Cranberry Moms

Far above Cayuga’s waters

With its waves of blue

Stands our noble alma mater

Glorious to view

 

Lift the chorus, speed it onwards

Loud her praises tell

Hail to thee our alma mater

Hail all hail Cornell

 

Thirteen years ago, at a Barenaked Ladies concert in the summer of 1999 I met John! Wow, I’m dating myself! I was just 19 year old and we had both completed our sophomore year of college.  My dear friends, Erin and Emily introduced us and I can honestly say, from the moment our eyes met, I knew I was in love.  My closest girl friends knew me better than I knew myself when it came to dating and they knew John and I would hit it off – and we did.  So many of my fondest memories of Cornell are the last two years of undergrad.  John and I would study together on the eighth floor Uris stacks (well I studied and he usually would spend half the time sleep on the desk!).  One cold, snowy winter night on a walk to his place, we passed through the parking lot to the law school and there in the corner was the words “I Love You” written in the snow just for me! I still smile thinking about that moment.  Sledding down Libe slope on dining hall trays, belting out our Alma Mater during graduation and walking home hand in hand after late nights during senior week are just a few of the memories I cherish.  And now, here I am five years after John’s graduation from Cornell’s business school and I am back where it all started.  Coming down the hill heading into Ithaca tonight, I felt the sense of coming home.  I’ve lived in Ithaca for five years (4 undergrad and then one while John was in b-school) and John has lived here for seven years (undergrad, masters engineering, b-school).   We arrived after our 5 ½ hour drive around 9pm and that didn’t stop us from heading straight to Libe slope to let the Charlotte take her first run on the hill.  We walked around the arts quad before heading to the apt. we are renting in the Commons.  I am so thrilled to be back in Ithaca sharing with Charlotte and Lillian a place that will always be so very special to me!