. A policy they stopped by my Junior year. Don't think that's legal now with privacy laws, etc. I do think being more independent served us (Boomers) well.

August 20, 2014 at 1:49 PM

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