Greetings Holy Cross community!!! I apologize for the slight delay in posting- I’ve been busy with schoolwork, extracurriculars and other commitments (the semester definitely picks up quickly but it’s nothing we can’t handle!), and haven’t found the time to update you all on my recent life adventures. However, I do have some very exciting news to share: I officially declared an English major (with a Creative Writing Concentration) last week!
Holy Cross invites its students to take full advantage of the liberal arts education and explore subjects they wouldn’t have otherwise, so that’s why first-year students come into Holy Cross undeclared and cannot declare any academic programs (major, minor, or concentration) until February 1st. Many students are still trying to figure out what they’d like to pursue- which is okay!! -and have until second semester of their sophomore year to do so, but for me personally, I knew I wanted to study English for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved reading and writing- it’s always been a subject I’ve shone in at school, and after taking Poetry & Poetics (the first step of the English major) last semester at Holy Cross, I knew for sure this was what I wanted to do. This semester, I am enrolled in two English classes- Touchstones 1: Early British Literature (the second step after P&P) and Intro to Creative Writing: Poetry (in order to get started with the Creative Writing concentration), and both of those have also been a blast. So far, I’ve learned the oddities and complexities of Middle English as we read The Canterbury Tales, and I’ve studied what makes up a poem, including writing one of my own! (And of course, if you have any further questions about the English major, etc. at Holy Cross, I’m open to questions- there should be a space to leave comments at the bottom of the page! The English department itself is also an incredibly skilled group of professors that would love to hear your questions.)
Additionally, this semester I’ve dedicated more time to getting exercise, whether it be through free pilates classes offered at the Jo, ‘casual yoga turned impromptu ballet lessons’ with friends (I’m just as confused as you are on this one), and, as the weather gets nicer, running outside, most notably on the scenic trails at the Blackstone Gateway Park just minutes away from campus. Obviously, last weekend’s record-breaking temperatures prevented anyone from getting any exercise outdoors, but being able to bundle up in my warmest boots and comfiest sweaters with some hot chocolate wasn’t too bad either 🙂
Finally, this spring I’ll be embarking on a totally new experience, thanks to the Holy Cross Chaplain’s Office’s Spring Break Immersion Program! During the week of spring break, students involved with SBIP travel to various sites around the country and carry out a service trip that invites them to form connections with others and deepen their faith. The program places an emphasis on the “with others” portion of the Jesuit motto of “being people for and with others,” and is a beloved aspect of the Holy Cross experience that I am eager to participate in myself. This year, I have the pleasure of traveling to a L’Arche site, which is where adults with and without intellectual disabilities live together in community, and I even got a sneak peek of what this joyful and loving environment looks like through a fantastic L’Arche dinner earlier this week. Though SBIP won’t officially begin for another month, I am so grateful to all who made this trip possible, and for all of the blessings that are to come.
Thanks again for reading- until next week!
