I just got off the phone with my seventeen year old cousin who is inevitably freaking out. If you are a rising high school senior, like he is, you have a lot to think about. Face it, next year at this time you will have graduated from your respective high school and most likely will be attending college summer orientation. This upcoming year has a lot in store for you as you begin to finalize your college list, visit campuses, interview, write your essays, and send out numerous applications. You have a lot of goals that need to be set and prioritizing that has to be done. Trust me, if you work hard, everything will get done.
As I spoke to my cousin though I realized that he was becoming so stressed about his senior year that he was not going to enjoy his summer. I had to help him take a step back to realize that he could become organized for the busy autumn ahead while still enjoying these summer months he has off.
Here are some of the ideas we discussed:
- Plan a road trip with your friends to visit schools you are interested in.
- Get your family involved. Plan a vacation that involves looking at some distant colleges while you are away. Even plan to visit those long lost relatives that live in states where colleges of interest might be.
- Make a day of it! Come to Worcester in July for a great lunch on Shrewsbury Street and then check out our July Advisory Days.
- On a rainy afternoon have a “mock interview” with a friend or family member.
- Go to a café or diner with your friends, get lots of food, and talk about each other. Recalling great memories or stories from the past could lead to valuable material for that college essay.
I hope you can take advantage of one or all of these ideas listed and of course, find some excitement in the busy months ahead.
Alyssa Trometter
Admissions Counselor
Summertime is finally here!
I just finished up my first interview of the new season. I must admit, prior to the interview, the rainy day was making me feel a little “blah.” But there’s just something about a nice conversation with someone that makes me smile. She didn’t have to do any magic tricks or back flips, or cure cancer, or bring me cookies (my favorite is chocolate chip with walnuts). (And no, you are not supposed to bring me cookies). (Unless you reeeeallly want to). All she had to do was show up, and have a conversation. She told me about her interests in service, law, and art; we talked about the new Star Trek movie; and we reminisced about how beautiful western Massachusetts can be when there aren’t so many tourists around.
Hey, Juniors: What are you doing this summer?
There are so many wonderful qualities to Holy Cross that it’s hard to just focus on one…but that is my assignment for this entry. Of all the characteristics that define Holy Cross, the one that impresses me the most is our active commitment to social justice and service. Having been at two other small liberal arts institutions prior to coming to Holy Cross, I have seen three different versions of the small, undergraduate liberal arts experience, and the main differentiation for me is the call to service that stems from our Jesuit mission. Helping those in need is something that is personally and professionally important to me and I always felt somewhat alone in my commitment to social issues but when I came here, I was pleasantly blown away by the strength of Holy Cross’s commitment to serving the greater community. Students, faculty and staff truly believe in the Jesuit mission to serve others and because of our mission, there is a certain tone of caring and compassion on campus that I just haven’t seen anywhere else. I find myself constantly inspired and challenged to find more meaningful ways to help and serve because of the environment here at Holy Cross.
We know you have a big decision to make. Over the next few weeks, members of the Holy Cross community will share their thoughts on what makes Holy Cross so special.