Notes from Under the Oaks | August 2015

Our August commencement took place a few weeks ago. As we were preparing to greet our guests and welcome 200 new alumni into the Alumni Association, a colleague commented about having a “groundhog day” feeling. I instantly agreed.

This sense is particularly strong in August when we begin orientation on the heels of commencement. On Saturday we welcome new alumni and by Monday we’re shaking hands with new students.

After years of this it all starts to blend together. The unique qualities of each group fade because all of the graduates exude the same aura of hope, pride, joy and relief and all of the new students seem excited, nervous and wide-eyed— even the graduate students.

In an effort to remember what it is like to be one of those students I recently read through the journal I kept as a college freshmen. Most of the content isn’t worth sharing, but there were a few themes that ran throughout.

I was amazed at my sleep patterns, which I documented in surprising detail. I’d sleep four hours one night and 16 hours a few nights later. 

I was also incredibly concerned about money— I mentioned multiple times how hard it was to spend $200 on books.

I am amused at home much time I spent studying. I made the dean’s list that first semester, which was a feat not repeated during my college years, so I guess I shouldn’t be surprised by five hour study sessions.

I am also startled at how uncomfortable it was to live in the dorms. I have no memory of this— I only have fond memories of dorm life— but I was really taken aback by the absolute lack of personal space. I didn’t use those words, but I mention several times how much I miss being able to go “home” at the end of the day.

Mostly I wrote about the quest to find my place on campus and to find friends.  Many of the characters that first year remain friends to this day, but particularly that first semester, it felt like a mad scramble of meeting dozens of people unsure if any of them would be the people I would long to see at a college reunion in the future.

After reading all of this I better understand why so many of the new students look like they are in shock. It’s a lot to process!

Of course not every character in my college journal or at the many orientations I attend has that stricken appearance. Many of them appear charming and confident— is that real? This makes me curious—what do you remember about starting school at Pacific?

How much did your books cost?

Were you instantly friends with everyone in your cohort or did it take a few lab sessions of using your classmates as guinea pigs before you were pals?

What did you think of dorm life?

How important are academics in your memory of early college life?

What advice do you have to share with new graduate students, new transfer students, new freshmen?

As always, I look forward to hearing your story.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to share your story or if there is anything we can do to assist you. Give us a call, send us an email, connect with us on Facebook, or best of all, stop by Abbott Alumni Center for a visit!

Best wishes,
Martha Calus-McLain ‘03
Director of Alumni Relations