A to Z Blogging Challenge: U is for the University of South Carolina

In the early to mid-1980s, David and I were students at the University of South Carolina- Columbia. It was an exciting time in my life. I was young and in love and not only living away from home, but living about one hundred and twenty miles away from home. I had already moved out of my parents house, but this was the first time that I was so far away for an extended period of time.

David was the second of his daddy's children to be a student at USC. His daddy used to joke that he had bought a parking garage on the corner of Blossom Street (and another street that I can't remember the name of). He said that they didn't call it that, and they hadn't given him the title, but that he had paid for it.

There were several good places to eat while we attended Carolina. The Russell House and the Gamecock Grill were two places on campus that we frequented. Off-campus, we had Sandy's Hotdogs and Granby's. Granby's was an ice cream lover's paradise. They had huge banana splits called Banana Binge. That was one binge that I would not have hurled!

It was at USC that I had my first experience with the "magic paper" in the dark room. I also had my first experience with a class containing over three hundred other students. I definitely sat at the back of the class for that one. No way was I going to get called to go down to the board!

I didn't get my degree back then because, after a semester and two summer sessions, I got married and moved back to the county in which I was born. I traded a degree for a wedding dress and starting my life and family. I don't regret it for a moment.

USC was part of a very special time in my life, a time of hope and excitement and love...and magic paper. :)