It’s hard to believe, but later this month will be 25 years since we packed up my things and checked me into my dorm room at the Hiram G. Andrews Center in Westmont, just outside of Johnstown. That weekend was a changing of the guard as I would be away from my home for the first time in my life. I’d still come home over the weekend but during the week I’d live at the school and take my classes.
That Saturday we drove up to the school and got me checked in. My aunt and sister drove to Ames just down the road (remember them) to pick up hangers so I could hang my clothes on something. That night we ate dinner at Ryan’s by the Galleria. That place is gone and the Galleria has really changed as malls have been on the way out. I’m really dating myself, but Richland Mall was still around in 2000, though just the K-Mart and Ames were the only stores still open.
It was hard for both my mother and me as we parted ways that weekend. We were both dealing with a new season in our lives. I would be home for the holiday weekend on Friday.
Fun fact: the resident assistant who did my paperwork and checked me in is still at the school, albeit in a different position.
While I was going to give a speech next Tuesday at Laurel Highlands, I think I like to postpone it until the next meeting on August 26. I’m going to speak about my first semester at HGA, and what better day to speak about it than the exact day that I moved in and started to live life on my own?
It didn’t have to happen, and I was more than qualified to attend the local community college. I couldn’t leave this out of the speech but my mom thought it was better for me to attend HGA so I could learn to be independent. It was a decision that has shaped me into who I am today. I joke that while Slippery Rock was a great experience, HGA has the upper hand.
I’ll have plenty more content for this speech in a few weeks, but I feel that this is a start. I can also add more to future blog posts as I consider making this a weekly blog series. Going off to college is a big transition and it definitely was for me in 2000, as I had only been a social person for a few years at this point. But even then, I was dealing with anxiety (which had been a big thing for me in my late teens and throughout my 20’s). It’s a subject that I’ll save for a different blog post down the road, but still it’s something that I wanted to share here. This affects how I present myself even in 2025 and it’s a side of me you may not have seen. Once I collect some facts, I can share this with Dr. Liz, who has her own mental health podcast.
While Fall is popping up and it’s tempting, I’m waiting until the end of the month to have my first Pumpkin Spice Latte. I am getting excited for the launch into Fall coffee and cooler weather.
Stylish 🍒 