The Weekend Away

I recently went away with some of my girlfriends for the weekend. We returned to our college to relive our glory days and visit our old haunts. It was our first trip back in 6 years, our last visit was pre- kids but post ability to hold our liquor, and we needed the time to recover. This time around we are all in our late-ish 30's, 2 -3 kids deep, and practically born again drinkers. Our hotel this time, was the new Diamond Hotel in downtown and the pricetag reflected our age. No longer, did we need to stay at the aging and dirty Thunderbird Lodge...this time we were high rollers in Chico. After checking in, we immediately went down to the restaurant to grab a cocktail. And, as often happens when friends get together, one drink turns to six and your night is on its way. We grabbed a bite at the new sushi joint and were feeling pretty great about ourselves, when some college boys asked us if we wanted to join their table. After eating what was clearly not enough food to sustain the liquor, we headed out to our favorite bars. I wish I could say that I felt like I was in college again....but I didnt. I felt like I was viewing my college through adult eyes. Trying to remember what it was like to be that young.  After a few drinks (2 of them spilled on laps) I stopped to get pizza at the take out pizza window. I waited in line for at least 10 minutes with 20 other intoxicated people, all of whom were younger than me. We finished the night at Rileys, the most popular bar, but instead of grabbing drinks and hopping up on the bar to dance, we grabbed a booth and didnt move until last call. Yes, Friday night went exactly as it did almost 20 years ago, except that we knew nobody and wouldnt recover as quickly. Thankfully, we were able to spend the next day strolling through town and campus. We visited our old dorms, our old houses and our sorority house. We marveled at what a beautiful campus it was and wished that we had spent more time appreciating and exploring it. Saturday night was dinner and a drink and catching up with old, dear friends. We fell into bed early, so happy to not be spinning. I fully expected to feel like I was in college again, and that couldnt have been further from what I felt. I guess there is that part of you that feels ageless, like it was just yesterday you were up on that bar dancing like nobody was watching. You feel so connected to that person, that its hard to believe the image you see reflected in mirrors and windows. I think she is still there, but she is older, wiser and more sober now. She knows that she has 2 children to take care of the second she gets home. She has had so much more life and seen the world. And even though, she is so happy to be where she is, she misses that time in life. A time where you never had more than 20.00 in your pocket; where your biggest concern was what to wear; where school was something to be tolerated until you could get back to your friends and find out the absolute latest. I think most especially its the carefree living, the dancing til dark, sleeping til noon, not caring about what you eat, kind of life that can only be called your college years.