Going Back to Visit Tech

On Wednesday, I went back to my old stomping grounds, the building that stands on 485 Clawson St. This was the 3rd time that I had received a visitor's pass but each time I do it, it is still very strange to realize that as close as Tech was from my heart, I am not a part of it anymore. The other sad part of my visitor's pass experience was that it could no longer be hung among the other legendary visitors in Room 313.

But beyond that, going back to Tech, was very interesting and it was good to see some old faces, although there were far too many new faces for my liking. It was also good having a mini-reunion with about 40 past students from our grade all standing outside Manzo's new office - Room 319.

In the four hours I was there, I was able to go back and visit Ms. Johnson, Ms. Brown, Mr. Olsen, Ms. Chachkes, Mr. Manzo, Mr. Erlenwein, and of course the incredible Mr. Callahan (even though he is a Red Sox fan). It was great to see these teachers but I still lacked a connection because of the whole school, there was really no other teacher that I felt a deep connection to. (If the opportunity arose I would have visited Ms. Kirschbaum, Mr. Andrews and Ms. Cibelli, but unfortunately Ms. Cibelli was absent because of her grandfather's funeral, and Mr. Andrews was just MIA).

But still, maybe it was just a romanticized view of what returning to Tech would be, but I just felt like I was as connected to the school as I would have hoped. Even the teachers I didn't get to visit, I knew most of, but it didn't really seem like their classes have profoundly affected me in a way that is still relevant today, they taught me when I was younger or their class was just less important in my eyes.

Despite this, I loved going back to Tech, and feeling like I was at home again! The teachers that I spoke to extensively were happy to see me I hope and I was equally if not more happy to see them. Manzo said that it was his favorite day of the year because we all come back to visit, and I agree because it shows the staying power of the meaning of Tech to the kids and also how caring the teachers of Tech were about us, and how the welcomed us back into the school with open arms.

It was a strange feeling entering the school now as an Alumnus because I barely felt like I ever left, and that is not taking anything away from my college experience because I love it, but I think Tech just dominated such a huge part of my life, that it will remain there for a very long time.

A blog post has been a long time coming, and at least I got one in the month of November now, but just barely. Hopefully I will post some more over Christmas break, especially if I see some Oscar contender movies, even though I know that you don't care about the Oscars', Mr. Bennett.

Now that finals are coming up though, I know we will all be experiencing a very big work crush, and I was all of you luck on the finals, as we very speedily move through our first college semester. Good luck to all and I hope to see as many of you as possible over the Winter Break.

As an added aside, to speak to you Mr. Bennett, I have been informed by others that you know have a Facebook. I was unaware of this fact earlier, but I don't know if that form of communication will replace this blog.
Also, when I went back to Tech, both Ms. Brown and Ms. Johnson mentioned your name in highly complimentary terms. Ms. Johnson said that with you gone, "We have lost our sage." And Ms. Brown said that she was very disappointed that she did not see you during the Ticker-Tape parade, and missed how you could just command the respect that you did of your peers.

I hope to post and speak to all of you again very soon!