Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Silhouette of two people
Silhouette of two people
Photo by Tori Wise from Unsplash
SBU | Life

Something Has Changed Within Me..

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.

Just like what Elphaba said in “Wicked”, I too believe that something has changed. Ever since I got back from winter break, I feel so refreshed and a lot more motivated to take on the semester. Besides gaining confidence in my academics, I have also gained confidence in myself.  

Although it has only been two weeks since the semester started, I have finally started speaking to people about proper boundaries within friendships and relationships. For example, an individual was using the same excuse when they would ignore me all the time over text. Old Olivia would just brush it off and start a new conversation with them and not say anything. Instead of doing that, I let them know that if this is not meant to be, then we should stop talking and move on with our lives, as I have grown out of putting energy into people who are not putting the same into me.   

When I talked to my best friend, who I have known since high school, she told me that she was proud of me for sticking up for myself. I was proud of myself too, but hearing it from someone who has grown up alongside me for so long meant a lot. Besides speaking up for myself, I have also become more confident in my appearance. 

Now, some may find this a bit narcissistic, but as someone who spent time not seeing the beauty in oneself, I would say that my statement is a reasonable exception. Before coming to college, I always had some insecurities about my body, but the more I have gone through college, the more I feel comfortable in my own skin. There used to be times when I didn’t even want to look at myself in the mirror, and now, I enjoy looking at myself, mainly my smile.  

Growth is a blessing in disguise. At first, it is something that seems scary, but it ends up changing you for the better. Watching myself grow over the years has made me so proud of the woman I have become and makes me excited to see how much more I grow at St. Bonaventure.  

So, hearing the part of “Defying Gravity” during the Wicked movie that talks about Elphaba finally feeling a change within herself, I connected with that on such a personal level. Just like Elphaba, I am finding myself while meeting some of the best people I have ever been around.  

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.