I Drove Down A Street Past An Apartment Complex I Used to Live At & Then Continued Past The Dorm Area At The University, Stadium & Some Academic

Buildings on the edge of the campus. I hadn’t driven all the way down that street for many years, at least 8-10 years. I felt like Rip Van Winkle and that I had just woke up from a long sleep. I realize that so much has changed, about half or more of the apartments have been torn down and new additions to the girl’s softball stadium and the football stadium, huge new dorms replacing some of the oldest ones, and the academic buildings have been built on almost to the sidewalks where they used to have a lot of green space. Made me feel disoriented as I was driving to see so many changes all at the same time. I know things change and got the feeling what if I don’t return for 20 years how much would be different.

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Heartlander · 80-89, M

For me, It's like I have to emotionally brace myself when I drive through old neighborhoods where I once lived :)

After just 10 or 12 years, even if you want to, there's no going home again :(

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cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@Heartlander they want to put a toll road through the area about 4 miles north of here and residents are having fits because of it. Every time I drive through different green areas around here I see new developments and bulldozing of woodlands, pastures and other green areas.

Heartlander · 80-89, M

@cherokeepatti We are going through something similar. A big golf club sold to a developer who replaced the golf course with a village. Thankfully they left 4 or 5 acres for a public park. A win-win considering the village is now just across the street from practically a private park.

Now, the next door city is doing the same thing. Likewise controversial with rezoning, etc. passing with just a 3 to 2 commission vote.

Huge, village like apartment complexes have popped up all over the area, at least a dozen over the last 10 years.

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@Heartlander Seems like everything is for the wealthy or upper middle class. Sure feel for the people who are struggling and trying to pay rent, many working 2 jobs and not much change left at the end of month either.

ProfessorPlum77 · 70-79, MVIP

I understand, completely!

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@ProfessorPlum77 so many of those buildings were nearly to the street, where there used to be green spaces….that made it feel like being squeezed going down the road, can’t really explain it good. You have one scene stuck in your mind when you’ve lived and worked in an area and then to see buildings expanded and new ones built on green spaces it seems almost unreal.

ProfessorPlum77 · 70-79, MVIP

@cherokeepatti To me, it reminds me of:
Our past consists of snapshots of events, places, etc.
The present is like a movie of current events.

ProfessorPlum77 · 70-79, MVIP

This reminds me of the song "The Night They Drove Ole Dixie Down."
☹️

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ProfessorPlum77 · 70-79, MVIP

@cherokeepatti I don't blame them. They want to make some cash!!@!

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@ProfessorPlum77 They we’re trying to make a new rule that all freshmen under the age of 21 had to live in the dorms even if their parents lived nearby. Two mothers protested in faring of the president’s home when he was on summer vacation but it got in the news on tv and when the president returned he backed down. Only took those two Mamas to do it.

ProfessorPlum77 · 70-79, MVIP

@cherokeepatti That is neat. Sometimes you CAN fight city hall.

4meAndyou · F

I feel that way when I return to the area where I spent 2/3 of every year growing up. My old high school has been torn down, and the old Mall is no longer there...now there's a megaplex mall with two stories!!!

cherokeepatti · 61-69, F

@4meAndyou they tore down 4-story older dorms and replaced them with huge ones, I think 5-stories tall but the buildings are very bulky. They are cramming so many more students in that area and there’s not enough parking places because they’ve also destroyed much of the parking.

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