College Days

Trying to find a way to get through the workweek. I stopped to ponder, why does it feel like I'm SO boring these days? Where did college days go?!?

In 1998 I graduated high school in Heidelberg, Germany with the BEST class the world has ever seen. Go HHS! Worked the summer as a waitress to save for college funds. In the fall it was off to Hope College to study how to be a missionary... it was a private Christian liberal arts school. I was pretty religious at the time and thought it would be a good fit....I grew so much during this exciting time...



I stuck out like a sore thumb. German- American chick in GRAND RAPIDS, MI. Welcome to small town! I was not the 'all-American' girl. I tried so hard to change my hair, my style, everything just to feel semi-accepted.


In Science class our prof had us take polaroids of ourselves to get to know each others' names. I learned in this class that I DID have a knack for science regardless of how many people told me I was ONLY meant for the arts. Had I returned to this college the prof said I would've been part of her research team the next year headed for Costa Rica...She was the coolest prof ever. My only friend in this Science class was Gayla, and single-mother from inner-city Chicago. She was on scholarship and worked her tail off to keep it. She was real and she was the only person who could make me forget about fitting in. I identified more with minorities than anything else.


My 1st semester roomies were beyotches. They were boy crazy (gag me) and stayed in their rooms all day doing their hair starting at 6am. ACK! 2nd Semester I begged for reassignment and landed "home" with these chicks. We became best of friends and they made me feel sooooo ALIVE. The tall one on the right was the first person I ever knew to wear thongs. I've been wearing them since. (maybe TMI, but its a good story!)
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My roomie was way awesome. We constantly played pranks on each other. Once, I taped her shoes to the wall and put her entire wardrobe in the hallway. We were SO weird!!!

Anna (my 2nd roomie) inspired a creative, crazy side of me. I always wanted her to have fun and together we constantly got into mischief. I was written up and we got a 'noise' violation. Still it was tons of fun! I used to be kinda muscley and she was like a half-pint. Shopped in the kids department!

The college was located right next to the Grand Rapids Press. I met two REALLy cool photographers. Cory (left/bearded) was good friends with Eric. I had the hots for Eric AND Cory. Eric (red scarf) turned out to be gay and Cory was dating other chicks at the time. He's married now and has a baby on the way! We totally still keep in touch- he's my longtime fashion mentor


Cory and I shot together all the time! Late-night fashion shoots, college games, it was a dream. He helped me get the guts to shoot for the Anchor, the college's newspaper. It was rush to see my name in print for the first time. I sent these clippings home to my parents (back in Germany).


Here's Cory at a game- sports are not really my thing, but he was a pro, I was learning, it didn't matter!


In my first Women's issues class they had us write letters to each other in class for support. I got the sweetest note from Cari. She was the most confident invidual in the class. The instructor was recovering from a masectomy, taught me so much about gender roles in society. I became a bit of a feminist...


My homegirls from Japan posed for me in a photo shoot at the docks one day. The one in the front was Minori (goes by Mino). She had all these cool gadgets from Japan. Again, feeling great with minorities..

The ration of men to women for the freshman class was like 1-11. Guys had the upper hand. There were so many things to think about than getting my MRS. degree. But, the coolest dude from Holland (he's American) took me out a bunch of times. We went swing dancing and even went to the college equivalent of prom together. He was the kind of person that made me laugh so hard I could pee my pants. Gregor was SUCH an odd person for me to be friends with, he was totally type A and I'm exactly the opposite. We always had a blast!

One of my favorite blurry film pictures of all time. Anna and I snuck into the backstage costume room and dressed ourselves up and took pictures. I LOVE cowboy stuff!

Basically, the more I felt out of place I realized that being different can be a strengthening factor. Not always being welcomed with gold banners and being THE most gorgeous is a hard place to be. I finally learned that I could NEVER fit in completely and I learned to be ME. Today I have more respect for people who go against the grain tham those who where camoflouge. Hope College was an amazing experience. I loved the campus and its people. I really miss the youthful vigor!

My folks couldn't continue with the $20,000 annual tuition so after only one year, I headed back to Germany and put myself through school, finishing of a bachelor's in a little under 5 years and working full-time. I totally cherish that my folks put me through 1 year despite how much they struggled for cash back home. So, my question is what made YOU grow & change & learn?! I want people to send me some goofy pics from back in the day...

This one last photo was taken at Fuddrucker's in Chicago with my brother Thomas. He just enlisted in the Navy and I visited him over a holiday weekend. He had lots of drunken sailor stories and it was never a dull moment! Now he's married and ya, know, has to ask permission to burp, but I still remember the old Tom and can't forget that day.