College roomie Melissa and I outside our old dorm room - 13 years later
Today I spent a fun morning at my alma mater, Flagler College, helping students move in to their dorm rooms. Luckily I was joined by my good friend and former roommate, Melissa.
I'll be the first to admit that I don't remember college. At all. I have a few random memories, but I don't remember the classes I took, professors I liked or hated, or big events on campus. I go to Alumni Weekend events and don't know a soul, other than the three people I keep in touch with on Facebook and two close friends I see frequently.
But, as Melissa and I were wandering the halls of Ponce and the streets of St. Augustine, she was able to jog my memory a little bit. I realized that I do have memories of those three and a half years (couldn't wait to graduate, had to get done early!), they are just buried somewhere deep inside.
As I was driving home along A1A, I know that the 10 years since I graduated have gone by so quickly too, and I'm sure I have forgotten lots of things along the way. It's a great thing to have friends and family and photos to help you remember, but how great would it be to have a journal?
My mom has my great-grandmother's daily journals from the early seventies. By that point, Great Grandma was in her 80's, but she lived to be 104 so that was still pretty young! Her diaries include fascinating info like the weather forecast and her day's activites (always including "watched stories" - her term for soap operas).
While I'm certainly not disciplined enough to keep a daily journal, I would like to encourage everyone to start a journal of some kind - whether it is online in the form of a blog, a Word document you add to on a regular basis, or an old-fashioned hand-written dairy.
Especially as you plan your wedding, you will have so many great memories - advice you are given, fun moments with friends, the time you and your mom spend choosing your wedding gown. Write it down! Or document it through photos or video. Anything to make these momemts last, because trust me, you will be celebrating your 10th wedding anniversary before you know it!
