Memory Monday:Class Notes from the University of Life

I recently finished a monumental project; I took 6 Banker boxes of notes from undergraduate and graduate classes, and I got rid of them.

So to speak.

I didn’t exactly throw them out entirely… instead, I like to think I just made them really, really, really small.

With the blessing of my IT guy at work, I used the copier to scan my reams of notes and turn them into PDF documents. So now those 6 boxes of notes all fit on one nifty thumb drive… and a backup on my computer. And an automated Mozy backup of my computer.

In other words, my notes are:

1. More protected from the elements than they were before
2. More accessible to me should I ever wish to reference them again
3. once again enjoyed as a journey down memory lane

It really was an enjoyable experience heading into the office on evenings and weekends to complete the project. It reminded me of the care-free days of college, when the world was your oyster and silly things like debt and anxiety were reserved for the “old people.” I recognized friends’ handwriting in the margins of my notes, old girlfriends and study partners (in some cases the same person) who made college fun and boring lectures tolerable.

Those were days I never really want to forget, although they’re already beginning to fade a bit from my memory. Perhaps these prompts will guide you in remembering your college and post-graduate education so your kids and grandkids can compare it to theirs:

1. How did you select the college you attended? What were the most important criteria for you (cost, location, friends, major)?
2. Where did you live during your time in college? What were some of the unique things about the places you lived or stayed?
3. Who were your roommates during college? What made you decide to switch roommates, if you did?
4. What were some of the traditions or special events you remember about your college experience?
5. What about the college campus — what were some of the special characteristics? Did you have a favorite building or location on campus?
6. Have you been back since your graduation? How has the college changed in that time?
7. How well have you kept in touch with friends from college? Why do you think you kept in touch with some people and not with others?
8. Where did you like to study on campus or off campus? Did you prefer a study schedule or cramming (or both)?
9. What were some of your favorite classes in your major? What about elective classes?
10. Did you join a fraternity or sorority? How did you select the one you joined? What are the most poignant memories from that experience?
11. What do you remember about your college graduation?
12. What kind of jobs did you have during college or during your breaks? Did you do anything fun during your college breaks or “study weeks?”
13. Did you and your friends have a favorite “hangout” on or around campus? What was it called, and how or why did you choose it?
14. What advice would you give someone starting college right now that you wish you’d been given (or listened to)?

(If you just spend a paragraph on each of these questions, you’d have about a 10-page chapter on college for your autobiography — cool, huh?)