The University of Guelph
Johnston Hall still stands proud
For reasons unknown to even myself, I’ve been feeling melancholy lately. To lift my spirits and to get out of the house I ventured an hour out of Toronto to the sleepy town of Guelph, Ontario where I went to university. Not even the crisp warm weather could help as I was deflated by nostalgia. So little of the campus has changed in the ten years since I graduated. As I was walking the hallowed grounds I had visions of myself and most of my friends all blurry eyed and stupid from youth, wandering the corridors and creating drama out of the slightest insignificant misunderstandings. Good times.
We’ve come a long way from those humble days, but despite the progress, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss. Maybe it’s as cliché as the loss of innocence, I don’t really know. But something about our naiveté, our blatant selfishness and foolish attitudes makes me smile. I’m glad that I’m not a teenager anymore, don’t get me wrong, but I made the best of friends at the University of Guelph, and they remain very dear to me. Now all in our 30s we’re scattered across this great country of ours, but the shared experiences continue to unite us. I think.
Enough of this shameless sentiment. Here are some of the photos I took today.
Johnston Hall is a student residence
The Horticulture building
The Greenhouse
Alumni House
The Bullring
War Memorial Hall
Arts House where Amy and Raquel lived in their first year of university
Creelman Hall
Raithby House
The cannon is painted daily. I don’t know why. It’s tradition!
The university library where Alisha, Raquel and I worked for 3 years
I possess great compassion and seek to be of service to others. 
Great post. I must visit Guelph soon. Did you go into the library to see if Val and Ronda still work there?
I actually saw Val enter the front doors, she didn’t look much different from when we worked with her. I did not go in though, it was more painful than I had anticipated it to be. I was overcome with emotion.