Dear Gage,
This upcoming Alumni Reunion Weekend, we will be interviewing notable DePauw alumni for a new Alumni in Action video series. The web video series, which will be produced by a small group of DePauw student interns, aims to communicate the value of utilizing the opportunities offered at DePauw pertaining to career services, off-campus study, Winter Term and service-learning programs. Our goal is to encourage current students to take full advantage of the connections and resources readily available to them on campus, particularly those related to career advising and preparation for life after DePauw.
To preface the interview, we will be asking you to tell us about a specific experience, internship or off-campus study that stood out during your DePauw experience or has impacted where you are today. Additionally, any advice you have for current students on how they can prepare for life after DePauw is helpful as well.
Love,
some 20 year old girl who likely thinks she's got it all worked out.
East College on a Sunny Day.
Her name was actually Lizzie and she was really lovely. And the fact that she was in Greencastle during the summer for an internship shows that she likely does have some things worked out. But I remember Gage the summer before her senior year, too. Anyway.
For those of you who are friendly with Gage on the ol FaceSpace, you probably know that this past weekend was my 10 year college reunion. DePauw University is unique in how they handle their reunions, inviting graduating classes back every 5 years for a weekend on campus for a series of events and general good community gathering. (Note: all other classes with the same integers: '03, '08, '93, '78, etc. are also on campus so there's some really awesome opportunity to learn about the history of the school and those activities you participated in). It's really smart to pull us back on campus to share company with those people we made memories with in the same place where we made those memories. Plus, any of us who worked in development or higher ed can tell you, when you get people back on campus for anything, the liklihood to donate is far greater. My class raised $25,000 for DePauw this campaign. That's actually not a year's tuition anymore. Anyway. It's an AMAZING experience. Not only do I feel lucky enough have gone to college there at all, but the fact that I get to go back every 5 years, live in the dorms, party on porches and try to recreate four years in two days is beyond a blessing.
Really, Gage? Blessing? Really. I do not exaggerate for effect.
So when Lizzie emailed me, obviously I started thinking about what DePauw had "done to prepare me" for where I am today. At best that's a ridiculous question. Not that there weren't amazing opportunities for scholastic and personal development, but any alum will tell you that it's impossible to quantify. Still. I decided that I will focus on my time in Philly, where I learned that I am a city girl and, perhaps most importantly, that I did not want to work in tv production. That's a good idea. I'll focus on the fact that these kids should try everything they are moderately interested in. Getting the answer "no" is often more important when self-exploring.
I'm a genius. These kids will obviously hang on these super insightful words of this notable alum.
The day that Lizzie emailed me I got another email. This one from a pledge sister and dear friend I met in college. She was in labor with her first child! I was going to be an Aunt again soon. Something that I especially cherish when it's not biological. My college girls are my heart and so their joy is mine. We removed her from the email chain and the rest of us spent the day in a vitrual room waiting for our new baby. At first the excitement was tangible as we waited for LA to reach out to AP's husband to get updates and pass on our love and encouragement. (We have this shit down to a science, btw). Conversations got silly and sometimes a little judgy but it was almost like we were actually in a room together. But then after a while we hadn't really heard anything from AP. It was nearly mid afternoon. We were't worried but felt like we should be close and hadn't heard any news.
Update. The baby was face up (bad) and rolling over on his own (bad) so they were trying some things to get the baby ready to come meet his new aunts. Conversation got silly again. We started shouting out songs that had "roll" or "turn" as a hopeless attempt to feel helpful in this situation. Three hours later we still had no word of a baby and our updates were getting less and less.
We were all officially worried. Not that AP wasn't in capable hands of great doctors and the like, but at this point we just knew our friend was exhausted, maybe scared, and that she more than any of us wanted that baby to be safe in her arms. And just how her joy is mine, so is every fear and anxiety. Every two or three minutes we took turns asking, "anything yet?"
Nothing.
Two more hours of pacing, refreshing emails unnecessarily, and even sending emails to make sure that we could receive emails. A long long evening. And then we received the joyful news that our new "little" (9lb) man had arrived and that everyone was doing fine. I was at a concert when I got the email. Cried in public. And this particular band has three synthesizers, so not like some emo shit where it was easy to hide the fact that I was uncontrollably crying with joy. I didn't care to hide it - I was truly thrilled.
So that and similar stories of sharing life events, transitions, fears, and sadness is where I am in my life. And really where I've been since I left DePauw. Yes I have a job. A great job, really. But I'm a pretty capable person and I would have gotten there without DePauw. But here's the thing. I can't imagine getting through any of my goods or bads without these ladies. Hell, just a random Tuesday is better when I have them at my side. And since graduation we have never had all of us in the same room at the same time, but that never changes our level of commitment and love for one another or desire to keep trying to get us in the same room.
And really this weekend showed me the same thing about my graduating class as a whole. It became evident how much time we spent together back then. I had lunch at my sorority where I met most of my best friends. Toured the house, saw all my old rooms, and was flooded with great memories of those ladies. But it was at Beta, a house that I admittedly spent more time in than Theta, in the 5-man (room 10) that I started crying for truly missing college. But also tears filled with joy and thanksgiving for the memories that place provided me. A place that literally still smells of piss and clorox, with rotting couches, chipping paint, a room where I puked on a couch that I am certain I probably had at some point also made out on. I cried and laughed and walked down stairs to tell those same people that actually lived in that room that it was there and for our memories I cried. And they hugged me and asked if I really didn't remember puking on their couch.
For the record, I don't.
See, it's impossible to spend as much time together as we did for four consecutive years and not grow to love and want to support the people around us. And to see the dynamic, kind, funny, and no surprise successful men and women we've grown into makes me so proud and humbled by the company I keep it's overwhelming. But that all started years ago on campus when the successes were much smaller. People get As, earned interships, got those first coveted kisses, and for some we were proud when they simply passed classes or drug tests. Their joy is my joy. And without question we are best side by side. But we don't need to be physical neighbors to collaborate. (And our livers would likely agree that it's for the best we live far away).
Obviously with a reunion it's impossible not to look back, and I've been reflecting a lot, looking back to see how far I've come, wondering what's next, and really thinking about what I WANT next. I can feel myself facing a transition. I can't tell if it's a physical move or a professional move but I recognize that in myself lately. In no less than six conversations I had people offer networks, conversations, to pass resumes, and even a couch to live on. They still hope with me and are willing to work for me to ensure my happiness and success. And since no one lives in Greencastle after graduation, I literally have a community across the world.
And that is DePauw. My DePauw experience continues every day and college is not just the greatest four years of my life, but four AMAZING years leading to the greatest life that I can dream.
Two more hours of pacing, refreshing emails unnecessarily, and even sending emails to make sure that we could receive emails. A long long evening. And then we received the joyful news that our new "little" (9lb) man had arrived and that everyone was doing fine. I was at a concert when I got the email. Cried in public. And this particular band has three synthesizers, so not like some emo shit where it was easy to hide the fact that I was uncontrollably crying with joy. I didn't care to hide it - I was truly thrilled.
So that and similar stories of sharing life events, transitions, fears, and sadness is where I am in my life. And really where I've been since I left DePauw. Yes I have a job. A great job, really. But I'm a pretty capable person and I would have gotten there without DePauw. But here's the thing. I can't imagine getting through any of my goods or bads without these ladies. Hell, just a random Tuesday is better when I have them at my side. And since graduation we have never had all of us in the same room at the same time, but that never changes our level of commitment and love for one another or desire to keep trying to get us in the same room.
Mi'ladies. Well some of them. Some just had a baby.
And really this weekend showed me the same thing about my graduating class as a whole. It became evident how much time we spent together back then. I had lunch at my sorority where I met most of my best friends. Toured the house, saw all my old rooms, and was flooded with great memories of those ladies. But it was at Beta, a house that I admittedly spent more time in than Theta, in the 5-man (room 10) that I started crying for truly missing college. But also tears filled with joy and thanksgiving for the memories that place provided me. A place that literally still smells of piss and clorox, with rotting couches, chipping paint, a room where I puked on a couch that I am certain I probably had at some point also made out on. I cried and laughed and walked down stairs to tell those same people that actually lived in that room that it was there and for our memories I cried. And they hugged me and asked if I really didn't remember puking on their couch.
For the record, I don't.
See, it's impossible to spend as much time together as we did for four consecutive years and not grow to love and want to support the people around us. And to see the dynamic, kind, funny, and no surprise successful men and women we've grown into makes me so proud and humbled by the company I keep it's overwhelming. But that all started years ago on campus when the successes were much smaller. People get As, earned interships, got those first coveted kisses, and for some we were proud when they simply passed classes or drug tests. Their joy is my joy. And without question we are best side by side. But we don't need to be physical neighbors to collaborate. (And our livers would likely agree that it's for the best we live far away).
Obviously with a reunion it's impossible not to look back, and I've been reflecting a lot, looking back to see how far I've come, wondering what's next, and really thinking about what I WANT next. I can feel myself facing a transition. I can't tell if it's a physical move or a professional move but I recognize that in myself lately. In no less than six conversations I had people offer networks, conversations, to pass resumes, and even a couch to live on. They still hope with me and are willing to work for me to ensure my happiness and success. And since no one lives in Greencastle after graduation, I literally have a community across the world.
And that is DePauw. My DePauw experience continues every day and college is not just the greatest four years of my life, but four AMAZING years leading to the greatest life that I can dream.
You should stick with these two. They're going places.
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