Perception.

In rare times of peace and quiet, I sometimes reflect on my days in college. Back then, multiple people I encountered who were already working kept telling me college was the best time of my life, and I should appreciate it. I didn’t understand what they meant till now.

It’s especially during this season where I long more for the days gone by. I remember many a winter’s day, where I would trudge home in the snow to my apartment, take off the layers, then curl up on the couch with a cup of tea. More often than not, one of my roommates would also be there, Zane would be taking a nap or watching a rerun of Seinfeld. Blake would be perched on the edge of the couch reading a book, or hanging out in his bedroom.

We would always argue about whether to put the Christmas tree up after Halloween or after Thanksgiving, and we would always compromise – put the tree up between Halloween and Thanksgiving, but instead of a start, a baseball on top. Zane’s the biggest baseball fan, and that was our little ode to his devotion to the game. Christmas music was off limits till after Thanksgiving.

Our neighbors were also our best friends, and they’d walk in here and there. We'd borrow each other's salt or rice, we'd play board games or make dumplings into the night. Hot chocolate was always an easy way to convince the group to pile into a car to the hot chocolate shop and chat for hours on end. Often, we'd try to see if we could various female friends to come along. 

In the summer, we would stoop on the steps in the evenings. It was scorching hot in the summer, but evenings would bring beautiful sunsets and a gentle breeze. The quadrangle was a lively place, people would be chatting or trying to grill something on a portable BBQ. The chatter was always there, but not too loud, like birds chirping - people laughing and talking to each other happily. Wild nights meant hammocks tied to the porch posts, with people playing Four Square, or Just Dance with 30 people following the screen at the same time.


I love my job now, it's fulfilling, and I learn much each day. I get the opportunity and autonomy to grow a business, and work with some fantastic colleagues. It's not healthy or helpful to dwell on days gone by.

But, there are days when, just slightly, I wish I could go back to the simplicity of those days where friends were family, where the only thing I had to worry about was completing that homework assignment or taking that test.

That's the beauty of life though, we move on. We learn and change and love and grow. Sometimes, we make mistakes and fail and struggle to get back up. I miss college, but I'm ever grateful for the path I'm on, and hope that in whatever small way I can, I'll move forward and do my best to make this world a better place.