It is that time of year in Columbia and in many other college towns across the nation. Students are returning after summer break; of course, many are appearing on campus for the first time.
Those of us well beyond our college years enjoy the spectacle, even as the roads and restaurants become more congested. We cannot escape the nostalgia that it evokes, including vivid memories of our academic experience, new friendships, social gatherings, sports events and impromptu parties.
Most of all, it is an emotional connection with our personal period of freedom, stretching from the end of high school to the commitments of marriage and/or our career. Whether we admit it or not, that period shaped our life more than any other segment. Freedom broadened our horizons while, in concert, imposing personal responsibility. Though we can't go back, we can take in the scene and, hopefully, enjoy the memories that arise.
