My 4 years at University of Richmond (1964--68) were a continuation of high school. I had fun, studied more, but I really learned how to survive and succeed. I thought that task had aready been accomplished, but as I started college I still had a lot to learn. Academically I was never at the top of my class, but always managed to stay above average.
Several times I got reminders whenever I wasn't making the grade. The first time was my initial 6 week report where I had an F and two D's out of 5 classes. Scared the shit out of me--wound up turning the F and two D's into an A & two B's. Never had another D but had three F's in early reports and always managed to turn them into at least an A or B by semester's end. Any B or C grades always stayed a B or C. The only A grades I ever got in college started as a D or F. If I enjoyed a subject I usually did fine. But several times classes in my major (economics) started disastrously. Anytime I started with a lousy grade I could succeed with a sustained focused effort. In that regard my life has not changed--when I have an important goal and/or if the shit hits the fan I can pull rabbits out my hat. But when I don't really care I can be a huge slacker.
During college I learned how to survive and succeed-- sometimes on my own--other times through team work. I was in a fraternity (Pi Kappa Alpha) and formed lots of close friendships. I participated in track, soccer, and basketball and we won several intramural championships. l loved sports and had a great time working on many teams. My senior year I was awarded the Tom Taliferro athlete of the year award. Tom was a frat brother (class pledgemate) who was killed in a car accident in 1966. Getting that trophy was an unbelievably great feeling for me. Tommy was one of my earliest close friends to die unexpectedly. The last time I saw him was a Friday afternoon when he asked me to come with him on a trip to Ohio where he planned to propose to his girl friend. I remember asking him why should I go on a trip like that--I would be a an alternate driver with no date in Ohio all weekend. He fell asleep on the return trip on Monday and hit a bus. I'll never know whether going with him would have saved his life or perhaps ended mine. It's one reason why I believe more in the laws of nature, circumstance, common sense, and shit happens than in the all mighty being.
As for classes I enjoyed most of my economics courses--but not all. Favorites were micro, money & banking, investment theory & practice. Worst was economic history. Latin, which was mandatory, was the biggest waste of time that ever occurred during my campus life. The courses that provided the most practical experience for me were 2 semesters of speech classes. Learning how to research, prepare and deliver a presentation to an audience was an awesome experience. It was a skill I had not really sharpened before those classes, and I have used that skill ever since in my business career. The only topic I recall was a speech I prepared on boxing--I used the Emille Griffith vs Bennie "Kid" Paret fight to the death as the intoduction and I could give a compelling speech either for--or against boxing. I thought about trying out for the debate team after taking speech but the designated topic each season wasn't anything I was really interested in researching. If it had been about the pros and cons of boxing or most any sports topic I'd have been all over it.
As I approached graduation wondering what the future held, one maor issue I did not have to face was the draft and the Vietnam War. Because of knee surgery I was classified 1-Y which meant I did not have to serve in the military. At the time it was a major relief, but years later I think that military service could have helped me mature in a different way than I did. During college I worried about not having money and needing to start a career. I worried about being a college graduate private taking orders from a high school sergeant. I worried about going to Officer Candidate School, leading troops in Vietnam and getting shot. None of those senarios appealed to me. But in 1966 during a pre-draft physical all the military worries disappeared. My brother Mark did serve in the military and Vietnam. He survived but still has many emotions over his military service. He is starting to share them in his web blog and I read them with interest. I casually think about what my life would be like had I done the same thing. I ratioanize that I could still have perfectly good knees and be in a grave somewhere like 58,000 comrades. But when I really consider Vietnam I'm just damn glad Mark and I are still alive.
I still had to figure out a post graduation career. I went to the University of Richmond hoping to attend law school. Back then their law school graduates had the highest percentage of first time passers of the Virginia bar exam than any other law school. As I approached graduation, I had no debt--but no money. Since law school required money I had to go to work.
No comments:
Post a Comment