A memory project for the Smith College Class of 1998

Hello, classmates! I was elected “Class Memoirist” in that lengthy slate of amazing classmates who will be our class leadership for the next five years. As such, I will be leading this collaborative writing and memory project and every member of our class is invited to participate.

I’m Monique Daviau (Baldwin House, American Studies, former station manager of WOZQ. ) Somewhere in the 2000s, I started going exclusively by Mo, but if you remember me as Monique, that’s cool. You can still call me that. I published a novel called Every Anxious Wave eight years ago. I live in Portland, Oregon, and work at a bookstore. I recently had my first colonoscopy.

Why The Landslide?

The Fleetwood Mac song! “Time makes you bolder/even children get older/and I’m getting older, too.”

I also thought about calling it The Mudslide, after the Oreo-festooned milkshakes of our youths, but that didn’t land right.

Why a memory project?

This wasn’t my idea! It was the idea of the incoming class officers. I love the idea of “class memoirist,” and I’m honored to be the one to run with it.

My goal is to give the class writing prompts and to publish the results here. I would love to address the milestones of this phase of our lives (empty nests, menopause, midlife in general). I would love to tell old stories about college, and newer stories about life right now. Eventually, I’ll set up a phone number where you can record your stories, but for now, we’ll start with writing.

What are these writing prompts?

Thanks for asking!

I’ll give you the first two. The writing assignment is: respond however you want, however the prompt sits with you. There is no right or wrong. I will edit for clarity and length but not content. Please keep your response under 500 words.

First prompt: ASK (deadline to submit: extended to April 1, 2024) What was the hardest thing you’ve asked for? The easiest? What do you wish you had asked for? That you didn’t? What stops you from asking for what you need? What would you tell a younger person or your younger self about asking for what you want or need?

Second prompt: THE YEAR 2000 (deadline to submit: June 1, 2024) What were you doing in 2000, two years post-graduation? What do you remember from that time? Where did you live, what were you doing, what did you want, what was the very best part of that year for you? This prompt was inspired by this article in Slate by Dan Kois, wherein he explains to his younger coworkers what those of us who came of age around the turn of the century did after work before cellphones.

You may submit your responses to me at smith98memories@gmail.com.

I welcome all feedback! Please suggest writing prompts and other ways to make this site as special as possible.

Thanks for playing! And remembering!

xo,

Mo