Ewe never know

“Is there recess in college?” asked the prepubescent boy on the green and white shuttle bus taking us back to our dorm.

“That depends,” his 70-ish grandmother said with a grin.

Her response took me back to my undergraduate days at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, about 40 miles north of Detroit.

My college experience involved commuting, working summers to earn money while living at home to save money to do more commuting. It took me a little over four years to earn my journalism degree, but I did it.

Not the most fun I ever had. If I could do it over again, I would have somehow gone away to school – most likely Michigan State University – and lived the full college experience.

Instead, I’m doing it some 45 years later, in June when school’s out.

Welcome to the 14^thannual Grandparents University at MSU in East Lansing, a three-day pretend mix of campus life, classes, dorms and dining halls. This was my third GPU visit with my sister and two of her grandchildren, all veteran collegiates and big-time Spartan fans.

The 12-year-old has visited university life five times, and she’s finally aged out since only children 8-12 are eligible. This was the 9-year-old’s second time, and he already knew the campus like the back of his hand. The dorms and bookstore. The Bug House and Dairy ice cream shop. The best climbing trees.

After weeks of cool temperatures, Michigan summer descended upon us the day we arrived last week. Highs in the upper 80s with equal parts humidity, along with some thunderstorms thrown in for good measure.

Did I mention there was no air-conditioning in our dorm?

Luckily, a nice breeze filled the air, particularly fortunate since our Tuesday afternoon class was outdoors at the MSU Sheep Farm. We learned how sheep make wool, and I must say it was all pretty interesting. I had never walked in a sheep’s pen or seen them up close. They’re cuddly, friendly and well, I’m not gonna lie, pretty darn smelly.

Did you know that sheep have nearly 360-degree vision? Their rectangular pupils give them peripheral vision allowing them to actually see behind themselves without turning their heads. Sort of like surround sound for the eyes. Not a bad trait to avoid becoming some predator’s dinner.

That evening, we saw an exhibit at the university’s Broad Art Museum. Honestly, it was rather strange to most of us adults, but the kids didn’t seem to mind.

Our Wednesday morning class sounded positively out of my comfort zone: “A Smashing Time with Nuclei.” It was. Who knew physics was fun?

That afternoon we switched gears anticipating a hands-on class titled, “Engineering Design with Popsicle Sticks and Tape.” More my speed.

Turned out we miscalculated the timing of the afternoon session. We inadvertently missed the bus, skipped class and instead ate ice cream in the air-conditioned Student Union. (Good call, Grandma!)

Now that’s what I call a college experience. Who needs recess?