Leading up to Parent’s Weekend, there was a strange feeling of
pride mixed with nerves, at least for the freshman. We finally left our nests to fly off to the big world of college, and now our parents were to join us at
our new homes on November 6th and 7th for Parents’
Weekend. For some of us, this was our first time seeing our parents since we
left in August. It was something to prove—show them that we had grown up even
just a little bit since we left. Parent’s Weekend consisted of two days—one
dinner and fun night at Abel’s North and one bar-b-que tailgate at the Zeta hous
My
father is notorious for being right on time for everything, so of course we got
to Abel’s North as one of the first family’s there. My parents immediately
wanted to be introduced to the other families there, and each time there was a
split second of fear running through my head of, “Oh my God please tell me I got
her name right,” even if we had become close friends. Everyone casually talked
about flights or drives into the city after such big storms the days before, or
where their children came from or what each parent did for a living. The next
day at the Zastle, everyone got in line to pile their plates up with bar-b-que,
the girls so used to the routine from Chapter meetings while parents’ eyes
glittered with amazement at the beauty and care of our large white home. More
conversation ensued and parents and kids alike gleamed when their parent could
remember the names of the other parents or child that they were talking to. There
was introducing dads and moms to new Bigs and parents wanting to capture every
second. Jumping from tailgate to tailgate proved an interesting task as each
house provided new and interesting entertainment.
My two
worlds collided as I introduced my parents to each of my new friends. The sense
of pride never wore off because going off to college is hard and strange, but that all payed off when I knew I had some wonderful friends and wonderful
parents to show off like toys. Coming from a performing arts high school, my
parents were just giddy to be introduced to so many male friends! I never
thought I would be dragging them to tailgates or big white houses filled with
happy and familiar faces. But now that it has come and passed, it was all so
easy to fall into a rhythm of home and new life mixed.
ZLAM,
Tatum Zeko PC '15
