Tomorrow my husband and I are flying to Virginia for his 5-year reunion at Washington and Lee University (from here on out referred to as "W&L")! The thought of celebrating this reunion is probably odd to most people, but that is what makes our university so special. With only about 450 students per grade, the school exudes a small, charming, friendly, and familiar feel to everyone who either strolled down the Colonnade for four years or is merely passing through Lexington on a Civil War Landmarks of America tour. Unlike many of our friends in the South, we do not have Division-1 national championship-vying sports teams that bring us back multiple times per year, and the 8+ hour drive from Atlanta to Virginia is not easy when you have a full-time job and your husband is in a full-time MBA program. Hence, going back to a place that means so much to us and which we do not frequently get to visit (not to mention getting to relive the glory days of college with students who are now my "little" cousins' ages) is very exciting to us and makes for a work week that feels never-ending! In my eager anticipation to get back to Lex-Vegas, I have compiled a list of the top 10 things that I am looking forward to:
1. The iconic scenery of the rolling Blue Ridge mountains and the golden leaves gracing the trees
2. Cool, crisp Virginia weather
3. Paying a visit to the Washington and Lee University Store where Matt and I met as work studies six years ago, catching up with our old bosses who served as matchmakers, and stocking up on W&L gear (though unfortunately not being able to swipe it home). Side note - I hope today's work studies enjoy playing "Which Sorority Girl Swipes Home the Most Stuff Today" game during their shifts as much as I did.
4. Strolling around Lexington and checking out all of the new stores/restaurants that have popped up since we graduated.
5. Playing beer pong at the fraternity house with the current students and feeling like I am way too old/questioning why I ever thought Natty Light tasted good.
6. Hopefully paying a visit to my old sorority house. We typically had a reception during half-time of the football games, but since the game is at 7 pm I'm not sure if they will be having one or not.
7. Spending time with our friends who we do not get to see very often and re-hashing everyone's most embarrassing college stories. Two words: cheesy beard.
8. Visiting the Blue Lab Brewery and trying lots of different Virginia craft beers at Saturday night's Virginia Beer and Wine/BBQ event. My name is Molly and I am a craft-beer snob. My 18-22 year-old self would be so disappointed (see number 5 above).
9. Eating lunch at either The Southern Inn or the Bistro on Friday as we roll into town.
10. Reminiscing about the best four years of my life and all of the nostalgic flashbacks I'm sure I will have.
I'll leave you with this video which perfectly captures our university and for anyone with a connection to W&L, will give you happy chills:
Make sure to plug our campaign for the Molly-squared Memorial Fridge Shelf plaque at YOUR University store!! Also, when I was there last the snack center at 4 Frank P had really gotten a classy makeover. Apparently the girls no longer eat like a dog with their face instead of a spoon out of their styrofoam bowl overflowing with 4 kinds of cereal at 2 am and leave the aftermath cocoa puff debris lying around. That was what I had hoped would be my srat legacy.
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