While most of my friends who went abroad did so during junior year, I chose to postpone my off-campus experience until my senior year. I spent last fall semester in Washington, D.C., and even though I was stateside, readjusting to DePauw after eight months away is a definite culture shock.
Though I tried to suppress it, I felt like I was missing out while I was gone. Monon was particularly painful, as was seeing all the senior bonding events happen from hundreds of miles away. Each tweet by @PresidentCasey broke my heart a little more and I yearned for the days of lounging on the Kappa porch, swinging and eating frozen yogurt like my time here would never end.
When I got back to campus, with each joyful reunion, I asked what I missed all semester. But I got the same response every time: "Nothing." I was always taken aback and responded with, "Surely something happened in the whole four months!" But friends and acquaintances alike assured me that the DePauw I missed is just the "same old, same old" as it always had been.
But to that, I counter that being back again has recently felt like I've returned to a whole different world than what I've known for the past three years. Even something as simple as driving up to campus is drastically different with the gorgeous new entrance - a project that has truly revolutionized the Facebook cover photo as we know it.
Another photo-friendly addition that happened while I was gone are the lights illuminating East College at night. The most visually appealing parts of our campus looks even more stunning than before, making a walk to Roy O. a much prettier experience.
Now I can't shake a stick around campus without hitting someone carrying a Starbucks cup, and with the new adjoining bookstore, it looks like a really great way to promote the university and integrate us into the community.
On that note, as part of the Stellar Communities grant, Greencastle's historic buildings have all been renovated and we now get Wi-Fi all around the square. And while the closing of Treasures was a sad reality to return to, I'm excited that it's reopening as Downtown Deli, now under new ownership. Blue Door's hours may be limited now, but I can get my fix with Green Apple Frogurt's brand new menu items while I wait for their grand reopening.
This is also my first semester on campus being 21, and that's changed the way I socialize and opened new doors (well, the ones leading to Hoods, the Duck, and Moore's, anyway). But perhaps the hardest change for me to adjust to is not recognizing anyone anymore. At such a small school, such instances have been rare for me, so I'm glad my class is finally all back on campus again.
Overall, this whole place is about as unfamiliar to me as it was when I was a senior in high school, but I can feel it in the air that the spirit is the same. If I really was 18 again, I would pick DePauw in a heartbeat.
My time away has helped me realize the things I've always loved and be astounded by our newest improvements. DePauw is definitely different, but returning with fresh eyes has helped me learn how to appreciate what we have, at a time when making the most of everything has never mattered more. But if I happen to ask you what's been happening around here, please don't say "nothing"- clearly a lot has been changing. But I'm ready to enjoy it all one last time.
- Bremer is a senior from Clarendon Hills, Ill. majoring in communication.