I truly don’t know where to start; it seems like just yesterday I was a young freshman riding in the car with my parents on my way to move in to school. I remember the feeling of the nerves making me ask myself questions like how will I make friends? What will I become involved in? Will I like my room? What are the parties going to be like?
A month later, I found myself becoming involved in clubs, enjoying my classes, and meeting many new people. I enjoyed finding my independence and developing a daily routine that fit well with my class schedule. Believe it or not, the daily routine I developed then is the same one I have now. I get up at 7 a.m., make breakfast, go to the gym, and then start my day. This helped me during the pandemic because with a routine, I gave myself structure- something I would not have functioned well without.
Now, four years later, I am sitting at my computer, nervous about jumping into the real world in less than three months. Don’t get me wrong, I am excited to get into the working world, but I am sad to leave school and am going to miss the early morning walks to the gym, dinner at Gigi’s, and staying late for layout nights before the paper is published. Change is inevitable, but the unknown is still scary. What I keep telling myself is to embrace the journey and be more open to new experiences.
Although my time at Stonehill is coming to a close, I am so grateful for every single moment. Stonehill taught me that life is about learning experiences: there are going to be good ones and bad ones, but what we choose to take away from what happens is the most important part. It gave me and so many others a place to call home and fond memories to look back and smile on, and I am so excited to see what the next chapter has to offer for all of us.