Getting Schooled at Bowling

Believe it or not I used to be a serious bowler.  My husband has bowled for nearly 25 years and when he and I started dating I joined a weekly bowling league with him.  After much hard work, a new ball, and a rediculous looking wrist brace, I began to develop a solid swing and an even more solid average.  Then, as work and class and life got busier I left our league and gave him a bowling night with the boys.  I have not bowled in two years, until last night and needless to say my score was not pretty but tour guide bowling night was a huge success.

Last night several of the tour guides I supervise joined myself and many of my colleagues for a game of bowling.  We all created intimidating names (examples include Dean Dizzle, Killa Ki, and R. Dubs), picked out a ball, rented shoes (one guide came with her own purple suede bowling shoes she accidentally bought off Ebay — how you accidentally purchase bowling shoes I’ll never know), and hit the lanes.  Whereas in kicball I was victorious, the tour guides definitely kicked my butt all over the lanes last night.

More to the point however is that college is made up of memories such as these.  Yes you will remember the big concerts you attended, the nights you hit the town, and the big moments like graduation but your most cherished memories will be watching your friend throw herself halfway down the ally while trying to conspicuously consume her contraband food that she brought with her from outsid the ally.  The frat parties, formals, and finals will stick with you but not like the memory of laughing with students and administrators as one dean tries to coax her ball towards the head pin with her hips.  So when selecting a college try to imagine yourself playing taboo until 2:30 in the morning with your housemates (once of my most cherished memories from W&M) or playing mini golf on a beautiful fall afternoon and laughing until you cry with your friends.  It is these memories that make up a college experience and it is these memories that will last you a lifetime!

– Wendy Livingston