P-Town (no, not Puyallup)

Last week, I ventured five hours east to Wazzu (I think we are allowed to call it that again), otherwise known as the place where I spent the craziest four years of my life. I had not been over for some time, so jumped at the chance to help out with rush (now called recruitment) where I was pleased to see that many of the girls I met reminded so much of my friends and I back in the day.

Since graduating NINE (yes, I am old) years ago, much has changed in Pullman (nicer buildings and a remodeled stadium to name a few). But it was reassuring to see how much remains the same.

It was funny, because as long as I have been gone from WSU, it still feels like "home" every time I return.

"I can't define it; I can't tell somebody who isn't a Cougar what it's like. There's something that happens at Washington State, you quietly and subtly become infected. There are very few people I've ever met who have gone to WSU and not come away with a favorable impression ... Washington State was a passion. Being a Cougar was a passion." -Jim Walden Head Football Coach 1978-86
From his book "Tales from the Washington State Cougars Sideline"

After a busy four days, I drove away from the WSU and thought about the things I missed about my college days:

1) Thinking that a 9:10am class was "early"...I would LOVE to start work at this time now!
2) Having a Pita Pit right up the street
3) Daily Grind Coffee- somebody should really open one up here!
4) Being able to go to all football games without worrying about the following: taking the Friday off of work, obtaining a hotel room (nearly impossible during WSU football season), and hoping the pass is okay to drive over.
5) Having all of my friends (literally) steps or minutes away and ability to hang out with them at a moments notice. It was so great to always have somebody to work out with, have coffee with, go on a walk with or just talk to (in person) without having to plan it in advance. However, I am so grateful we have all remained close and make an effort to see one another on a regular basis.
6) Sunsets and stars in the Palouse- I am not sure I appreciated this much when I was in school, but sure did on my visit.
7) The ability to to drink Busch Light, Franzia and Monarch vodka and think it actually tasted decent. Happy Hour would sure be cheaper if I still felt this way!
8) Being a student in an actually classroom- totally different than going to school online after working all day
9) It was okay to not know what was coming next in life- I was still young and had time to figure it out. Sometimes I miss those days of being so carefree. And to think I completely took them for granted.
10) Party Pics- you never had to worry about who was taking pictures to capture the night. Although now, I just rely on my friend with the nice cameras to upload albums for me.
11) The defined seasons of eastern Washington: Hot summers, cold and snowy winters and crisp/sunny fall days.
12) Driving to and from school with friends, blasting Mr. Big's "To Be With You" and singing loudly the whole way.
13) Seeing people in costumes when it was NOT Halloween and thinking it was completely normal. Luckily as a teacher, this is still normal during "Spirit Weeks" at school!
14) Being able to camp at the Gorge for a concert for the entire weekend and not thinking it was completely disgusting. Attempted this in my late 20's....never again. I will camp in Vantage from now on.
15) Prank calling people after a night out from the room phones (#67= no caller ID) using the Greek Directory. Laughing about it for hours. On a side note: I still think prank calls are funny and it was actually how I met my husband.

And the list could go on and on. However, reminiscing on my college days also makes me realize how incredibly happy I am with who and where I am now in my life.

I will always look back fondly on the memories at WSU and the reassurance that a Cougar is not just something you are when you are in college, but becomes part of who you are later. It is kind of difficult to put into words, but this quote says it best:

"I can't define it; I can't tell somebody who isn't a Cougar what it's like. There's something that happens at Washington State, you quietly and subtly become infected. There are very few people I've ever met who have gone to WSU and not come away with a favorable impression ... Washington State was a passion. Being a Cougar was a passion."-Jim Walden Head Football Coach 1978-86
From his book "Tales from the Washington State Cougars Sideline"

What not to wear?

Today, I was at the mall looking for a new pair of jorts (jeans + shorts= jorts) for my sister's "western theme" bachelorette party and stumbled across something very disturbing:

These:

Yup. The high-waisted denim you may remember from the 70's is back and this is NOT a good thing. Basically, these are "mom" jeans hacked off and give even the most petite girls a long butt. I am not sure who would want to add length to their derriere, but apparently many people do  judging by the ratio of high-waisted shorts to regular ones. They are  found in nearly every store- from Nordstrom to Forever 21 for women of all ages to try out. Here is a sampling of the myriad of styles I found:

With color and a bit of "bling" these bring back memories of "hypercolor"

Or for a more rugged look, slip on a faded pair...with plaid shirt or large hat. See, you can still show off your upper stomach when your pants go up to your belly button.

Perhaps these "modern" gems are more your style. See how they also elongate the crotch are- always flattering:

 

I get that these are trending right now, and they may even look wonderful on a select few women (ones with model figures) but do no favors for us average folk.

So, this is one fashion statement I will be avoiding this summer season. Let's just hope come fall, people are not sporting these with colored tights underneath.

On a positive note- they do eliminate the dreaded "muffin top" plaguing society for the past few years when  "super low-rise pants" were all the rage. And that, in itself, might be worth the the abundance elongated butts roaming around.