"Driving down Walnut Avenue - near Syracuse University's main campus - for the first time since graduation sparked a feeling I wasn't expecting. This was where I lived during my last two years of school, where my closest friends and I built a community, a routine, and made some of our fondest memories. And here I was, a mere six months later, back in town, getting ready to celebrate my first alumni weekend."
"The pure stability and happiness of my life in college is something I don't think will ever be recreated. When will I ever be able to attend a late-morning hot yoga class on a weekday? Or have a constant partner for grocery shopping who just so happens to be my roommate and best friend? College was exactly what my parents said it would be - a four-year-long summer camp with decreased responsibilities and no 9-to-5."
Returning to campus for the first alumni weekend stirred unexpected nostalgia and discomfort as I realized life on campus had continued without me. The campus represented a period of stability, community, and simple routines shared with close friends. Anticipation about postgrad life included fear that such happiness could not be replicated—spontaneous weekday hot yoga sessions, an ever-present roommate companion, and easy daily validation. Transition required replacing casual neighborly support with scheduled texts and calls and adjusting to quieter home environments. Coping involved staying busy and seeking self-help guidance while recognizing that enduring friendships remain the most valuable element.
Read at Business Insider
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