Parents’ Weekend 2013 posed a serious problem for me. How could I share a whole year’s worth of experiences with my family in just a couple of days?

Restaurant choices ran through my head at full speed leaving my mouth watering, possible activities had me itching to grab my car keys, and the idea that my sister would be giving me a hug shortly had me smiling from ear to ear. I jotted down a list of a few potential ideas (you’re right it was more than a few), and settled in to finish my work before they arrived.

Once they made it to campus, like many of my classmates I did my best to give them a snapshot of WUSTL and a taste of the city we call home.

My sister took in a presentation in my management communications class and tried a famous carvery wrap at Holmes Lounge. My dad savored our Italian meal on The Hill, and my mom shopped through the array of stores at The Galleria. We sampled a Big Apple at Ted Drewes, which had my sister convinced that frozen custard plus apple pie might be her new favorite food, and we walked down The Loop to experience the bustle. We even visited the Sophia M. Sachs Butterfly House and took in a Cardinals’ World Series game from a bar and grill.

Although we didn’t even make it halfway through my original list, I always enjoy sharing a piece of St. Louis with the people I care about. The city has so much to offer to Olin students. But on a weekend designed to bring families back together, the most important things were not the restaurants or the malls, but the laughs we shared and the time we spent with each other.