UPDATE 8.27.12: As my youngest begins college today, I'm reflecting back on my days in college and this reunion 2 years ago with my sorority sisters...some friendships made in college are truly life long...time for another reunion!
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Original post from 2010:
Yesterday was such a delightful time for me. I was able to visit several of my friends from our college sorority. We belonged to a local sorority of about 50-60 young college women called TYES that has since become the national sorority Pi Beta Phi. Local sororities are much less expensive than the national ones that require quite extravagant annual and monthly dues to be active members and/or alumnae. However, they are just as much fun!
A few of us had even gone to high school and carpooled to college classes together since we lived in the same neighborhood. Some people think that sororities are full of cookie-cutter Barbie girls. Ours were certainly attractive but different in so many ways, both then and now.
We all played sports--softball, basketball, flag football, water polo--and were very competitive, winning lots of awards in college intramurals. I'm glad I did since I have two sons. :) We do clean up rather nicely, too--see photo above. We also won many awards for community service on campus and off. Some were very athletic, some fashionistas, some liked to party hard, some musically gifted, others scientifically gifted...the list goes on. Grade requirements kept most everyone's academics in line.
As in all large groups or clubs there are always a few who are closer than others but what joy to be reunited with so many of them after 30+ years. We're definitely not kids anymore. I graduated from college in 1977 so you can do the math. :) Some Christians, some not. Some have never married. Some married young (some married older, like me) with children of all ages, some with grandchildren now. Some have suffered through divorce, the death of a parent(s), spouse and/or children, sickness or other ways. Some are moms at home, others have full-time careers. Many live out of state. Facebook has helped us reconnect and touch each other's lives. Amazingly, the friendships we had back then are still in tact, for the most part, even today.
The college years from 18-22 years of age are such a growing up time of life as I can see now watching from the outside in my own son who is in college now (the same one from which I graduated). :) We made mistakes and hopefully, learned from them. We learned how to get along with different personalities and how to appreciate those differences. We comforted those with broken hearts, family struggles and rejoiced in each other's accomplishments, engagements, weddings...
There was a reunion dinner on Friday night which was well attended (I couldn't go that night). Saturday was another dinner and a tour of the university (which is in our city). I had already done a tour a few months ago so I hosted a smaller gathering in our home--kind of a pre-reunion time of catching up.
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Original post from 2010:
Yesterday was such a delightful time for me. I was able to visit several of my friends from our college sorority. We belonged to a local sorority of about 50-60 young college women called TYES that has since become the national sorority Pi Beta Phi. Local sororities are much less expensive than the national ones that require quite extravagant annual and monthly dues to be active members and/or alumnae. However, they are just as much fun!
is now
A few of us had even gone to high school and carpooled to college classes together since we lived in the same neighborhood. Some people think that sororities are full of cookie-cutter Barbie girls. Ours were certainly attractive but different in so many ways, both then and now.
We all played sports--softball, basketball, flag football, water polo--and were very competitive, winning lots of awards in college intramurals. I'm glad I did since I have two sons. :) We do clean up rather nicely, too--see photo above. We also won many awards for community service on campus and off. Some were very athletic, some fashionistas, some liked to party hard, some musically gifted, others scientifically gifted...the list goes on. Grade requirements kept most everyone's academics in line.
As in all large groups or clubs there are always a few who are closer than others but what joy to be reunited with so many of them after 30+ years. We're definitely not kids anymore. I graduated from college in 1977 so you can do the math. :) Some Christians, some not. Some have never married. Some married young (some married older, like me) with children of all ages, some with grandchildren now. Some have suffered through divorce, the death of a parent(s), spouse and/or children, sickness or other ways. Some are moms at home, others have full-time careers. Many live out of state. Facebook has helped us reconnect and touch each other's lives. Amazingly, the friendships we had back then are still in tact, for the most part, even today.
The college years from 18-22 years of age are such a growing up time of life as I can see now watching from the outside in my own son who is in college now (the same one from which I graduated). :) We made mistakes and hopefully, learned from them. We learned how to get along with different personalities and how to appreciate those differences. We comforted those with broken hearts, family struggles and rejoiced in each other's accomplishments, engagements, weddings...
We chatted and laughed just like old times. A dear friend to us all is in the midst of a battle with cancer (her husband of 34 years has myelenoma and begins the bone marrow transplant process this week). They live in North Carolina. We talked to her and met her whole family--kids, grandkids, her mom and also got to talk to her husband-- on SKYPE which was a first for me with VIDEO! You've got to do this if you haven't already. It's a free internet site that you can talk (audio) and/or have video at the same time. It's almost like being there in person. We were as glad to see her as she was to see us. At the end of our talk she put her arms around the computer and so did we for an internet hug. :)
Afterwards we headed over to a local restaurant where a room had been reserved for us. About 20 gathered there to eat, share photographs, scrapbooks and albums, take even more pictures, laugh and talk more--mostly, a different group from Friday night. We met at 7 p.m. and closed the place down at 11:00 p.m. I have been hoarse all day from talking practically non-stop from 4:30 - 11:00 p.m.! :)
Many posted their photos on Facebook right away. One of the organizers (thanks, Bobbi) set up a data base to help us keep current as to where everyone is, emails, phone numbers, etc.
One of the women was headed back to New York so a few of us got together for one last lunch together. :)
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of friends, particularly the ones who have known me the longest. These women are a treasure and I am blessed to know them and to be a part of their lives and them a part of mine, both in our youth and now into mid-life and beyond. I love you, Ladies.
Philippians 1:3
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you...
is now
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