College Students Share
Thoughts on Grandpa

Students of the Albers School of Business and Economics, Seattle University, share their thoughts about grandpas with The Grandpa Project’s founding grandpa, Rod Brooks.

Even as they move into adulthood, grandchildren still need the comfort of a grandpa’s love.

I had a great opportunity to spend time with a group of college students earlier this week. We talked about passion, work ethic, and the importance of the relationship that a child can have with their grandpa. While these students are young adults and far from being children, I found our conversation to be enjoyable, enlightening, and valuable. Grandpa memories aren’t confined to childhood. Here’s some of what they shared with me.

• My grandpa told me that distance makes the heart grow fonder.I know he wasn’t the person who originally said that but it meant a lot to me. About when I went away to college and he missed me so much.
• My grandpa is an amazing, strong, and selfless person. He has taught me so much from his woodwork, playing tennis, how to treat and have good relationships with family members. Every summer we go to my grandparent’s lake house and its always been a great experience. The other day I called him out of the blue and he was so happy to talk.
• My grandpa is the strongest, most resilient and accepting person that I know. He had a hard childhood, escaped that by going to war as military intelligence. He then went on to create his own business and it has grown very successfully.
• My grandpa is the most loving and supportive person – knowledgeable and kind.
• Grandpas are storytellers.
• My favorite memory of my grandpa was when I solved a puzzle that my grandpa had been stuck on. He said I was so lucky that we drove to the store and bought a lottery ticket. It was a lot of fun!
• My college roommate told me that when he was growing up he was bullied a lot and one day his grandpa told him that the bullies just didn’t know how special he is and that someday they will.
• Grandpas are parents, friends, teachers, heroes, leaders and above all great inspirations.
• When my grandpa Hisashi immigrated to Hawaii from Japan, he planted banyan trees. I never met him, but I got to hug his banyan trees.
• Grandpa: Generous, hardworking, intelligent, unconditional love. He’s the reason why I’m able to attend college. He’s so helpful and supportive.
• My grandpa is caring and responsible, yet stern, wise, and endearing. I love my German drill sergeant grandpa (Opa).

Prepared by Rod Brooks, Founding Grandpa of The Grandpa Project

A grade school child shares her thoughts about grandpa here.