On Saturday afternoon, our class held a forum to ask the perennial reunion question, “Where are you now?” Sitting in the Crystal Room in Alumnae Hall, I was moderately hopeful for a good session. At first there were twenty-five people, then forty, then the whole room was full, with standing room only and the door clanking open and closed as each new expectant classmate crept in. Was it voyeurism? Genuine interest? We were a rapt audience. Veronica Abreu spoke of her work on a war-crimes tribunal and Hanna Kolodziejski of her battle with cancer. Jessica Capshaw gave us a glimpse of the road to TV, and Hannah Pingree the path to the Maine State Senate. Neil Roberts told of a coming degree in political theory, and Erich Ludwig shared his experience in bringing a troop of Malian musicians to the States. Kenny Lao expressed his passion for food, especially pork, and Ian Maisel read from his novel about Brown, reminding everyone just how different each experience was from another.

A professor in the audience recognized that our panel might best be summarized as a group of risk takers, folks who selected the road less traveled. She questioned, “Was this thanks to Brown?” When I came to college I had a plan, and three years later that plan had crumbled. New aspirations, albeit less conventional ones, had grown in the place of old ones. After a weekend of continued reflection and soul-searching, along with a good dose of fun, I recognized that our alma mater was up to her old tricks.

I was glad that some things never change, like muddy shoes after Campus Dance, pitchers of beer at the Grad Center Bar, great new reads at the Brown Bookstore, Maria and coffee at Ocean’s, and Brown’s uncanny ability to send us all in search of our own path.

—Abigail D. Ross