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Two men and two women wearing backpacks laughing in front of mountains
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SBU | Life > Experiences

I’m Glad That I Met You

Olivia Francis Student Contributor, St. Bonaventure University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at SBU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

If this is our only lifetime, I’m glad that I met you.”

Olivia Francis

Instead of going home during spring break, I went back to Philadelphia to work at the St. Francis Inn with fellow Bonaventure students that I now call my family. While I was there, I thought that this time around was more memorable for me than when I went last year. Not only was it because of the connections I built, but I was able to gain more courage to talk to the guests, and sure enough, I did not regret it.  

During one of the days I was working at the Inn, my friend Norah and I were tasked with handing out coffee to the guests. While we were standing by this door outside, a guest came up to us, asking if we could help him get fresh clothes, as the ones he was wearing were soaked. Obviously, Norah and I were willing to do anything to help him. So, I gave him a cup of coffee to help warm him up and got the coordinator and let him know the situation. When I got back, I told the guest that the coordinator was getting him fresh clothes, and when he said thank you to me and Norah, he proceeded to look at us and say one thing: 

I don’t want to die. 

When he cried, I cried with him. Tears filled my eyes not only with sadness but also with hope, knowing that I was going to do everything I could to help him. So, we got him some fresh clothes and filled his empty plastic bag with some food. When he came out with his new clothes on, he came back to us and thanked us for helping him. I gave him a hug and watched him leave. I have thought about him ever since. This guest’s name was Ricky, and I will never forget his name.  

The last thing I remember saying to Ricky was, “If this is the only lifetime, I’m glad that I met you,” and I stand by that. But the more I think about what I said, the more I realize I wasn’t only talking about Ricky in that moment. Besides Norah, I went on this trip with Celeste (my fellow Her Campus sister), Kevin, Maddalena, and Reagan. When I say that this group of people made the trip special for me, I mean it. Those late nights having deep conversations on the couch while questioning Dave’s life choices on “Love Is Blind” made me realize that if this is the only life we get to live, I’m glad that I got to meet them and call them my Bona family.  

So, if you were to ask me how my spring break was, I would say that it was indescribable, as it felt like a blissful dream I never wanted to wake up from. From being with the other volunteers to meeting Ricky, this is why I go to Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, I get to help a community that is not fueled by violence but by love.  

Olivia Francis

SBU '27

Olivia Francis is a second-year member of the Her Campus at SBU chapter. She oversees the site’s culture, entertainment, and wellness verticals on the site, including mental health, relationships, TV shows, and movie coverage.

Olivia is currently a second-year student majoring in Communications, Social Justice & Advocacy at St. Bonaventure University. Beyond Her Campus, Olivia has been published in many anthropologies over the years through an organization called Young Writers. She is also one of the leading coordinators for SBU's Break The Bubble.

In her free time, Olivia enjoys writing poetry and short stories, along with taking walks while listening to her favorite music genres on Spotify such as Pop or R&B. One of her goals is to travel the world someday and explore new foods and customs. An interesting fact about Olivia is she is not only the first college gen student but, she is the first female in her family to go for a higher education.