Thursday Thirteen

After graduating from high school in 1988, I went to Adrian College for four years, got my degree in Music, then went to Michigan State University for two years, where I got my degree in Music Therapy. Then I had a six month internship at Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital, after which I earned my RMT certification. (You'd think that I'd have an actual job by now, but that's another story.)
Anyway,
Thirteen things I miss about my days at Adrian College:
1. My room. I had the same room all four years, usually with no roommate. (211 Cargo Hall)
2. The big bathtub in the bathroom. Oh, sure, there were showers, but I loved the little nook in the corner which had a big ol' roomy bathtub. Perfect for soaking after a long tiring day.
3. Living within walking distance of my friend Lee. He lived in 201 Deans Hall, right next to Cargo Hall. We saw each other just about every day. Now I'm lucky if I see him once a month.
4. The monte cristo sandwiches in the dining hall. I know, we all made jokes about cafeteria food, but I loved the monte cristos. It was like a grilled cheese sandwich with ham and swiss and turkey and cheddar. Yum.
5. Rehearsing with the Adrian Symphony Orchestra. The college's own concert band was not that great during my years there. Not very good at all. But the symphony, which had professional musicians from all across the state, was excellent. I was allowed to join as a 'student apprentice'. It was wonderful to be in the presence of serious musicians who really cared about getting it RIGHT.
6. The music classes. I loved learning music theory and composition best, but I also loved music history and conducting and anything else that was taught in Cornelius House. (the music building).
7. Making 3-am trips to Meijer for junk food. Hey, Meijer was open 24 hours-- an excellent business decision in a college town. Who knows when those cravings might hit for a bag of Reese's Pieces or a 6-pack of Jolt or a pint of Haagen Dazs?
8. Getting pizza delivered. I know, this sounds like a simple thing, but I live out in the country now, and pizza delivery is a mere memory. (sob)
9. El Chapaulin. (translation: "The Grasshopper"). This is a Mexican restaurant in downtown Adrian that Lee and I went to a lot. They're gooooooood. :)
10. Walking to Wesco. Wesco was a teeny little gas station & mini-convenience store a couple blocks from Cargo Hall. Sometimes late at night we'd go there and bring back little pizzas to microwave, or a bunch of pop to drink, or whatever. I distinctly remember seeing gas priced at 89 cents per gallon. (Yes, I feel old now).
11. My creative writing class.
12. Psychology classes in North Hall.
13. Learning Russian. (I loved it but have forgotten much of it. I need a refresher course!!)