10 years ... for 130-O!
This week I have been doing a bit of reminiscing ... as it has been 10 years since I started University, and 10 years since I met some of my best friends.
My University crew, who I refer to as 130-O, are some pretty terrific friends. We have shared so many funny and memorable moments, I don't know where to start... I am so thankful for this group of girls. The thing about these ladies is that no matter where we go, or what we do, we always can reunite every so often and share stories from our Ottawa U years all over again.
I really believe that University was some of the best years of my life. I feel old saying that... I think every phase of your life has good things about it, but University was one of the most care-free, life-changing periods of my life. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was the chapter in my life where I had a lot of fun, learned a lot about myself, yet was careless about some things while learning responsibility about others.
Yes, I got an education out of the deal, but I wouldn't say it was the book education that I learned the most from, it was the social aspect that taught me more than any book ever could. I learned that good friends are for life, and these are the friends that will be standing over my casket in 80 years saying, 'damn, she's still got it', with a chuckle!
I thought, on our 10 year anniversary it would only appropriate to share how we all met... so below you have the story how 130-O came to be (from my perspective).
When I think back to starting University... I think of my, now, good friend Erin (aka Boyder). At the time, she and I did not know each other, but we were both enrolled in the Communications program at Ottawa U. She had taken French in high school, I had not. We sat next to each other the first day of orientation, and when the prof started speaking French, I sat there for 3 minutes pretending I was understanding, and then looked at her and said 'Do you speak French?'... to which she nodded yes, with a sympathetic smile. She helped me out that day, translating to me what I missed out on, and from the point forward our first day interaction was the beginning of a beautiful friendship... and so much more.
Boyder, roomed with a girl named Erica (aka Clapper) who both lived in the same residence as me. Clapper was enrolled in the Business Administration program and in that program Clapper met Krista (aka KL). KL was roommates with a girl named Amber (aka Bee), and Bee and Clapper actually went to high school together for a few years, back in Whitby - so they already knew one another.
Through these mini connections, we started all hanging out together in a group, going to eat at the cafeteria, walking to classes together, and by Christmas time, we were each others allies in Thompson residence. When the 3 am fire alarm was pulled, we would call each other and wait for one another in the stairwells so we didn't have to be stuck out in the cold alone... instead we would hang out, laugh, make fun of each other, and get to know one another even better.
Shortly after Christmas of that year, we decided we wanted to cohabitate off-campus the following year. So we set out searching for a house close to campus, and we stumbled upon a run-down 3 story house with 6 bedrooms and one (yes I said ONE) bathroom - in a prime location. It had major potential, but when we showed our parents... their faces pretty much screamed 'I am not leaving my daughter in that death trap'. It took some convincing, and a game plan, but of course we all stuck together, everyone pitched in, and by the following September, we were happily moving into 130 Osgoode Street... which would be home to us for the next 3 years. Having that address, we became known as the girls of 130-O.
We did have 6th roommate that first year, who we don't speak to anymore... she moved out after our first year together in 130-O and in moved our 6th and final member of the house... April (aka Baby). Baby was a year younger than us, but fit in well... and in no time was up to speed with the 130-O lifestyle! She completed our group... and together as a group of 6 we made some great memories.
We still talk about the random streaker who showed up at our front window one rainy night, whipped open his trench coat and was naked - he stood there laughing and staring until we shut the blinds. There was also Pita Pit delivery guy who rolled up on his bike with our order. The crazy creepo men who lived next door and shouted things like 'I want to gauge your eyes out with a spoon'... and let's not forget the thief who PC caught red handed in our living room, stealing our booze and my Palm Pilot! We had our drunken pub crawls, street parties on Spark's Street, birthday theme parties, our famous trip to Dominican, movies nights, flash light dance parties, our crook of a landlord Ivan, burning the three-wick candle, our crazy 130-O keg parties, Sunday dinners, the good luck song, and many late night conversations in each other's rooms talking about random events, relationship issues, and school stress.
Yes... 10 years has come and gone, but in that decade, so much has happened in my life, and these ladies (Boyder, Clapper, KL, Bee, and Baby) have been there to share in all of the highs and lows. My girls have become sisters to me, they are my family and my best friends.
10 years is a long time, but in the grand scheme of life, I think our friendship is only the start of beautiful things to come.
My University crew, who I refer to as 130-O, are some pretty terrific friends. We have shared so many funny and memorable moments, I don't know where to start... I am so thankful for this group of girls. The thing about these ladies is that no matter where we go, or what we do, we always can reunite every so often and share stories from our Ottawa U years all over again.
I really believe that University was some of the best years of my life. I feel old saying that... I think every phase of your life has good things about it, but University was one of the most care-free, life-changing periods of my life. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was the chapter in my life where I had a lot of fun, learned a lot about myself, yet was careless about some things while learning responsibility about others.
Yes, I got an education out of the deal, but I wouldn't say it was the book education that I learned the most from, it was the social aspect that taught me more than any book ever could. I learned that good friends are for life, and these are the friends that will be standing over my casket in 80 years saying, 'damn, she's still got it', with a chuckle!
I thought, on our 10 year anniversary it would only appropriate to share how we all met... so below you have the story how 130-O came to be (from my perspective).
When I think back to starting University... I think of my, now, good friend Erin (aka Boyder). At the time, she and I did not know each other, but we were both enrolled in the Communications program at Ottawa U. She had taken French in high school, I had not. We sat next to each other the first day of orientation, and when the prof started speaking French, I sat there for 3 minutes pretending I was understanding, and then looked at her and said 'Do you speak French?'... to which she nodded yes, with a sympathetic smile. She helped me out that day, translating to me what I missed out on, and from the point forward our first day interaction was the beginning of a beautiful friendship... and so much more.
Boyder, roomed with a girl named Erica (aka Clapper) who both lived in the same residence as me. Clapper was enrolled in the Business Administration program and in that program Clapper met Krista (aka KL). KL was roommates with a girl named Amber (aka Bee), and Bee and Clapper actually went to high school together for a few years, back in Whitby - so they already knew one another.
Through these mini connections, we started all hanging out together in a group, going to eat at the cafeteria, walking to classes together, and by Christmas time, we were each others allies in Thompson residence. When the 3 am fire alarm was pulled, we would call each other and wait for one another in the stairwells so we didn't have to be stuck out in the cold alone... instead we would hang out, laugh, make fun of each other, and get to know one another even better.
Shortly after Christmas of that year, we decided we wanted to cohabitate off-campus the following year. So we set out searching for a house close to campus, and we stumbled upon a run-down 3 story house with 6 bedrooms and one (yes I said ONE) bathroom - in a prime location. It had major potential, but when we showed our parents... their faces pretty much screamed 'I am not leaving my daughter in that death trap'. It took some convincing, and a game plan, but of course we all stuck together, everyone pitched in, and by the following September, we were happily moving into 130 Osgoode Street... which would be home to us for the next 3 years. Having that address, we became known as the girls of 130-O.
We did have 6th roommate that first year, who we don't speak to anymore... she moved out after our first year together in 130-O and in moved our 6th and final member of the house... April (aka Baby). Baby was a year younger than us, but fit in well... and in no time was up to speed with the 130-O lifestyle! She completed our group... and together as a group of 6 we made some great memories.
We still talk about the random streaker who showed up at our front window one rainy night, whipped open his trench coat and was naked - he stood there laughing and staring until we shut the blinds. There was also Pita Pit delivery guy who rolled up on his bike with our order. The crazy creepo men who lived next door and shouted things like 'I want to gauge your eyes out with a spoon'... and let's not forget the thief who PC caught red handed in our living room, stealing our booze and my Palm Pilot! We had our drunken pub crawls, street parties on Spark's Street, birthday theme parties, our famous trip to Dominican, movies nights, flash light dance parties, our crook of a landlord Ivan, burning the three-wick candle, our crazy 130-O keg parties, Sunday dinners, the good luck song, and many late night conversations in each other's rooms talking about random events, relationship issues, and school stress.
Yes... 10 years has come and gone, but in that decade, so much has happened in my life, and these ladies (Boyder, Clapper, KL, Bee, and Baby) have been there to share in all of the highs and lows. My girls have become sisters to me, they are my family and my best friends.
10 years is a long time, but in the grand scheme of life, I think our friendship is only the start of beautiful things to come.
Happy 10th Anniversary 13o-O Ladies!
Labels: 130-O, friends, good times, memories
posted by SC at 10:24 AM
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