I went to the University of Virginia for undergrad and I loved it. LOVED IT. There were definitely stressful, painful, awkward, and even some racist moments that occurred during my stint at UVa, but my summation of the overall experience leaves me feeling warm on the inside and puts a smile on my face. I graduated in May 2008, and I wasn’t sad to leave college. I felt like I had a good handle on the whole school thing and I was ready to move on to other ventures and try being a real adult. Almost two years later, I’m pretty much an adult (I guess paying for my own bills and not living with my parents constitutes that) but I can’t/won’t let go of UVa.
When I moved to New York, I moved into an apartment with a girl who attended UVa and had graduated a few years before I did. I didn’t know her, I found her on Craigslist. It was a coincidence we had gone to the same school, but once I found out she was a Cavalier (our mascot) I was so ready to sign the lease. Eventually I moved out and got an apartment within blocks from two of my closest friends from college. We didn’t plan to live near each other, all three of us just happened to move to the same neighborhood within months of each other. After I moved here, I thought I would dive into the New York dating scene, but months after I arrived I got into a relationship with a guy who had gone to my college. We didn’t know each other in college, and we didn’t start talking until after we both graduated. And he doesn’t even live in New York, he lives in Boston, but that UVa connection was a familiar safety net that was more appealing than trying to figure out a New York stranger. I’m an actress and I started taking improv classes shortly after my move to New York. My first improv teacher happened to mention that she was a former UVa student in class one day and after that I would talk to her after class, she got me more involved with improv, and now I’m really involved with the improv community. Would I have talked to her after class and developed a relationship with her if she hadn’t gone to UVa?
None of this is too bad, besides it could just be a series of coincidences. Or maybe my subconscious is making me arrange the events of my life to stay in UVa circles. I may not actually miss UVa, maybe I just miss being in college. I was on top of the world when I was in college. College was my way out of an uncomfortable high school experience, my mom’s house, and the Midwest. I was able to constantly be around people who think like I do, and I was in an environment where I was encouraged to learn from people who don’t think like I do. And I really took ownership of the school. I spearheaded activities, lead groups and started new groups. All my friends, recreation, food, health centers and other amenities were in walking distance. And I was allowed to be selfish and think about what I want in life, what learning experiences are best for me, and get prepared for my future. Now that I’m a post-graduate, no one cares. No one cares if I’m still figuring things out. No one cares if I’m learning from others or shaping my environment to benefit me or the people around me. No one cares if I feel fulfilled. No one even asks, especially not in New York. Not to mention the school breaks! If I was still in school, I would be on winter break right now instead of dedicating a huge percentage of my week to a stop-gap job.
I started thinking about letting go of the past last night. I was invited to a UVa alumni dinner. I didn’t know the people planning the dinner that well, and I assumed I wouldn’t know too many of the other people on the guest list either. But they went to UVa, so it should be fine. I went to the restaurant holding the dinner and didn’t recognize anyone. Everyone looked young, like they just got out of school. I feel like I just got out of school, but I didn’t; I’m almost two years past that point. I walked into the restaurant and walked right back out. I didn’t want to waste a night talking to a bunch of kids who just got out of school to hear them whine about how they don’t know what to do with their lives, or complain about how they can’t find a job because of the recession. I don’t need to hear any more of that because I already lived that.
I went home and hung out with my roommates, who are also involved with the improv community (my social circles aren’t that wide. It’s pretty much UVa and improv). But hanging out with them was really fun. I should try to branch out and embrace other circles. I’m in a different location, I should breathe it all in. There’s nothing wrong with staying connecting to your my school, but after a while it’s good to let it just be that, my old school.
When I moved to New York, I moved into an apartment with a girl who attended UVa and had graduated a few years before I did. I didn’t know her, I found her on Craigslist. It was a coincidence we had gone to the same school, but once I found out she was a Cavalier (our mascot) I was so ready to sign the lease. Eventually I moved out and got an apartment within blocks from two of my closest friends from college. We didn’t plan to live near each other, all three of us just happened to move to the same neighborhood within months of each other. After I moved here, I thought I would dive into the New York dating scene, but months after I arrived I got into a relationship with a guy who had gone to my college. We didn’t know each other in college, and we didn’t start talking until after we both graduated. And he doesn’t even live in New York, he lives in Boston, but that UVa connection was a familiar safety net that was more appealing than trying to figure out a New York stranger. I’m an actress and I started taking improv classes shortly after my move to New York. My first improv teacher happened to mention that she was a former UVa student in class one day and after that I would talk to her after class, she got me more involved with improv, and now I’m really involved with the improv community. Would I have talked to her after class and developed a relationship with her if she hadn’t gone to UVa?
None of this is too bad, besides it could just be a series of coincidences. Or maybe my subconscious is making me arrange the events of my life to stay in UVa circles. I may not actually miss UVa, maybe I just miss being in college. I was on top of the world when I was in college. College was my way out of an uncomfortable high school experience, my mom’s house, and the Midwest. I was able to constantly be around people who think like I do, and I was in an environment where I was encouraged to learn from people who don’t think like I do. And I really took ownership of the school. I spearheaded activities, lead groups and started new groups. All my friends, recreation, food, health centers and other amenities were in walking distance. And I was allowed to be selfish and think about what I want in life, what learning experiences are best for me, and get prepared for my future. Now that I’m a post-graduate, no one cares. No one cares if I’m still figuring things out. No one cares if I’m learning from others or shaping my environment to benefit me or the people around me. No one cares if I feel fulfilled. No one even asks, especially not in New York. Not to mention the school breaks! If I was still in school, I would be on winter break right now instead of dedicating a huge percentage of my week to a stop-gap job.
I started thinking about letting go of the past last night. I was invited to a UVa alumni dinner. I didn’t know the people planning the dinner that well, and I assumed I wouldn’t know too many of the other people on the guest list either. But they went to UVa, so it should be fine. I went to the restaurant holding the dinner and didn’t recognize anyone. Everyone looked young, like they just got out of school. I feel like I just got out of school, but I didn’t; I’m almost two years past that point. I walked into the restaurant and walked right back out. I didn’t want to waste a night talking to a bunch of kids who just got out of school to hear them whine about how they don’t know what to do with their lives, or complain about how they can’t find a job because of the recession. I don’t need to hear any more of that because I already lived that.
I went home and hung out with my roommates, who are also involved with the improv community (my social circles aren’t that wide. It’s pretty much UVa and improv). But hanging out with them was really fun. I should try to branch out and embrace other circles. I’m in a different location, I should breathe it all in. There’s nothing wrong with staying connecting to your my school, but after a while it’s good to let it just be that, my old school.
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