The question posed to me most aften this weekend was "Is it weird being back?" In regards to returning for a visit four months after graduating from Kenyon. No, it was not weird. I needed the flood of familiar faces and hugs and repeating "I'm living in Minneapolis with an Americorp position" a thousand times. I found myself squealing every time a friend identified their class year, especially the new seniors.
I recognize fewer faces, and I think funny looks from first-years proved that we feel mutual non-recognition, but I hope they all found my anonymity a sign that they are acclimating to Kenyon because they can identify that I am not a student. A 2012 alumni could be judgmental, or bitter towards the class of 2016, replacing our well-earned places as Kenyon students, but I couldn't help but think as every unknown face passed by, "What groups did they sign up for at the activities fair?" "What are they going to lead on campus" "Are they going to join Crozier/POV/WKCO/all of the above"
Kenyon was the same, but Kenyon is very different. I don't like the nickname "Wiggle Ground" for Middle Ground 2.0, the second floor of the library was hardly recognizable, though the remodel doesn't make me cringe or have flashbacks to the chair and table at which I sat for the majority of my junior year, writing papers and feeling all the feelings. The only "weird" moment came when I walked into Bucket Haus, though is now ECO/PEAS, yet has hints of the inaugural residents. The stairway was sporadically spackeled to cover the flaws caused by the wall of awesome, and the falcon lives, though now on the first floor.
The constants of Peter, Crozier, Peirce (a fantastic assortment of desserts including the fanciest pudding cups I have ever seen, sorry Drew, I couldn't get a photo. Through I probably would hide it from you anyway) and friends filled me with joy. I know I will forever feel comfortable on that campus, comfortable to walk and talk and comfortable to engage and confront. Amidst the love and the lolligagging, I understand Kenyon is dealing with outsourcing drama, a new sexual misconduct policy and President Nugent leaving at the end of the year. The Kenyon I attended does not exist in a vacuum, I am still processing and learning from the experiences I had and the classes I took. The relationships with friends are still growing and changing, I would be denying myself the chance to learn by trying to freeze a time and place that has passed.
I recognize fewer faces, and I think funny looks from first-years proved that we feel mutual non-recognition, but I hope they all found my anonymity a sign that they are acclimating to Kenyon because they can identify that I am not a student. A 2012 alumni could be judgmental, or bitter towards the class of 2016, replacing our well-earned places as Kenyon students, but I couldn't help but think as every unknown face passed by, "What groups did they sign up for at the activities fair?" "What are they going to lead on campus" "Are they going to join Crozier/POV/WKCO/all of the above"
Kenyon was the same, but Kenyon is very different. I don't like the nickname "Wiggle Ground" for Middle Ground 2.0, the second floor of the library was hardly recognizable, though the remodel doesn't make me cringe or have flashbacks to the chair and table at which I sat for the majority of my junior year, writing papers and feeling all the feelings. The only "weird" moment came when I walked into Bucket Haus, though is now ECO/PEAS, yet has hints of the inaugural residents. The stairway was sporadically spackeled to cover the flaws caused by the wall of awesome, and the falcon lives, though now on the first floor.
The constants of Peter, Crozier, Peirce (a fantastic assortment of desserts including the fanciest pudding cups I have ever seen, sorry Drew, I couldn't get a photo. Through I probably would hide it from you anyway) and friends filled me with joy. I know I will forever feel comfortable on that campus, comfortable to walk and talk and comfortable to engage and confront. Amidst the love and the lolligagging, I understand Kenyon is dealing with outsourcing drama, a new sexual misconduct policy and President Nugent leaving at the end of the year. The Kenyon I attended does not exist in a vacuum, I am still processing and learning from the experiences I had and the classes I took. The relationships with friends are still growing and changing, I would be denying myself the chance to learn by trying to freeze a time and place that has passed.
