What Will Your Child's Best College Memories Be?

I’ll never forget one of my favorite college memories.

It was 1992, and it was a gorgeous California spring day. Sunny and perfect. My best friend and college dorm mate, Hazel and I only had early classes that morning. We had the whole afternoon to figure out how to spend the rest of the day. We were both dating boys that were also roommates. I hung out with Bobby and she was seeing Greg. Greg was on scholarship for our university’s track team. He had a brand new black Ford Mustang convertible.

Our school campus was only about 15 minutes away from Anaheim Stadium, home to the (at the time) California Angels. “Let’s go to the Angels game!” We all knew it was a gorgeous day for a baseball game. So we hopped in Greg’s mustang, turned on some Tribe Called Quest on his stereo, you know, one of those 90’s car radios that had a removable faceplate- and put down the convertible’s top. We were living a college student dream day. Classes were finished for the day, papers that were maybe due but were going to be procrastinated on, we were singing at the tops of our lungs down the 5 freeway, and we were going to see the Angels!

I liked Greg’s dorm mate Bobby. Bobby was sweet, caring. He had the smile of a mischievous kewpie doll. But his eyes. His eyes were this deep glacier blue. He would sing me all the lyrics to Heavy D & the Boyz’s Is It Good To You? knowing it would make me giggle every time he did it. The four of us driving in the Cali sun was just the way you imagine your college days are going to be. It was perfect.

There was only one little tiny problem. I kinda, sorta, had a boyfriend that lived back home. I had been trying to end it for weeks. It just wasn’t working out having him back home and me away at school. But he wouldn’t hear of it. So, I guess I sorta just let the relationship hang out to dry, hoping the boyfriend would move on. Well the night before this gorgeous perfect sunny day, the back home (and sports loving) boyfriend told me how he was going to go the Angels game with his dad the following day.

That would mean he would be at the same baseball game.

Now remember, this is 1992. There were no cell phones. No social media. Haze, Greg, and blue-eyed Bobby were like, “Oh come on! That stadium holds thousands of people! You will NEVER see him! He knows you’re in classes today. It’s not like he will be looking for you. Let’s go!” So we went. We had a blast. We cheered and jumped around. Ate those baseball peanuts that the vendors throw at you from the aisles.

During the middle of the game, we look up and the four of us were on the stadium’s jumbotron. There we were, our little foursome hugging and smiling for the camera. Greg kissed Hazel, and Bobby kissed me on the cheek. FUN! All I could think of was, “Does college life get any better than this??“

We got home and there were 10 voice messages on our dorm answering machine. TEN. The back home boyfriend had seen me on the jumbotron. I was busted by a jumbotron. As we listened to message after message, Hazel and I laughed so hard we were on the floor crying. Even 20 years later, Haze is still my best friend and we still laugh at the unbelievable craziness and the pure dumb luck of that gorgeous day. 40,000 fans in the stadium, and WE were the ones up on the screen for all – including back home boyfriends to see.

What are your favorite college memories? What kinds of college memories do you want for your child?

College is so much more than just a stepping stone to future success. It’s also a time where friendships will be bonded and stories will happen and be remembered for life. One of the things I’d love to forget about my college years? My college student loan debt. I was lucky to be able to pay off my student loans within a few years. But that debt always hung over me. That’s one reason why I’m always preaching the importance of Florida Prepaid College Savings plans.

New Year, New Goals, Start Saving Now #StartingIsBelieving

It’s a new year. It’s the perfect time for prioritizing college savings for your child. So many college graduates are burdened with debt at graduation. Give your child the chance to create his or her college memories and to graduate from college debt free.

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