There is nothing like that feeling when an old school jam comes on the radio and you are instantly brought back to a place and time. One of those songs is Brandy’s I Wanna Be Down and one of those places in time is a College Athletic Banquet in the mid-nineties.

If you know me, you’re probably wondering why I was at an Athletic Banquet, because I don’t have an athletic bone in my body. I do however have (or rather had) an athletic brain and ability to report on sports, so I was there as a sports reporter.

And I remember that it was a lot of fun.

You see, my best friend is pretty much the definition of athletic and so not only did I get to go as an honorary member of the men’s soccer team and celebrate what an amazing year they had by winning gold in the OCAA (Provincial) outdoor soccer championship, and silver in the CCAA (National) outdoor soccer championship, and taking gold in both OCAA and CCAA Indoor soccer championships. But, I got to hang out with N and all the friends I made from the other Humber College sports teams including volleyball and basketball.

I had a blast in college. I loved each and every minute of it; studying, reporting, editing, partying and the banquets. This one was particularly my favourite.

I was in my second year of Journalism. I was an eager and dedicated sports reporter and took my beat (men’s soccer) very seriously. I had covered their entire outdoor and indoor seasons. In fact, I once got blamed for their one outdoor loss of that season. I had to work and missed one game, so they said it was because I wasn’t there that they lost.

They were hesitant when I started, unsure what a girl knew about soccer. Things eventually got easier, and they got used to me and my camera in their faces. But always, and I mean always they used to roll their eyes when I came at them with my mini recorder and pen and paper, when it was time to gather some quotes to fill my story. I always got the same answer; “Come on, Tania. Ask somebody else…I don’t know what to say.”

To which I would always reply, “But your mom will see your name in the paper!”

Appealing to their soft side always worked. Eventually, they all let me bug them and it got easier to get a quote, or two or three. They let me in and made me feel like I was part of the team. And they even took care of me when I was sick in Montreal, at the National outdoor championship (where I swear it was -45 degrees outside) and I had the worst flu ever.

So the end of the year banquet was a time to celebrate the wins, the year and ultimately have fun.

I Wanna Be Down instantly brings me back to the dance floor of that banquet with my best friend, even though that was 20 years ago.

Love that music has that power.

Happy Monday!

Do you have a specific song that can bring you back 20 years?