An article in Slate magazine recently reported on a phenomenon that I had long
suspected was true. Most people remember the events in late adolescence and
their early twenties more clearly than any other events in their lives. Researchers
call it the reminiscence bump. “A little-known but robust line of research shows that there really
is something deeply, weirdly meaningful about this period,” writes Katy Waldman
in the Jan. 18 edition of Slate. “It
plays an outsize role in how we structure our expectations, stories, and
memories. The basic finding is this: We remember more events from late
adolescence and early adulthood than from any other stage of our lives.”
Scientists are
still trying to ascertain the cause of the reminiscence bump. A leading theory
is that our identity formation takes place during this phase of life. Events during
these years become “self-defining episodes” for us. A study by scientists Judith Gluck and Susan
Bluck found that an event more likely to be remembered for a long period of
time has three qualities: “It is joyous. It allows us to exert control.
And we perceive it to be highly influential over the course of our lives,”
Waldman writes.
If this research
is true, our son, Jacob, a high school senior, is moving into the phase of life
that he will most remember; the time of life that will form how he defines
himself. While I continue to cherish events from his kindergarten and first
grade years that Jacob has already forgotten, his college years will be
indelibly marked in his mind.
I don’t know if
it’s because Jacob goes to a Catholic high school or if it’s because five of
the six universities he applied to are Catholic, but it seems that more than
half of the
marketing materials that fill our mailbox each day come from Catholic colleges
and universities. The pages are slick,
glossy and sometimes customized. One postcard came with Jacob’s name spelled
out in a collage of photos of the college campus. Imagine yourself here was written under his name.
The
brochures speak of gorgeous campuses filled with bright students, brilliant
professors and incredible extracurricular activities. Even their taglines are
inspiring. Preparing people for extraordinary lives (Loyola); Higher Purpose. Greater Good. (St. Louis
University); Be the Difference (Marquette).
And while I’m not one to be swept away by
photos of regal ivy-covered stone buildings, I can’t help but believe that on
their best days, Catholic universities deliver on their lofty promises. Whether
or not they’re familiar with the reminiscence bump theory of memory, Catholic
universities understand that part of the formation of young adults includes the
formation of faith. My best memories from my days at Marquette include
retreats, service trips over spring and winter breaks, going to dorm Masses in
my slippers and sweats, and protesting the Jesuit university’s failure to
divest its holdings in Apartheid South Africa. My own memories of college are,
as the study suggests, among the strongest, clearest memories of my life. And
as the researchers indicate, my experiences of that phase of life defined me— I
was equally defined by both the joyous moments and the ability to make
decisions on my own. I want the same for Jacob—not the exact same experiences,
of course, but the opportunity to form his faith at the same time as he is
forming his identity. It’s hard for me to imagine separating the two.
Yet, I understand
enough about the call of God to know that there are many paths that can lead a
person where he or she needs to go. If Jacob chooses a university that is not
Catholic or Christian, I will watch eagerly to see how God will manifest in
that circumstance.
I look back with
gratitude at Jacob’s 14 years of Catholic education. From Mrs. Kisslinger’s
junior kindergarten prayers before lunch to his senior retreat, Catholic
schools have shaped Jacob. His decisions, including this decision about
college, are informed by his faith. God goes before him, leading him to the
place where his greatest memories will someday live.
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