When the leaves begin to change, the air becomes crisp, the streets are filled with girls wearing brown boots and vests (the Han Solo look) and football returns, it can only mean one thing: fall. And with fall brings us college homecoming.

Ah homecoming, the designated weekend where us alumni return to our old stomping grounds to regress to our glory days. Where we go to our favorite bars, visit our sorority house and maybe attend the football game.

This past weekend, I attended my second homecoming as an alumna of the University of Maryland College Park and rest assured, I had many observations including feeling old.

I know that in the grand scheme of people who return for homecoming I am not old, I’m 24 after all, but there were a few times when I felt, well, old.

1. Friday when we all arrived, we went to happy hour at Terrapin Turf. For those of you who didn’t attend the best college ever, Turf is known for having fish bowls. If you can’t figure out what that is, it’s literally a fish bowl filled with alcohol. It’s great and something I was looking forward to. We walked into the bar and immediately knew we had to get a table because there was no way we’d be able to stand in the crowds. Luckily one of my sorority sisters works there and was able to get us a table so we could sit. #BLESSED. While sitting was glorious, I couldn’t hear what anyone was saying next to me because the music was SO LOUD. I had to yell into my friends ear who was sitting next to me. I graduated about two-years-ago and the loudness didn’t bother me then. Am I actually old?

2. Later that night, we went to visit our sorority house. Since we don’t know many girls left in the chapter, we decided to be the alumni that we use to hate as undergrads and ring the doorbell at night. Coincidentally, one of the few sisters I knew living in the house answered the door. We walked around and looked at our composites in the chapter room. We talked to the new sisters who have no idea who we are. My friend told them she was the one who painted the big wooden Greek letters. The girls were shocked and said “omg you painted those they are amazing!” My friend responded yes and that she was also chapter president. They ask me if I was also on the executive board in our sorority and that’s when I felt old again. I told the girl that I was Panhellenic Delegate and in my mind I said “the composite where it says I’m Panhellenic Delegate is still hanging up in the chapter room.’ Everyone in our sorority knows that once you’re not in a composite that is hanging up in the chapter room, you know you’re old. I also told the girl that I was on the Panhellenic Executive board, maybe I was bragging but I think I said it to reaffirm with myself that I was successful in college.

3. As Heidi Klum says, “in fashion one day you’re in and the next day you’re out.” Currently the game day fashion trend for girls in College Park is wearing oversized jerseys or shirts with no pants. I know that is a trend in the south but despite being below the Mason-Dixon line, Maryland isn’t really southern. Here’s the thing, if it was 80 degrees out and sunny, I totally get the over-sized jersey no pants thing, however, it was 65 degrees and raining. I wanted to go up to all the girls and say “look at me, this is what your future looks like, you look cute now but in two years, you’ll want to wear a jacket and go for comfort.”

4. There are perks of being old. As previously stated multiple times, I was very involved in Greek Life as an undergrad. Therefore, I was invited to attend a reception for former student leaders. Receptions mean free food and in case you haven’t seen Wedding Crashers Maryland is known for crab cakes and you bet there were FREE crab cakes at this reception. See, being an older alumnae has its perks.

I use to think the more years that go by the more out of place I would feel attending homecoming. But I was completely wrong. When you return for homecoming with your friends, it feels like you never left. Even if you haven’t seen people in awhile, you all pick up where you left but this time the topics of engagements, weddings, buying houses and new jobs are topics of conversations. There might be a Nando’s where Ratsie’s use to be (RIP Ratsie’s) but College Park will always be my campus and my school.

I've come to the conclusion that we should feel a little out of place at homecoming. After all, we’re not the same dumb 21-year-olds we once were, who didn’t make the best decisions, pulled all nighters, switched our majors three times and were stressed all the time. Even though we do regress a little bit during homecoming because we can afford the bar, we’re more confident in ourselves, have a better perspective and know that you wear a jacket when it's cold and raining. Let’s be real, we don’t want to be like Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite.

I’m excited to continue to return to College Park every fall. Everything gets better with time and the best homecoming is yet to be. Go Terps!