A Little Recap

As I told you last week, I recently attended my Alma Mater’s reunion.  It was even better than I expected.

We arrived late Friday morning, just in time to walk around campus and enjoy an al fresco lunch.  We were thrilled to see some faculty and staff from our day still there.

Actually the picture looks like we ate lunch alone, but we arrived too late for the Founder’s Day Service  and ended up being a few minutes early for lunch.  Since they can’t fine us anymore for skipping, we lived on the wild side!

We saw our Freshman dorm, which is being renovated.

We were happy to see that the statues were still in Main Hall.  For some reason we used to put little things in the dish of the statue and then go back and see if it was still there. 

We totally didn’t appreciate the beauty of our college while we were there.  We did this weekend.

Have I told you how amazing my college experience was?  Yes, I thought so, but so many others think so too.  Here is another article that was recently written.

Friday night was our class dinner and the only picture I have of all of us is a bit blurry {and y’all won’t even believe it, but this isn’t even MY blurry picture}.

Oh wait, I do have this one, but we are inside and the lighting is not very flattering.  We are posing with Dr. McDaniel here.  He was interim president while we were there and we all adore him.  It was so sweet of him to come to our class dinner.  He kind of likes us too.  He said we are “His” class.

Roomies forever!  One day I am going to tell you all about this girl and our friendship.

Saturday we had a small baby shower for our friend who is expecting (Surprise!) in the summer.  We had a nice lunch and then headed back to the college for our class meeting. 

Mary Ames and I are so thrilled in this picture because we were re-elected as class reps. 

Yeah.  That is a joke.  We do it for the love and money that goes along with such a prestigious position.  Again, I kid.

Saturday night we had a fun dinner at the college and then it was followed by a concert by Daughtry.

Then all too soon it was over.  I love coming home to my guys, but I miss my girls when I leave.  Then I remember that I’ll get to see my girls again over the summer or here and there and my classmates…well we get to do it all over again in five years!

125 Years of Educating Women

Today I leave my island home to go visit my Alma Mater, Converse College.  Most people have never heard of it, but I am so proud that I graduated from such a fine college.  This year marks 20 {GASP!} years since I graduated as well as the 125th anniversary of the college.

There are three things that I’ve done that have made me the person I am today.  One of them is graduating from Converse. If you know nothing about Converse College this video might pique your interest.

This article came out recently and it describes some of the history that has been uncovered as they have been renovating Pell Hall, where I lived as a freshman.  If those walls could talk!
I am helping to plan our reunion and have asked classmates to send me photos from our college years.  I have laughed until I cried at some of the pictures, but out of respect, I’ll just share the ones that show us being “collegiate”.


Yes. there are only two.  In my defense I have all my pictures in storage and can’t get to them now.  I’m sure there are plenty more of them there.
Because Converse is a private women's college they could place all sorts of rules on us.  They were just protecting us from ourselves, but we did in fact need that protection.  In addition to protecting us those rules also made us so very close.  My Converse friends will be there if I need them.  Period.
The first 6 weeks of our Freshman year we had a curfew.  Of midnight.  We did it too.  After the first six weeks we got our curfews extended until 2 a.m.  Can you imagine?  I can, and looking back on it, I’m so glad we had a curfew.  As my mama always says, “Nothing good ever happens after midnight.”  Truer words have never been spoken!
Our entire four years were had to live on campus.  We ate most of our meals in the the Dining Hall {not a cafeteria}  and were had a sit down dinner every night.  At the time that was unusual, but now it is un heard of.  It gave us such a strong bond.  We really knew our classmates.
Every college has convocation, and other ceremonies, but we were required to attend six a year and we would have to pay a fine or do labor if we missed them.  We had to go to Convocation, Festival of Lessons and Carols, May Day and Founder’s Day.  We detested dressing for all the ceremonies, but it was really special.
Another special tradition at Converse is the Big Sis/ Little Sis tradition.  During the first few weeks, freshman, juniors and transfers attend a series of mixers and fun activity nights.  Each Freshman is chosen by a Junior to be a little sis.  During Big Sis Lil Sis Week, the big sister’s identity is a carefully guarded secret. At night, mysterious runners deliver presents and goodies.  The even number classes are Pink Panthers and the odd numbered classes are Red Devils.  Of course I was a Pink Panther.  Pink is much better than red.  Old loyalties die hard.
So this weekend I will be reconnecting with women who share a common experience with me, but also love for the college who made us into the women we are today.

Converse, Converse we pledge our love to thee

Tomorrow I leave for my class reunion at Converse College. I won't be able to post and show you pictures of these adorable boys.

But don't worry I will be back and hopefully rejuvenated after 2 days with my girls. I can guarantee that I will have a funny story to tell, but it probably won't make a bit of sense to you. Not that it will stop me from telling it!
Right now I won't ramble about how wonderful my college experience was, but I will say that it was worth every penny!