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Episode IV — Guess Who’s Back!

Hi everyone! Gosh, I haven’t seen you guys for like, a year or something!

Sorry. I couldn’t not make one of those clichéd jokes.

In any case, I hope you all enjoyed your holiday breaks! I certainly did—I know I spent my last post bemoaning my finals, but as it turns out, they weren’t too bad. Given that they were pretty much just final papers, I was able to do them from the comfort of my childhood bedroom, which was a nice dose of nostalgia. Nothing like the good old days of senior year, when I couldn’t be bothered to sit at a table and do my work—heaven forbid—my bed is the way to go!

I spent my break mostly working, which was honestly pretty nice. I’m a person driven by routine, so I found it really helpful to have something to do to occupy my days. Granted, I did take a break for about a week, just so I could have some time to decompress from one lifestyle before jumping into another—and it was atrociously boring. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great for a day or two, but when both your parents are heading off to work and you’re crafting yourself a delectable breakfast of Froot Loops and apple juice at 3pm (totally not based off of a real experience…), you get kind of lonely.

That made seeing friends (new and old) over break even more special. I loved checking in with my hometown friends, and adored the times I had with my friends here at Holy Cross, even if it was spent getting lost in small Massachusetts towns or repeatedly losing at GamePigeon 8 Ball—I’ll win someday!

That’s all for now. I hope you’ll forgive the delay in my posting, but as I said before, (re)settling into routines can be tricky. Be gentle with yourself! I’ll see you all in the next edition.
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Episode III — Baby’s First Finals

Hi everyone! Wishing you the best, and hoping you’re well. I wanted to pop on here briefly just to check in during finals season, which can be seriously overwhelming. The end is in sight, but it’s so easy to be consumed by exams, papers, projects, reports, and anything else you might be assigned.

This is a unique experience for me, because I’ve actually never had finals before. I’ve had midterms—my high school was able to squeeze those in before the pandemic hit—but finals are completely uncharted territory for me. Sure, I’ve written final papers and done AP exams, but I’ve never been in an environment with so many people all stressed about the same thing.

Scratch that. I was in that environment literally a year ago today when applying to college. And, upon further reflection, I not only made it through, but ended up here!

So, as it turns out, you actually can push past adversity. But that doesn’t make those feelings of anxiety, stress, and fear magically disappear. The good news is that we are men and women for others here at Holy Cross, so remember that you’ve got a community to fall back on when you need that extra support. And if you’re where I was a year ago today, read above. You will get through this. I promise!

Have a wonderful holiday season, everyone. I’ll see you all in 2024!
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Episode II — Holiday Reflections

A warm hello to you! I’m back on The Hill circa yesterday (many thanks to my dear older sister for dropping me off on the way back to her university) and ready to conquer the last few weeks of the semester.

It was a great joy to see my family over Thanksgiving break: I fielded many questions about how I was finding the semester and the college experience overall, and found myself incredibly thankful that I could answer their questions with ease.

It spurred me to reflect on how I was feeling a year ago around this time. In a word? Frazzled. My relatives seeking small talk about college plans were received with nervous smiles and anxious fidgeting from yours truly. They all told me I would be fine, and trust me, I really wanted to take their word for it, but my worries still nagged at me.

For those of you in the thick of college applications, take my (recycled) word for it: you will be fine.

As it turns out, we are a species that can adapt to quite literally anything. It takes time, and sure, there are bumps in the road and tough moments, but it’s nothing we can’t handle. We are equipped to grow, to change, to adjust.

And oh, is college an adjustment! The independence and freedom are both refreshing and overwhelming. Invariably, it will be daunting, and when it becomes too daunting to handle, you lean on your community. You call your mom. You watch the Peanuts holiday specials with your friends. You FaceTime your friends from home. And soon enough, you realize…

I am going to be fine.

So, to any high school seniors out there, keep the faith. You are going to end up exactly where you are meant to be. And for my fellow college students, keep up the great work for just a few more weeks! We’ll be back with our families before we know it.

In the meantime, enjoy my new friend Snoopy being his fabulous self. He’s lacking his stylish puffer jacket, but adorable nonetheless:

A Snoopy plush from Kohl's wearing a fabulous tiara, with a vintage filter on the photo.
Many thanks to my friend Molly for getting this Snoopy plush for me over our Thanksgiving break: he’ll be a great study partner! Note: I was able to get this vintage filter using the Lapse app.

I hope you all enjoyed your holidays! I’ll see you in the next edition.