. . . One more thing before I graduate

It’s not the last Record of the year without some teary-eyed senior reminiscing and giving advice. I started my first year here frantic to have the best four years of my life, doing everything I could and sucking the marrow out of the collegeexperience.

As someone whose malignant Busy Bennie Syndrome has given me connections, friends and experiences all across campus, I hope I’m qualified to pass on my biggest lessons from my time at these colleges. From a senior who can’t let her personal schedule or her last chance for an editorial pass without a final word, here’s one more thing for you all.

First: Try everything once. Don’t let “I’m too tired” or “I’ll do it later” stop you from doing the silly, the bold or the unusual. Volunteer to help with the Maple Syrup fest, even if you have no idea how syruping works. You’ll learn fast. Participate in the Spark to Start Challenge in the fall, or maybe even apply for E-Scholars, where “Embrace Ambiguity” is one of the biggest mantras. Jump in icy Lake Sag at least once. Watch the stars from the Tundra. Regardless of your major, go to the COP. Look for events, (drag) shows or clubs that make you feel out of your depth, then listen to them with the ear of your heart. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and into a zone where you can learn and grow. And you can make that step anywhere, anytime. Let yourself explore, connect and lead.

Second: Make friends. In social situations, try to unbury yourself from your phone and chat to someone who looks as awkward as you. You can always find something in common. Remember that social connections often don’t happen at the first meeting, but the second: the “Oh, hey, you’re that person from _____!” Ask any sociology student: there is great power in weak ties. They just might introduce you to the club or event that changes your college career. (Eternal thanks to my first-year roomie Carolyn Rowley for introducing me to Climate Justice Club. People, find your Carolyn).

Third: Mindfully balance your health, studies and fun. That balance looks different for everybody. Maybe, like me, you learn in college to quiet the constant urge to worry about homework whenever you’re doing something fun. (“My philosophy is that if you worry, you suffer twice,” says Newt Scamander). Maybe you learn to go to bed when you’re tired. Maybe you notice that your usual outlets of fun aren’t working: TV or endless scrolling leaving you lethargic instead of relaxed, weekend partying giving you more hangovers than real friends. Cultivate nonjudgemental awareness of yourself: notice what (or who) makes you feel tired or burned out, but also notice when you feel good. Ask yourself what makes your heart full, and set yourself up to do more of it every day. I imagine what my four years would look like in alternate realities. In one, I would be on the soccer team, like I thought I would be my senior year of high school. One “me” would still be a staff writer on The Record after my successful debut article in Spring 2020 on the new Seton apartments. One “me” stayed in Biochemistry, somehow learned O-Chem and feeds the phys. lab animals every day with my friend Steph. But, as you can probably imagine, I’m glad it all worked out the way it did for me. It’s thanks to the many friends and connections I made along the way, and thanks to the wild and scary learning experiences they threw me into. It’s an honor and a joy to graduate soon, knowing that I couldn’t have fit…

…one more thing.