Creepy crest, huh? Very Alfred Hitchcock. No wonder I never went for the school ring.
My memories of my university days are fond ones (clearly, I block out exam time) and I try to donate to the alumni fund when I can.
But it helps to get a reminder phone call like the one I got today.
Don’t get me wrong, I do not respond well to traditional telemarketers, as a rule. But when I hear the shaky, stage-frightened voice of a current Carleton student on the other end of the line, how could I not say “yes” to their fund drive.
This most recent caller sounded like a young eager guy who was nervous but very keen to share all the news about the school. When I mentioned I hadn’t visited the campus in quite some time, I swear I could hear his face light up in a smile.
I tried to listen patiently as he regaled me with details about the new buildings going up and programs being launched, when all I really wanted to do was commit my pledge and hang up so I could get on with the excitement of finishing my laundry.
But by the end of the call I did feel reconnected with my alma mater, in a way. Then, the donation didn’t feel so much like “charity” but more like a “thank you” to a place that was a home-away-from-home for a while. One that brought me new experiences and knowledge, but most of all friends I still have today.
I guess those exams were a small price to pay….
