As an incoming freshman, I was enduring so many emotions heading off to college for the next four years; excitement, nervousness, anxiety. Everyone warns you just before you leave to enjoy every minute of the next four years, that they’ll fly by before you can blink. What they don’t tell you is that these four years will have the greatest impact on you. They will change you into the person you are today and transform you into a person you never knew you could be.
As a senior, it’s easy to look back on freshman year and see the transformation we’ve all made from these awkward freshmen to these mature upperclassmen. From my first move in day as a freshman, to moving into my house senior year, coming back to campus has got easier and easier. This place has become my safe haven, my happy place and a home away from home.
Sacred Heart has given me more than I ever could have imagined; outstanding opportunities, experiences of a lifetime and it has welcomed the most amazing people into my life.
Thank you SHU for teaching me what it means to be a genuine person – to hold the door for someone. To smile at a stranger. To give back when you can. This school has reminded us it’s important to be grateful for everything you have, that nothing you have today is promised for tomorrow. That it is the little things in life that matter. A simple act of kindness, can go a long way.
Thank you for reminding me that there are still wonderful people in this world. Although our campus has faced devastation a few too many times, it is the most beautiful thing seeing the way our campus comes together to support one another. Whether it is a philanthropy event, a memorial service, or planning a service trip to help others, the amount of outpouring support our campus has is truly special. It’s undeniable that Sacred Heart is full of people with the biggest hearts.
Thank you for opportunities to grow in ways many of us never knew we could. Whether it’s getting an internship you never imagined having, holding a leadership position, or pushing yourself out of your comfort zone to study abroad, this school allows you to accomplish things you never imagined possible.
As Pioneers, SHU has taught us that when the going gets tough, you get tougher. College can be challenging at times but it’s nothing we can’t handle. Sacred Heart has taught us that while you may not have an explanation or reasoning as to why circumstances are they way they are at that very moment, everything happens for a reason and you can persevere through anything that comes your way. Thank you Sacred Heart for showing our community how to truly embody what it means to be a Pioneer.
Thank you SHU for taking a group of strangers I’ve met along the way these last three years and making them into the most amazing people that have ever come into my life. To my people –
thank you for inspiring me on a day to day basis. For picking me up when I’m down. For always making Main Street Creamery sound like a good idea. For the late night study sessions where McDonalds are a must. For never letting me settle for less than I deserve, or strive for less than I can achieve. Thank you SHU for giving me my roommates forever, my bridesmaids, and my forever friends.
As a senior, everything this year will be my last. My last President’s Gala. My last time registering for classes. My last tailgate. My last formal. My last few times watching as the countdown dwindles in Reds as graduation approaches. Everything this year will be my last.
This place has impacted my life more than I ever thought imaginable. It’s given me confidence in being a leader, amazing opportunities like studying abroad, and the greatest friendships I ever could have hoped for. While this year is full of lasts, Sacred Heart will forever have a special place in my heart. Thank you SHU for inspiring our minds and unleashing our hearts to push limits we never knew possible. Pioneer Today. Pioneer Tomorrow. Pioneer for life.