25 years ago this month I accepted a scholarship and put down a deposit at Mills College. I can honestly say that if it weren't for Mills College, I wouldn't have the amazingly blessed life that I have.
Everything important in my life now came as a result of my attending a college I had no intention of attending.
You see, 25 years ago as a senior in high school, the idea of a women's college (though I would likely have said a girls school) was absolutely ridiculous to me. There was this teacher though, Hale Keller. Mr. Keller was my favorite teacher in high school (I loved many teachers in high school, but Mr. Keller was THE ONE) if he had said "jump" I would have asked "how high?" So as I was applying to colleges, Mr. Keller said "There is this school in Oakland, and I think you would really like it." I said, "no thank you." He then had the information and application sent to me. When I hadn't applied and the deadline was approaching, he implored me. He said it would make him really happy if I gave it a shot (which sounded a lot like "jump" to me)---and so, I applied.
I got in, and I got a great scholarship/financial aid offer. The best I had gotten from any school, but I still didn't want to go.
Then they sent information for Prospect Weekend, and Mr. Keller said "Well, what could it hurt to go?" So I went, and I took my Mom (which considering how we weren't getting along at the time was rather a miracle).
We drove onto the campus, and Mom (not really given to hysterics) closed her eyes and said "Up here there is a Spanish style building with ivy all over it" and we passed the Music Building. Then she said "On the corner up here there is a pond with a little fountain in the middle" sure enough there was. Then she said "There is a huge three story white building with a big oval drive" and there it was, Mills Hall.
We parked and my mom said "When you were less than a year old I had a dream about your college graduation, and this is where it was. I woke up saying 'I just got her, you can't take her yet.'" Okay, weird, but still not interested.
Then I met my hostess, Lisa Kremer. To say that Lisa rocked is sort of an understatement--she really rocked. She wrote for the school paper, she had awesome friends, and she was so flippin' nice to me (not something I was used to at that age.....even then I was sort of an acquired taste). Then there were the classes. Lots of girls (women, I know) with opinions and professors who were listening to them, the classes were small and actually taught by the professors not by teaching assistants.
I was smitten. I went and spoke with the Admissions Office, accepted their offer and gave them a check for (gulp) $2500. At that time the largest single check I had ever written.
Many people know what followed. The first semester I was placed on academic probation, because I had never really learned to study, and the classes were difficult. I puled it out the second semester, and made it back the next fall--I had great guardian angels. I made great friends in college--lots of them I still love dearly, and many of whom I would drop everything to help do just about anything.
Then I went to the Theatre Department Open House Barbeque and met this cute guy. His name was Alex and it turned out he was the son of the Chair of the Theatre Department, his car had broken down on the way from Stockton to Oakland, and I gave him my car to get back. We started dating, broke up badly, went worse from there and then we didn't speak for five years. We got back together, got married, merged our families, grew a couple of giant boys, got a cat, got a dog, got a house and are growing old and falling apart together.
I got a lot of things out of my college experience, but, by far the most amazing is my husband--he is my best friend, a great father, one of the most intelligent people I have ever known and an all around fantastic guy. We have a blessed life and it is all......
.....because Mr. Keller knowing me better than I knew myself :).
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