extracurricular – Julianna Stratton '26

October 18, 2024

All Good Stuff!

With the first half of the semester already over, it feels like an appropriate time to take stock of the highs and lows, what has gone well and what… perhaps leaves some room for improvement. This has, by far, been my busiest semester yet, and, while I insist to my family and friends that “it’s no one thing that’s making me busy,” I would have to admit that it is, in fact, all of the things that I’ve agreed to that make my life so chaotic. 24 hours in a day doesn’t seem like nearly enough when trying to tackle my 5 classes, my 4-hour orgo lab, and the three overload music credits I’m taking on top of that… not to mention my two jobs, and positions on various e-boards and leadership roles. “It’s all good stuff,” has become an all-too familiar mantra to my friends and family as I justify my hectic schedule, and while that is certainly true, I’ll be the first to admit that fall break has been a much-needed respite from the constant influx of work, responsibilities, and assignments that seem to always find me on the hill.

In the spirit of that “good stuff,” though, I’ll share some of the highlights that have come from my chaotic schedule!

My composition class held a workshop with visiting artist Johnny Gandelsman, where he played for us the short pieces we had written for his visit!
I collaborated with a few faculty and another student to put on a lunchtime concert in the Cantor Art Gallery.
I’m working with my co-chair of the music department SAC (student advisory council) to form a Worcester collective of college-aged musicians that will work for the VMA (volunteer musicians of America) – super exciting stuff!
I just finished writing a movement of a quartet that will be performed by one of the chamber groups on campus at their winter concert!
I have actually managed to have some free time occasionally, which has been spent watching movies with friends or sharing some meals together!
During one of my evening classes, we all went out to see the Northern Lights!

All in all, I’ve quite enjoyed this semester so far! The long days and nights are worth it to be able to share the awesome things that are happening on campus and in Worcester, and I’m grateful to be a part of all of it. I’m sure by the time Christmas break rolls around I’ll be sharing a different story… but it’s all good stuff! See you on the other side 😊

April 17, 2024

Flying Heavy

To say that this semester has been busy would be quite an understatement. My friends see me emerge from a practice room, Dinand, or my room in Ciampi approximately every two weeks, during which I reassure them that I am in fact alive, that it is not the ghost of my overworked self that’s sending memes into our group chat… and then I disappear again.

It would be easy to point to the breaks that I’ve taken amidst all of this — evenings spent relaxing with a tv show, an excursion into Boston with friends, the occasional dinner with my roommate — as the times when I’ve had fun, or really enjoyed being here at HC. What’s not so easy to immediately see or be grateful for is all the time in between the breaks; the time when my friends don’t see me except for in classes or when I’m spotted carrying my cello around campus (which is not exactly a subtle experience).

College is busy. Life is busy. Busier for me compared to many, perhaps, because of my double major, pre-vet and honors college requirements, extracurricular commitments, ensemble rehearsals, cello practice and job, but… we’re all more or less in the same boat. If this semester is teaching me anything, it’s that if you wait to take a break or enjoy the moment until there’s nothing to be stressed about and no work to do… you’ll be waiting for your casket.

One of my favorite quotes of all time, taught to me my Dad, of course, is from G.K. Chesterton: “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly… Seriousness is not a virtue… It is easy to be heavy; hard to be light. Satan fell by the force of gravity.” In that spirit, (and as a reminder to myself to do this more often, so that I’m not a hypocrite for writing this), here are some times of ‘lightness’ amidst the heaviness of the semester:

a pretty sunset on my way to rehearsals!

the orchestra performed a full program of movie music, including clips from star wars!

taking a quick study break on the hoval!

getting to watch a movie for my spanish class!

an evening spent in the practice room… ending with a jury performance going well!

January 23, 2024

San Fran Strategies: An Adventure

This past week I was given the opportunity to attend the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) strategies conference in San Francisco, California with two other Peer Wellness Coaches on campus. Since our work largely deals with peer education and student health and wellness, the conference was the perfect opportunity for us to network with other students and professionals in the field, learn more about current research developments surrounding student substance use and mental health and wellbeing, and to brainstorm with other peer educators about programming and program development. Of course, all that aside, anyone would be crazy to pass up an opportunity to visit California when back here on the hill it’s below freezing and snowing!

doing some networking with other student educators!

Not only did we learn a lot from all of the presentations and speakers that were present, but we also got to do a little sightseeing!

we arrived right at dusk and got to see the bridge with beautiful clear skies!

My favorite presentations of the conference were “Can’t We Like… Talk: Women’s Peer Support of Mental Health” and “Associations between Substance Use and mental Health: Prevention Opportunities and the Power of Peers.” The former of these presentations was the conclusion of a study examining how women negotiate mental health and boundaries with their peers from a feminist poststructural perspective, and the latter centered around recent studies about substance use on college campus, the legalization of marijuana and its effects on the student population, and ways to combat drinking cultures on campuses.

Heading back into the semester now with a jam-packed schedule of 5 classes, work, and my co-curricular involvements, it’s time to implement everything I learned into my own life (especially regarding stress relief, self-care, and wellbeing practices)! Of course, my fellow travelers and I will also have the opportunity to discuss and present what we learned to the various peer education groups on campus (including SWEET, COPE, RPEs, and SHAPE) and get to work creating positive change on campus!

I thoroughly enjoyed the conference and the food!

September 26, 2023

Coffee and Nonsense

It’s quite a perilous thing, being friends with me or being related to me. You never know when you’re going to find a chance encounter or passing comment form the central point of my writing here. Thankfully, there are a few people who have either ignored this warning or simply choose to play the resultant game of chance, and they are all quite dear to me. This is a story about one of such people:

My day a few weeks ago began with a chance encounter in Dag’s during breakfast. I was enjoying my breakfast and working there, as I do every day, when my friend decided to pop by for a quick breakfast before class. This first accidental meeting turned into two, then three, and then a whole week of breakfasts. Now, four weeks into the semester, our morning breakfast debriefs over coffee and a sausage, egg and cheese bagel have not only become custom, but also one of the highlights of my day.

At our first SSPP (Society of Sts. Peter and Paul) meeting of the year, one of the resident Jesuits proposed to our group that our life is defined by seasons, intervals of time that dictate our attitude and behavior. He suggested that, beyond the academic and natural seasons, we live in ought to define the time and seasons we live in through prayer. Of course, he pointed to the Divine Office, the Angelus, and Daily Mass as examples of religious governance in our lives.

Taking a more liberal view of the idea, however, each of our days is structured not just by prayer, but also by our habits and encounters throughout.

While the hours of the Divine Office, and daily mass certainly shape and define my daily schedule, our morning breakfasts have become an added ritual of camaraderie and joy that I would consider equally powerful in defining the tenor of my day.

As Charles Lamb said, “Tis the privilege of friendship to talk nonsense, and to have her nonsense respected.” I am very lucky indeed to indulge in nonsense every day with such dear people!