in & out

I ‘withdrew’ (as my mother says) on Tuesday. I prefer to say ‘dropped out’ because it has a much more dramatic impact. Whenever I tell someone I ‘dropped out’ they immediately get this worried look on their face and their hand comes out to meet my shoulder in a soft, are-you-okay kind of pat.

Yes, I’m okay, better than. In an ironic twist, I saw two very important people at the registrar on Tuesday as I signed my paper work. One, was Michelle Kwan. In the four years I’ve been there I’ve yet to see her putzing around and then–on my last day, there she was, walking along University Hall. You better believe I gave Michelle Kwan a head nod.

So there I was, not feeling sad about my decision but definitely feeling a little nostalgic. How many more times will I print in Penrose, walk the bridge across Evans, or use my card to swipe for after hours privileges in the MCOM building. Never, probably.

Luckily, the second person I saw reminded me to do what I have to do to keep moving forward. Always.

This was taken in Mary Reed on Tuesday when I was sent there to get even more paper work filled out. This is the center of the historic library. Under renovation.

Legend has it that the ghost of Mary Reed, one of the University’s great benefactors, roams the hallways of the building named after her. Doors, light bulbs and elevators are said to act of their own accord, and the ghostly figure of a woman is sometimes spotted on a staircase. She has even been seen occupying an armchair and perusing a book in the building’s DuPont reading room.

The Mary Reed Building was constructed in 1931 as the University’s library. It now houses administrative offices. Some Web sites name it as one of Colorado’s most haunted places.

via Curious Incidents at DU Landmarks