Not a coed anymore

Madison is a college town. That attracts me to it but also turns me off a bit.

We are constantly reminded of the giant university entrenched in the city as we search for apartments. As we drive around looking at houses for rent suddenly we are among fraternity houses and stopping to let backpack-toting students cross the street. I would love to live amid the nightlife and culture in the city's downtown, but I certainly don't want to end up stuck in a scene from Animal House.

We went to Chipotle on State Street for dinner last night and were definitely the oldest people there. And our kids were by far the youngest. Where did the last ten years go so quickly?

T says the college atmosphere makes him feel energized. I don't exactly feel the same, and I'm not sure why. Maybe it makes me feel old. Those college days are far behind me now and to the 19-year-old kid in the booth next to me, I am middle-aged mom. Maybe they just seem so excited and full of promise, and I feel sort of stuck and in limbo as I end one career and try to figure out what the hell I am going to do next. I'm a little jealous I guess of the carefree, fun life they still lead.

Though if I really think about it, college wasn't quite the party I remember. It had its wild times of course, but I had many stressful nights and was more than happy to leave the studying and test-taking behind.

Maybe some of those earnest college students look at me with my family and wish they were already out in the real world and not still just preparing for it. Maybe.

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My mom accompanied me to look at apartments last week. She asked a manager to use the restroom. The boys and I waited with the manager in the living room. Q turned to her and said, "Grandma's pooping." They can be so charming, can't they?

--MM