Recollecting and Reconnecting

An old black and white film shot of the quad at the University of Rhode Island.

I jumped at the opportunity to catch up with some old friends of mine this weekend. It's strange, I'd been doing a lot of thinking about this period of my life lately. After the Avon Breast Cancer Walk, the Kaplans gave me a ride home and I talked about how I had come to work for the newspaper with their daughter. It wasn't planned, that's for sure. I recalled that I spent a couple years at URI without much direction then decided that school wasn't the right place for me. I came back to Connecticut and spent another four years in college. I wanted to get a degree in graphic design, but fell in love with art history in the process of filling in my requirements to take a graphic design class. I started working at the newspaper as a sales representative, which I was not cut out for then transferred over to the art department as a proof reader, eventually landing in, lo and behold, graphic design. Rachel's father commented, "Wow, Audra, it sounds like you really perservered." I never would have thought of it like that, in fact, I viewed that time of my life as a series of mistakes and blunders.

I screwed up at URI, not liking the size of the school or my classes and lost my academic scholarship. I came back home not even wanting to continue with school. I wanted to work. I got a job at Milford Camera shop, but my parents told me if I wanted to stay in their house, I'd have to go to school or pay rent. I went back to school; part time at first, until I figured out what I was going to do.

Not everything about URI was bad. I originally intended on trying out for the softball team and studying to become a marine biologist. I even had a video tape made up by my softball coaches. It was all professionally edited and everything. Part of the reason I originally chose URI was that it had the major I was interested in, division 1 sports and a great marching band. I was really ambitious and thought I could do it all. I moved in a week before the other freshman for band camp. (Go ahead, get the laughter out, I know, band camp.) But the people I met that week were so amazing, I completely changed my plans. I never tried out for softball. I was hooked on band.

Being part of a massive marching band was awesome, my high school only had 30 members, and pep band was incredible. I knew Lamar Odom way before whatever Kardashian he married did.  As much fun as I had with these people, it wasn't the right fit for me. I don't think 12 hours of lab time a week on top of your regular course load is right for anyone. I also don't think having a lab TA that could barely speak English is conducive for learning chemistry. Even at the young age of 19, I knew that cheating my way through multiple choice exams wasn't going to get me anywhere in life, so I decided to leave.

Still, I viewed it as a failure and didn't think about that time of my life. I've never regretted the decision I made to come back home. If I hadn't left URI, I wouldn't have worked at the camera shop, I wouldn't have fallen in love with photography, I wouldn't have reconnected with old high school friends and I wouldn't be working at the paper. My photography would never have grown without the experiences I've had here. I think it's just another part of accepting where I am in life and appreciating it. I did however, regret the friendships I turned my back on for 12 years. It wasn't anything personal, I just wanted to focus on where I was going.

 Oozeball picture circa 1999

Oozeball is essentially volleyball played in about three feet of mud. It's a brutal sport held in early spring so not only are you covered in mud, you also freeze your butt off. I still can't believe I tore my ACL playing basketball indoors and not by diving to hit the volleyball while my shoes stuck in the mud. Go figure...

Recreation from last weekend.

Besides my friends not recognizing me until I spoke, and I really don't blame you, I look totally different now and don't have a picture of myself as my facebook icon, we hit it off. It was absolutely hysterical to recall stories I hadn't thought about in over a decade. Like the many times I tried to steal Amy's boogie board and surf down the hill outside our dorm room. Or when I made Rob a paddle for the fictitious Epsilon Delta Tau, Mu Epsilon chapter. (Go ahead, look up the Greek letters, I'll wait.) Or when I snuck off with John's wallette and ordered him a hula dancer doll. And although we hadn't seen in each other in twelve years, any time any one of them drove through Milford, they thought, "Hey, there's a duck pond in Milford!" (It's part of a Milford theme song I would incessantly sing, which everyone in Milford knows.)

Myself, freshman year of college, riding the school mascot outside the student center.

We had a lot of fun back then, and although it took us a long time to reconnect, I can't tell you how glad I am that we did. It was a great way to start off the holiday season and I sincerely plan on keeping in touch this time around.

 URI Marching Band Trumpetresses

Thanks to all of you, especially Lisa and John for hosting! If any of my readers have an old friend that they haven't spoken to in many years, I urge you to reach out. It might just make their day. And thanks to the Kaplans for being such amazing people and making me think more positively!

 

Oh, and somebody wasn't very happy that I got home late...