Really, I do. It’s not that I miss being in my late teens and early 20s. I don’t want to go back to that part of my life at all. But I would love to be a college student again. I posted about this a bit at another of my blogs (under my other writing name) but today I feel it even more acutely.
My daughter and I visited Wake Forest today, and were both blown away by the place. It’s beautiful — like the college campus from Central Casting, if you know what I mean. But it was also a great day. We both got to attend (separate) mock classes, and the lecture I attended was fascinating. It was on Conspiracy Theories and ways of debunking them, which is interesting in its own right. But the professor who gave the lecture was dynamic and articulate and clearly passionate about his subject. It was a terrific lecture.
I am certain that I could get far more out of college now than I ever did when I was a kid. I might not be able to pull all-nighters or party the way I used to. But I would get so much more out of classes and I would certainly do better, more consistent work. And I would relish the opportunity to spend all my time focusing on learning, on reading, on sharing ideas and debating concepts. I am, I have to admit, a bit jealous of my daughter, and the adventure on which she is about to embark. More than that, though, I am thrilled for her.