Connection

The year was 1999. It was my last year in college. I had just returned from a year abroad in France and I felt like a complete fish out of water.  I felt so much older than everyone else and my class pace at the University of Kansas just seemed so slow compared to the year I had just spent in France.  On a whim, I applied for a job as a scholarship hall director on campus. I had returned from France without a place to live or a job.  I interviewed for the position which is normally only open to graduate students (I will still an under grad) and an hour after the interview I received an email from the department of housing with a job offer. I was in charge of 50 girls in a scholarship hall right on campus.  Choice living conditions for a student without a car. And I had a sweet apartment in the hall for free.  That year was a pretty amazing year. For the first time in 3 years I really enjoyed going to class.   Most seniors I knew that year were had a schedule crammed with last minute requirements to fill whereas I was able to take that obscure French class just for the fun of it.   And on top of it, I had a very enjoyable job of taking care of 50 women at the scholarship hall. During the first month I made a huge effort to get to know all my residents. Know their names. Their major and what they liked to eat. I was responsible for keeping the fridge and pantry filled as well. I spent time in the kitchen cooking with my residents and eating dinner every night at a different table. 

Nearly 10 years later, a few of my residents still stand out in my mind.  Many of the other's names have slipped my mind as I'm sure they have forgotten their SHD as well.  Ah, time... how you make us forget. But late last year I was contacted an old resident of mine.   At the time Laura was working as a design editor out in California.  I was thrilled to hear from her again.   Laura was one of the residents I clearly remembered.  She was a freshman the year I was an SHD.  From Texas and she had a little twang in her voice.  I remember her tall figure and her sheepish smile the very first time we met.  I remember going by her room and admiring her photos. She was studying photography. I even remember once she had an important date and was looking for something to wear. She came to my apt and asked if I had anything that would go with the cute black dress she was wearing.  I have to tell you that Laura is nearly 6 feet tall. And with me at just barely 5'7", I didnt' have much to offer her. But the moment has been ingrained in my mind as I can still smile remember her trying on my cardigans only for them to be too short on her.   After we found each other again we exchanged several emails and  caught ourselves up on what we had been up to. She married another scholhaller. Traveled and move to California.   The year we lived together I felt like a sort of sister to her.  Laura just recently became the editor at JPG Magazine.  When I first heard the news I can't tell you how thrilled and proud I was of Laura.  She recently blogged on JPG blog about a new theme called Favorite Hangouts where she mentioned my café talks about how JPG connects people.  It is so true because that's exactly how we found each other as well.  So, here's to keeping in touch even in the most unique ways.

Comments

[Stella]

I remember Laura too! I think we had a class or two together in college! :)

that's so great that you two are still in touch!!

[Lauren]

Hi Aimee,

We met a couple of years ago at one of petite anglaise's blog meet ups in a Dutch bar in Paris. I hope to come and visit your salon de thé tomorrow as I'm full of admiration for what you have done and I always appreciate a good cuppa' and cookie!

Hope to see you tomorrow,

Lauren

[pamela Hornik]

I hoping to hang out in your cafe! Just got to Paris.

[Alice]

What a wonderful story about re-connecting! It's funny, I've gotten back in touch with some old friends from high school through social networks, and I certainly didn't expect that to happen! Although I was bit suspicious at first, just because that's the paranoid side in me (!!), now I'm glad that I've found so many people I had lost touch with a long time ago!

I only wish I had had that kind of reconnection with college friends my last year in college... When I returned my senior year after being abroad, I too felt like a fish out of water, but I managed to only muck through my final year, without making as much out of it as I possibly could have. I think I was already being drawn back to France, incredibly enough!

[patois]

How cool that you can connect with the standouts from your past.