Girls

I have the best friends. 

Who knew that the major I arbitrarily chose (Communications) on my Fairfield University application waaay back in 1990 would lead to a life-long friendship with these girls?

I was just 17 when I met my college roommate.  Also named Jen.  Also from Jersey.  Also a brunette.  We got to know each other during freshman orientation in June 1991 because they grouped us based on major. 

We hit it off immediately, but were assigned different roommates originally.  Hers was a serious gal who was off to biology camp before classes started.  No bueno.  Mine skipped the standard get-to-know-you luau (?) in favor of a night snuggling on a bare mattress with her calculus book and a nightmask.

Yeah.  Needless to say, we ditched them.

We went home for the summer and decided we would room together in September.  Definitely.  But I lost Jen's information.  So I went to the library (remember those?) and found a big fat phone book (remember those?) and called some random family in her town with the same last name.  I must have sounded nuts, but they gave me her actual number anyway.  And the rest is history...

We met our other roommate, Jodi, shortly after.  I'd say it was about October 1991, when we were at a party thrown by our freshman facilitator -- also a Communications major.  He was a junior and super cute and named Rick. 

Aren't they all?

Anyway, she was dating his roommate, Bob.  And we were like Rick's little groupies.  So we saw each other fairly often at parties.  But we didn't really bond until one night when campus security came knocking.

Jodi and I were in the basement at Rick & Bob's townhouse, probably watching some guys play Beirut (aka beer pong).  They may or may not have gotten trenchmouth that night.  We heard security upstairs, breaking up the party.  A guy dove behind a couch yelling that he couldn't get written up.  Again.

This was our first brush with the law, so we ran to the best basement hiding spot we could find -- underneath the wooden, see-through stairs.  And instantly realizing the importance of fresh breath in this situation, we shared a piece of gum.  Gum that I was already chewing. 

That pretty much bonded us for life.

So, here we are, 22 years later.  And every time we get together, it's like no time has passed at all.  We're 18 again.  Even though we're all turning 40. 

I mean, we could still pass for 18, right?  Right.

Sorta?

Ok, you be the judge...

This is the first pic I could find of the 3 of us together.  We're 19 here.  And wearing each other's clothes. 
I cut out the person sitting to the left of me.  We hate her.
 

At the Dogwoods spring dance with the famous Judy Jetson dress.  I was at a different pre-party than they were,
but we were reunited at the dance.  You'd never know from our smiling faces that we are standing by the Porta-Potties.

We were a gang one Halloween.  Scary, right?

Parents' Weekend Wheat Thins.  Nothing but the best!

This is our junior year.  Take care of your teeth, kids, and they will take care of you.
 

It might look like we're in a bar here, but this was our home on a typical Thursday night.
There's a whole other keg where that beer came from...

This was one of many formals we went to.  I can't remember which one, but 100 bucks says Jodi knows.
 

Here's the 3 of us at a very soggy beach party called Clam Jam.  Check out the scrunchie on my wrist.
 

This is spring break in Acapluco.  Pretty sure we are all rocking scrunchies here too.
 

Our new best friends, the Acapulco cliff divers.  I think I was taller than all of Mexico.

Graduation day.  We lived at the beach.  Life was good.
 

Alumni weekend, maybe?  All I know is we all have the same lipstick on.
 

New Years Eve circa 1996 or 1997 at the Rebar.
 

Maybe another New Years.  Definitely another bar.
 

This was my 24th birthday in Newport, RI. 

My 25th birthday down the shore. Ever been to Manasquan?  You'd drink too.
 

Jen's wedding, such a fun day.  Not sure which was better -- the band or the cannoli they served
that was the size of a fireplace log.  My brother still talks about that one.

Jen's first birthday as a married lady.
 

Jodi's first place.  We took a picture in every room of the house.

Is this a wedding?  I can't tell.  I do know that my hair rejected that up-do by spitting out bobby pins all day.
 

Our 10 year college reunion.  Or our audition for Destiny's Child 2.
 

Our townhouse basement 10 years later.  Still stunk of beer. 
And under the stairs is still a terrible hiding spot.
 

My brother's wedding in Cape Cod.  They've known him since he was 13 and he was shorter than me.

Jodi's 40th birthday party.  Just like old times.

So these are my girls.  They are great daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, and friends.  Here's to 22 more years.  And 22 more after that! 

How did YOU meet your best friends?  Swap your gum -- and your stories -- below...


tags: family