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Think

The smell

By Camille Lewis / August 29, 2005

Every year at this time, when the kiddies are swirling to move back into the dorms, I feel their anxiety. The dorms still smell the same–that humid, hairspray smell. And my stomach does flip-flops when I catch a whiff.

I usually have a dream every year that Grant and I have to move back into the dorms for financial reasons. We have to live separately with other same-sex little ones, and we have to wrangle “alone time.” Before I was married, I’d dream that I’d arrive with nothing but the clothes on my back. No books, no sheets, no clean underwear. Then my dream changed to include Grant.

But last night, I had a new variation. I think Isaac has changed the story. I was returning to IU for a class with Lucaites, and I was going to be late. I had put on four necklaces (Grant says this is proof that I’m over-achieving) and carefully written out my class prep (since at IU there were always assignments before class began). I raced out to jump in the car and it was gone! OHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

What is it about my psyche that a particular smell can trigger such a predictable, recurring dream?

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4 thoughts on “The smell”

  1. “I had put on four necklaces (Grant says this is proof that I’m over-achieving)”

    LOL! I love that! It must be new-school-year jitters.

    When I quit my job to have my first baby, I had recurring dreams for years that I had to go back to work. Very unpleasant dreams. I would dream that I had to stand behind a cash register when I really wanted to be home with my baby. Ugh.

  2. Ok, here’s my recurring school-related dream.

    I always have a dream (usually a few times a semester when I’m in classes) that it gets to be dead week and I realize that all semester I’ve been enrolled in a class that I completely forgot about. Didn’t go to class, take tests, nothing. Somehow they don’t drop me from the class and I have to catch up. *shudder*

  3. Hi! I’m a 2002 grad, and whenever I have a dream about BJU it always has to do with being LATE to something. That must be because of the busy schedule at BJU! I usually dream that I’m in the dorms, and I wake up late. Everyone else has left for Sunday morning worship service/ artist series/ graduation, etc.

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