Davidson

I love college towns.  Maybe, it's small college towns that I love, on second thought.  Sewanee.  And, Davidson, where I am today with JP, who is on an official visit.  Well, I am not actually with JP, as he stayed in the dorm last night with a member of the cross country team and he'll be there again tonight, as well.  I did get to see JP for a while today, as the parents and their boys/girls met up for a presentation at Career Services and a tour of the athletic facilities led by the track and field coach.  Now, he's off again with his host, although I will see him at dinner tonight on campus.

It's been a whirlwind of a visit to Davidson College.  All of these official visits are whirlwinds, to be sure.  There's added stress this time of year, too, as boys and girls are committing every day to various colleges and universities to run cross county and track, and there are a limited number of spots available.  It's a bit like a game of musical chairs, or at least it feels that way to me.  JP and I will meet with the coach in private tomorrow, then off we go, 48 hours after we arrived on campus.

I know JP is feeling pressure to make a decision all while assimilating as much general information about colleges and universities as possible, along with specific information about their cross county and track teams.  All of this while training for his senior cross country season, competing at the highest level in cross country meets, and studying to maintain his stellar academic record at one of the two most rigorous and demanding high school in Tennessee.  Oh, and it's his senior year and last year at home, so he needs to find some time to enjoy himself.

Wow.  As Jude and I say, "that's a full lid."  Indeed.

Davidson is beautiful.  A small undergraduate only school with a student population of roughly 2,000 and an average teacher-student ratio of 8:1, it's nestled in a small town - Davidson, NC - that's less than a half hour out of Charlotte.  Perhaps it's because this is the first fall weekend after a dreadfully long and hot summer that extended well into September, but I'm really taken with Davidson College and the surrounding area.  

Dinner last night, solo, at Flat Iron, coffee this morning and again, right now, from Summit Coffee on Main Street.  Students, children, and locals walking up and down the sidewalk on a gorgeous fall day.  It doesn't get much better than this, at least for me. 

I think I'm going to drive back to the hotel in my rental - a Genesis sports sedan of some sort (quite a nice ride) - and unwind for a little while before I drive back over for the catered dinner tonight.  Although I've thoroughly enjoyed meeting the parents of the other distance runners visiting this weekend, I'm kind of talked out, honestly.  I would be perfect happy to have dinner again, solo, with a nice glass of wine.  Still, I'll decompress for a bit then drive back to campus.

I love fall.