<p>One of my favorite memories from my undergrad years (at huge Big Ten university) is receiving the huge paper catalog of courses for each term. I just loved going through the catalog with all those choices in so many different fields. </p>
<p>My D didn’t love her undergrad college as I did mine, which was really sad to me. I think she got a decent education there, and she got into competitive grad school program, but it wasn’t such a good fit for her.</p>
<p>I’m still very nostalgic whenever I visit my old colleges. It’s very bittersweet to see the changes and go around campus walking where you used to walk decades ago. My parents also went to my undergrad college and my grandparents used to take me there as a little child, so I have lots of family memories at my college. So I didn’t feel any jealousy pangs at my D’s college, just sadness that she didn’t love her college and campus as I did mine.</p>
<p>My H and I have this conversation all the time now that our DS is a junior and looking at schools - mostly LACs. Just this week as we were touring a school he looked at me and asked why he didn’t know about that school when he was applying. I was first generation college and there was not much guidance involved. My parents were supportive but we were all ignorant of the process so my choices were not good fits. We are thrilled our DS is engaged in the process and that he has given himself so many choices by working so hard. But if i could back and do again, I would.</p>
<p>Oh, I would go back in a heartbeat if possible. I was not given a choice on where to go, mother picked, had to be a state school…I did make good friends and we keep in touch now 28 years later, but I can’t say I really enjoyed it. Education was “OK” not the best. Didn’t get much choice on major - family rule was it MUST translate directly to a job upon graduation (nurse, teacher, etc) and a lib arts degree was OUT. So…yes, I’d go back. I have so many interests and I’d love to explore them but living in a rural area plus 2 children in college means “no” for now. The options for students nowadays is wonderful. I about drooled on some of the college visit trips!</p>
<p>I can’t wait to retire to a college town and travel to other campuses - Elderhostel here I come! Been researching a few already, although retirement is little more than a speck of light in the distance at this point. When I was an undergrad my work-study job was at the library on campus, where by far the happiest most content visitors were those doing Elderhostel. The day I stop learning is the day I leave this Earth…colleges will be the place to do it after I retire…</p>
<p>Sometimes I call D to ask “hey, are you going to such-and-such a speaker/event/etc tonight?” (after seeing the campus calendar on-line). I forget that she has to do homework and study too…</p>
<p>Elderhostel has just changed its name to Exploritas - they’ve also changed the age requirements to participate. So now you just need to find the time to go! [Exploritas:</a> Educational Travel and Learning Vacations for Adults from Alaska to Italy](<a href=“http://www.exploritas.org%5DExploritas:”>http://www.exploritas.org)</p>