Many are the reasons why people go to college. For some, it’s the gateway to a life-long career, for others it’s a path to a job and money and power or an escape from mom and dad or that nasty kid down the street, while for others it’s a four-year holding pattern with beer, pizza, new friends and plenty of time to think things over, or a childhood dream come true. For some it’s just more high school.

‘… the campus stands all green and lush and waiting … and Main Street downtown humming along beside the college presence to join in welcoming the new students.’ Courtesy image

It’s the last few days of summer now, Labor Day in the rear-view mirror, and the campus stands all green and lush and waiting. Red brick buildings clinging to a web of red brick walkways and Main Street downtown humming along beside the college presence to join in welcoming the new students for orientation, getting their room assignment, meal tickets and, be randomly assigned to a faculty member for advising, choosing their courses for the fall semester. Returning students arrived shortly thereafter.

Ellis Hall is just what it looks like, a three-story red brick building with the first two floors full of classrooms and a couple of restrooms, while the third floor has, at one end, a large office with secretary, desks and filing cabinets for the Foreign Language Department, and at the other end a large office with secretary, desks and filing cabinets for the English Department. Between them are about 20 small, cubical-like faculty offices, each with one door, one window, two desks, four chairs and a bookcase built into the wall.

That’s my office, and that’s where we met.

I was assigned to be her advisor, and I remember explaining that she would need to enroll in the Freshman English course as well as a short course in Public Speaking, plus Freshman Math, a Physical Education course like volleyball, basketball or field hockey. I paused and she said, “Yes, I understand. Thank you, Professor.” And so, I went on with, “The college also wants you to satisfy a set of what they call distribution requirements, that is, they want you to take at least one course in the Physical Sciences, such a Physics, Chemistry or Astronomy, a course in Social Sciences, such as Psychology, Sociology or Anthropology, a course in the Natural Sciences, such as Biology or Botany, and two courses in the Humanities, such as French or Spanish Language, History, Philosophy and . . .

She leaned forward, put her hand very gently on mine and said, “I understand what you are trying to do for me, Professor, but I came to college to get married and I only have one year to do it.” And I said, “OK, well, you know what you’re doing, and don’t really need my advice.”

After she left my little office, I went out and took another look at the college campus. It was just as green and lush and waiting as before. Red brick buildings clinging to a web of red brick walkways and Main Street downtown humming along beside the college presence to welcome the students.

Orrin Frink is a Kennebunkport resident. He can be reached at ofrink@gmail.com.