As I’m writing this, it’s college move-in day and I’m jealous of every one of those kids. It was always my favorite day of the year because my buddies and I could see all of the incoming freshman girls — I mean, students. (Donnie, your wife could be reading this).
Anyway, I grew up within walking distance of The College of New Jersey, and Rider University was just about two miles away. Living in a college town is awesome, but it also has its flaws, especially during move-in day. You might get the occasional beer can in your yard or hear students as they walk down the street late at night. My parents hated when a beer can ended up in the yard.
Being the men in the house (Dad was probably at work), my brother and I devised a plan to stay up late and wait for one of those students to drop a beer can on our lawn. Georgie had to be about 16, so I was 12 years old (thank you, math teachers). We waited on our parents’ porch in the dark like creeps, hoping for a can to fall. It never happened, but if it did, what were two scrawny kids going to do? We weren’t fighters. We were way too good-looking for that. (My brother told me to write that. He’s not wrong).
That same brother left for a college in Delaware that no longer exists (Wesley College, RIP) in 1999.
I remember we took two cars to bring all of his stuff. Who brings this much stuff away to school? He did. Also in the car was his high school girlfriend. It was super awkward because I knew their fate even if they didn’t — a breakup was imminent.
Now, I love my brother to death, and I was pretty sad that he was going away to college, but I also knew I’d have the house to myself and an extra room to make my own.
My mom cried, like she always does. My dad kept a calm demeanor, like he always does, but I know he was sad. His oldest was leaving, and now he was stuck with just me and my mother. I always wondered why he picked up extra shifts at work after that. Touché, Pops.
I was finally the only child. First order of business: change his answering machine message. It went something like, “What’s up, you’ve reached Donnie and I can’t get to the phone right now. Leave a message at the tone. I’ll get back to you when I can. Peace!” I’m pretty sure I had a cool song in the background when I recorded this message. Moving on after that embarrassment.
In 2003, it was my turn to go to college. Wouldn’t you know, I went to the same school as my brother. It’s par for the course with me trying to follow in his footsteps. I’ve done this my whole life. He quit baseball, I quit baseball. He liked rap music, I liked rap music. He even tried to teach me to dance like him, and that’s where I drew the line. He’s a great dancer, but I’m on another level. Maybe this is a story for another time.
My brother was doing his fifth year in college, and I was just starting as a freshman. The day came when my parents had to drop me off. My mother, once again, cried like a baby. I cried too.
I’ve always been a mama’s boy, and I couldn’t help thinking, “How in the world do I get Tylenol or Afrin Nasal Spray when I need it?” I didn’t realize that actual stores sell them. Nope, Mom always had them at the ready. It was like she had a factory in our house that nobody knew about, producing all the medicine we needed. That lady was a magician.
I know most people reading this aren’t college students. This is for the parents. (College students can read it too, I don’t discriminate). Having a kid go away to school can be tough. I don’t have kids, but I’ve been a kid before and went away to college, so I know everything.
I was scared because — who was going to wake me up for school? An alarm? Would I like my roommate? I had to eat in a cafeteria and not what my parents had always made me? It was all new, but it was all good stuff. Parents, you’ve raised those kids right.
College was one of the greatest times of my life (besides my wedding — just in case my wife is reading this. That’s number one on my list, honey). I still keep in touch with my college buddies, and we still reminisce about all the times we barely remember.
For the kids going to college, here’s some advice: make friends with really smart people in your classes. My friends and I steadily skipped class. We could have used those friends. I’m sort of kidding. Good luck in school.
Donnie Black was born and grew up in Ewing Township. He currently works at radio station XTU in Philadelphia as a producer, on air personality and promotions director.
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