A soon-to-be graduating senior, I was recently being nostalgic and remembered the first time I spent a significant amount of time away from my home and family: at Buckeye Girls State hosted at the University of Mount Union. While those reading may be all too aware of what Buckeye Girls State is, others may not be. What I'll say is, Buckeye Girls State is supposed to educate young women on the importance of being a good citizen and abiding by the rules and regulations of city and county government. But what I most distinctly recall is eating at a dining hall for the first time, sleeping in a residence hall for the first time, and countless other silly memories. Only other BGS alum will remember:

1. Wearing a sun dress and thinking your outfit is nice enough until you realize that everyone else is in a blazer or pant suit.

At BGS you learned the meaning of business casual really fast.

2. Being confused about how a choir taught you about local politics, but still joining anyways because you loved to sing.

And hey, you got to sing for the governor! How many politicians can say that?

3. Being afraid that the State Highway Patrol Team (made up of girls your own age) would try to arrest you for walking on the wrong side of the sidewalk.

Yes this could happen, but the too-real fear was ridiculous.

4. Eating at a dining hall for the first time and vowing you'd never get sick of your university's dining hall.

All. The. Dessert. Thank you, Mount Union!

5. Having your first "roommate issue" but secretly feeling like a college kid because of it.

What sounds more mature at 16 than stating, "My roommate this summer..."?

6. Waking up at 5:30 a.m. to go to Zumba classes even though you were up until midnight creating campaign banners.

Because being completely exhausted at an age where you definitely didn't drink coffee sounds perfectly appealing.

7. You thought about applying to Mount Union because you would be offered a scholarship through BGS.

The campus was pretty but the money sounded better.

8. Your friends who did not attend Buckeye Girls State were always confused between BGS and BGSU.

I definitely did not spend the summer at Bowling Green State University pretending to be a congresswoman.

9. Chanting for your City as you walked into the assemblies but never being the City to win the "Loudest City Competition."

A quick shoutout to my Vivo City girls! Vivo Las Vegas!

10. Looking at the volunteers from The American Legion or your city director and thinking that you were going to volunteer forever, too.

Then getting a letter in the mail the summer after your freshman year of college saying that you could apply to be a volunteer and realizing that it didn’t sound as appealing as it once did...

11. Buying BGS apparel thinking that you will definitely wear it again.

Sorry mom that I made you spend $30 on a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt...

12. Feeling inferior because you didn’t get the memo to bring a briefcase or pad folio.

I barely used the school planner my high school gave me back then.

13. And finally....feeling old the summer after your senior year as you watched younger girls go off to Buckeye Girls State!

Though a funny and somewhat blurry memory, the learning experience was valid.