Let’s talk Slope Day Weekend. Pretty much, the best weekend ever.

Thursday

I had a very busy morning at work on Thursday, but managed to escape the office around 12:30 to head to Oneonta, NY. The plan was to pick up my friend Helen in Albany on the way, then meet up with Sarah for sushi Thursday night.

I love sushi, and I once did the math on how expensive it would be to literally eat it every day for dinner. Because in my perfect world, that’s what I would do. A girl can dream.

After dinner we had a middle-school-style sleepover, complete with nail polish, re-runs of Laguna Beach, and candy. So began a weekend of pure, unadulterated, food indulgence.

Friday

We woke up early on Friday to get ready for the drive to Ithaca. I started my day pretty healthy with some peanut butter and banana on rice cakes (also gluten free! happy stomach).

Once we got to the hotel, this happened:

Within approximately two minutes of our arrival. No joke.

We trekked up the hill to Collegetown where I was reunited with my beloved CTB. Outdoor patio drinking, I think yes.

We also stopped at Rulloff’s for a hot second to request a shot of vodka and a shot of any kind of chaser. Then me and Helen peaced out and wandered the Slope all afternoon together. We somehow lost track of Sarah and didn’t manage to find her until we went back to the hotel that night.

Taio Cruz is in this shot if you look closely!

We got pretty close to the stage! Notice Helen’s perfectly painted nails.

After the Slope we were all starving, so we drunkenly ventured to Taste of Thai on the Commons where I satisfied my craving for chicken Pad Thai. YUM.

Then we needed naps. Which of course translated into a night spent relaxing in the hotel room instead of going out. We’re old.

We also ordered late night Wings over Ithaca. My stomach entire body really hated me at this point.

Saturday

Saturday was the BEST DAY OF MY LIFE. Not even joking. Not even a little bit. PURE HAPPINESS. Things we did:

1. Ate CTB for breakfast.

2. Walked around campus all morning to take pictures and reminisce about college.

3. Bought a TON of Cornell swag at the Cornell Store and Kraftee’s (yoga pants, sweat pants, sweat shirt, travel coffee mug, 2 regular coffee mugs, mouse pad, car sticker).

4. Ate Jason’s FroYo for lunch.

5. Visited Taughannock Falls

6. Went wine tasting…

at Lucas Vineyards (I bought their Miss Behavin and Tug Boat Red wines).

and Sheldrake Point Winery.

7. Hung out by Cayuga Lake with Sarah and Helen, making plans to see each other again soon!

8. Heard Watch the Wind Blow By on the radio for the first time in AGES.

9. Grabbed dinner at Ithaca Ale House and enjoyed a gluten free beer!

10. Received complimentary margaritas for Cinco de Mayo.

11. Went to Level B, pretended to be seniors, talked to cute boys, and stayed out till 4:00AM. Just like the good old days.

Seriously. BEST. DAY. EVER.

Sunday

Sunday was bittersweet. We woke up early to check out of the hotel and get ready. Miraculously, I wasn’t hung over. Then we headed to RPU (a freshman dining hall) for brunch. It was fabulous. I ate 4 meals in one sitting and don’t have a single regret! I also grabbed an ice cream cone from Cornell Dairy Bar on the way out. Happiness!

On the drive back to Oneonta, Sarah and I got a little sad thinking that was probably definitely the last time we could get away with a freshman dining hall experience. Until maybe our children go to Cornell one day.

The maybe in that sentence is whether or not I have kids. Because if I do have kids, they will go to Cornell. And they will love it.

By the time I got home to Providence on Sunday night, all I really had time to do was unpack, grocery shop, and get ready for the work week. I definitely felt a little sad and nostalgic about leaving Ithaca and returning to the real world, but mostly, I felt happy and blessed that I went to Cornell. It was the best four years of my life. I’d give anything to go back in time to those days “far above Cayuga’s waters”, but since I can’t, I need to focus on how lucky I was to have those four years. Most people aren’t able to go to their dream college, but I was.

And I loved every minute of it.