The University of New Hampshire

I graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High School in the Spring of 1983, and after a long, hot, filthy summer working in a machine shop manufacturing auto parts, I set out for the University of New Hampshire in the fall.

Durham, New Hampshire was 350 miles north of Haddonfield and I travelled back and forth several times, mostly by train. I loved the feeling of space between my old and new lives. I had a great year doing all the usual first year of college activities; I went to parties, met people, joined the rowing team, and even found some time for school work.

Real Learning

I did fairly well in my first year of college, but I felt crippled by my lack of life experience. In each of my classes were one or two returning students — in some of my classes and I felt that they put the other kids and I to shame; they had more than just book learning — they spoke from actual life experience. I felt that college was being wasted on me because I could read books and collect facts on my own, but if I was going to make use of what college had to offer I felt that I needed to bring far more life perspective than I currently had.

I decided not to go back the next fall, but spent a year at home working several jobs and saving money for a trip out West on my own.