FAMILY SESSION: Friends for Life

As a way of another "introduction" of sorts for those that may be "new" to CT PhotoMemories, let me share another little tidbit about my life story...

In my senior year of high school, I knew my dad really wanted me to attend a big state school...Most of my good buddies were planning to attend U of M and Michigan State (if you didn't know this already, I'm a Michigander)...a few were heading to Western Michigan and a couple to Central Michigan as well.  As valedictorian of my graduating class it made perfect sense that I only wanted to apply to schools that began with the letter C, because my name is Colleen...with a C...

this is ridiculous in so many ways that I look back and think, "how the heck did I even dress myself in the morning with that mentality?"

but, I digress...

I applied and was accepted and even had my roommate assignment for CMU by spring of my senior year. 

The problem being, that I was absolutely positive that I wasn't supposed to be attending CMU, but I had been incredibly fearful of disappointing my dad. I was heading to Colorado that summer to nanny for my 3 young cousins after their mom had passed away, so I figured I would have some time to "think" about my decision over the summer months...

So, in March I gathered up enough courage & saved up money to apply to Cedarville College...little Podunk school in Ohio that I had secretly dreamed of going to since middle school. 

Miraculously, I was accepted, even at that late date and given a scholarship to attend in the fall. 

It's a private school and myself without sufficient funds, I thought I'd only be able to afford one year, so I was going to make the most of it...I tried out for every traveling team available, I spoke to everyone that passed by and made as many friends as I could...I spent hours in the library (not studying mind you) socializing...I would flit from desk to desk and introduce myself and start conversations with strangers...I planted myself on the balcony of the lunch area so that I could spot every person that came in and wave to them or leave my food and run down to greet them...

does this even surprise you? 

In the end, I graduated from Cedarville College (not university) and was able to pay my way by participating on traveling teams, working and scholarships...

College was a completely different experience for me than probably anyone else I've ever met..but it was my undoing and my "re-raveling" of who I was and who I became...

It was at this place that I met my husband.

It was at this place that I met friends that have been not only loyal and true, but accountability friends through the ups and downs and the hard of life... (You can read a little about that HERE)

It was at this place that I found my voice, argued with profs, was stretched beyond what I thought I could handle.

It was at this place that I started to find the courage to become who I was meant to be.

It was here that when my sister died the month before I started my senior year, I came to know what true friendship meant, what walking alongside someone in a journey actually looked like...

I know for nearly everyone that college is a "right of passage" in a sense...

This is just what mine happened to look like...

And for me, those that were there with me, have gone before and after me...well, there is a camaraderie...

I guarantee that I introduced myself to Bill & his wife while at CU...he was actually roommates with my "getting started" group leader when I entered as a freshman. (this is a type of "camp counselor" if you will, to sort of show the freshman around at orientation) We all share different CU friends by plus or minus the 7 degrees of separation...and I am always excited when I see their email in my inbox looking for family pictures. I'll be seeing their eldest daughter in the coming weeks for her senior pictures as well...They are kind, committed, passionate and grace-giving people...

Ultimately, I feel that lots of people that have attended CU have had similar experiences and though there are always those that won't share the same love, I am grateful for my time there...for the priceless things I was taught & friends I made for a lifetime...